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Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. EPILOGUE
  55. THANK YOU!
  56. MORE FROM VICTORIA WALTERS
  57. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  58. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  59. ALSO BY VICTORIA WALTERS
  60. Boldwood Ever After
  61. About Boldwood Books

So, I put on the dress and boots I had worn in New York, I left my hair loose and did my favourite make-up, finishing it all off with a spritz of my sweet, summery perfume. Then I looked in the mirror and told myself that even though I looked different to Hayley, that didn’t mean I couldn’t do what she did. And both Jake and Davis Mulberry had told me I had the potential to be a good agent. They liked it when I was honest. I hadn’t been honest with Hayley at all yet. I had always known I was intimidated by Jake but I realised now just how intimidated I had been by Hayley. She was formidable and made me feel like an incapable adult because I didn’t have my shit together like she seemed to. But watching her yesterday had made me wonder if I did really want to be like her.

This morning, I needed to listen to my gut and do what I wanted to do, not what anyone told me I should do.

42

When I arrived at work, Ellen on reception waved me over eagerly. ‘Hayley is in a great mood; I think it’s something to do with Jake Richards,’ she said with a big smile. ‘I still can’t believe you survived five days in New York with him. How was the meeting yesterday? Was Hayley a superstar? I bet she gave them all hell.’

‘Um…’ I said, wondering how honest to be with her. ‘She was a tough cookie for sure,’ I added cagily. ‘I wonder if his publishers have sent in their offer for a new deal then.’ Glancing towards the office, I could see Hayley’s door open as though she was waiting for me to come in. I knew she would want to gloat if an offer had been made especially if it was as good as she’d been hoping for.

‘Go and find out then tell me,’ Ellen encouraged. The phone started ringing. She sighed. ‘No rest for the wicked. What are you waiting for?’ she added as she picked up the phone, frowning.

‘Oh, yeah, okay,’ I mumbled, finally setting off towards the office, nervous for what was about to happen. I dropped off my things at my desk, switching my laptop on, before Hayley called out, beckoning me into her office as I was expecting she would.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over, closing the door behind me when I went inside.

‘Well, we did it,’ Hayley said as she leaned back in her chair. I sat down on the other side of her desk. She smiled. ‘Craig emailed me at 8 a.m. with their offer. A new six-book deal for Jake worth seven figures. The best we could have hoped for, Freya. We killed it in that meeting. I knew we would.’