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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

He smiled at her, then turned to Alan. “The other night at the launch, you emphasized the family nature of the business—that Pavlin & Co had real people behind the brand name. I think it was brilliant to give the Electric Rose emotional weight by evoking engagement. You could lean into this strategy even further by putting your family into your ad campaign. If you think Paulina is a walking ad for your brand, make it official. Make her the face of Pavlin & Co.”

Elodie drew in her breath, silently willing her father to call this idea what it was: absurd. And couldn’t Liam see how appalled she was at his suggestion? But no, how would he? She’d never admitted to him how competitive she felt with her younger sister. It would seem weak. Nothing good could come from such a conversation. And nothing good could come from letting her true feelings show now. All she could do was wait for the moment to pass, a temporary squall in the midst of an otherwise flawless day.

“Brilliant,” Alan said, bringing the palm of his hand down flat on the table with such force it rattled the bottles of Perrier. “Let’s do it.”

“Wait—what?” Elodie said.

“Hello, don’t I have a say in this?” Paulina feigned irritation but her eyes were bright with excitement.

Liam turned to Elodie.

“What do you think?” he said, reaching for her hand.

“I think . . . I think it’s interesting in theory but maybe a little too on the nose. Too much of a good thing. Separation of church and state and all that . . .”

“Nonsense. I like it,” said Alan. “How soon could we shoot?”

Liam launched into a potential timeline, talking about storyboards and media buys. Elodie faded out. It was as if a green mist of envy separated her from the rest of the table.

Fine—let Paulina be the face of Pavlin & Co. Elodie would still be the brains of the operation. And she would be at her father’s side long after Paulina tired of playing cover girl and flew off to the next place that offered her amusement.

Besides, work wasn’t the only thing she had going for her anymore. She had something far more important in her life.

She had Liam.

31

Jack wanted to have the family over to celebrate their engagement. And he meant the whole family.

“I’m not inviting Elodie,” Celeste said, twisting the ring on her finger. It had only been a few days since he proposed, and she couldn’t quite get used to having it there. She never wore jewelry, and somehow wearing a diamond for the first time in her life made her feel like she was in costume.

“Why not?” Jack said. “She’s your sister, she’s in town, we’re having a family celebration. If Bianca were in town, I’d invite her.”