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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

‘Davis told me you were honest and capable and ambitious, and I have seen that today for myself. I think I could be a good mentor to you. But you’d also help us here. We may have become a bit stuck in our ways. You could be the breath of fresh air we need. And Davis certainly has warmed to you. I think all of our clients would do so as well.’

‘Wow.’ His offer started to sink in. I glanced at Davis, who was beaming with what looked remarkably like pride. ‘You would let me actually look after clients?’ Hayley was set against that, and I knew she wasn’t a woman to change her mind. Simon was offering me what I wanted so much sooner, and I liked him instantly.

Simon nodded. ‘I would. How about I take you on a tour and give you some of our clients’ books and you can have a think about it? But if you’re completely happy where you are, I understand if you don’t want to even do that…’

I shook my head. ‘I want to do that. I definitely want to consider your offer.’ The thought of leaving Hayley was terrifying. Even telling her about this threatened to bring me out in a cold sweat. But I was getting a good feeling in Simon Langley’s office, and I had told myself to listen to my gut from now on. My gut was telling me this could well be my future.

Davis pulled his phone out. ‘I’m going to phone Jake right now, see if he’ll meet me for a coffee. I’ll tell him this is all your fault.’

Davis left Simon’s office so quickly, I couldn’t stop him. I wasn’t sure how Jake would react to hearing from Davis or my involvement in encouraging it, but I hoped he would be happy that I was being myself again. Part of me wanted him to also be proud of me but I knew I needed to stop thinking like that. If I did leave Hayley’s agency, we wouldn’t even have a professional relationship any more. I would be moving on from Jake Richards and even though that was sad, I had to make the best of this opportunity.

‘Ready when you are,’ I told Simon.

After he had shown me round and given me a tote bag full of books, I promised to think about his offer and get back to him ASAP. I left his office, stepped back onto the London streets, hot from the midday sun, and walked around in a daze, thinking over everything he had said. I knew this was the right move. But it was terrifying too.

I pulled out my phone to message Liv.

SOS. Can we meet for a glass of wine tonight? So much to tell you!

She replied instantly.

Tell me where and when…

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