People treated her very differently from the Platinum office staff, who had pretended she wasn’t there as she cleaned, or Hannah Cardinal, who had made her run errands. Liv wondered if it was all their fault, or if she’d allowed them to treat her that way. What might have happened if she’d stood up for herself more? She was going to do things differently from now on.

Editors sat opposite her with their pens poised, nodding and hanging on to her words. Liv sat at the high table, smiling and speaking with ease and authority. At first, she thought people held her in higher regard because she was Essie’s assistant, and they were interested in the author’s work. Slowly, Liv realized she was the one holding their attention, and pride warmed her chest.

When the festival came to an end for the day, Meg took a call as she and Liv left the exhibition space together. An offer had come in from the Italian publishing house.

“This is super. Well done, Livvy,” Meg said, after hanging up.

Liv hutched her tote bag up her shoulder and found a spring in her step despite the weight of the two manuscripts. She wondered if everyone could see her cheeks blooming with color. When they reached the hotel lobby, she kissed Meg on both cheeks and arranged to meet her later for the big dinner.

As she made her way back up to her suite, Liv wrapped the striped tie around her hand and held it tightly. “Thanks, Georgia,” she whispered.

18

ANIMAL HEADS

Liv put on one of Essie’s long black silk dresses for the dinner. Her whole body felt like it was shaking, but when she looked in the mirror she appeared still. And she also felt beautiful. Not in a film star way, with flawless skin and perfect makeup, but for a forty-two-year-old cleaner who’d stepped into a different universe, she felt as if she was glowing. She unpacked things from her tote bag and transferred a few bits into one of Essie’s sequined clutch bags. There was just enough room to squeeze in the striped tie, too.

When Liv got engaged to Jake, Carol insisted she wanted to buy the wedding dress. The two women had gone shopping for it together.

Liv gazed at rows of gorgeous gowns in several boutiques before her eyes were drawn to a silk dress with tiny glass beads and lace on the bodice. As soon as she held it up to her chin, it felt like her dress and her excitement blossomed. But then she saw its price tag of seven hundred pounds.

“Oh, love. It’s absolutely stunning,” Carol said.

“It costs a fortune,” Liv whispered.

“Don’t worry about that.” Carol ushered her into a changing room. “Try it on and give me a twirl.”