“It’ll be interesting to see how she handles herself,” he was saying. “Vivian seems to think she’s all capable.”

“So everyone says,” a dry voice replied. It belonged to Jon from PR. “Including you.”

“I was sorry to lose her, believe me. But better her than me when it comes to dealing with Alyson.”

Jules stopped dead in her tracks at the corner into Reception. Oh. It was about her. And…all capable, huh? Like she was a Range Rover or something. That was kind of cool to hear.

“I’ve certainly never heard anything good about her,” Jon replied, “except from Lucia, and—well, look how that went.”

“I’m super excited about replacing someone else,” Simon said sardonically.

“I bet you are. Anyway, I wonder how much she’ll be able to squeeze out of Alyson.”

She’d never get a more perfect opening. Jules took a deep breath and rounded the corner.

Jon saw her first, and his eyes grew gratifyingly huge. Simon turned and blinked behind his pince-nez.

“Can I get a hand with these?” Jules asked. She had a thick leather-bound binder full of at least two hundred photos under one arm, and her other hand carried—dragged—two huge heavy Givenchy bags full of samples.

Simon shook his head quickly, hurried forward, and took the shopping bags.

“Thanks,” she said.

“What the hell is this?” he grunted.

“Everything Givenchy is doing next year,” Jules said, continuing toward Vivian’s office. “For accessories, I mean. Spring, summer, and sketches for fall.”

“You don’t say,” Simon said as they lugged Jules’s loot into Vivian’s office past Jon’s disbelieving eyes.

Vivian looked up from her laptop as they entered. Jules and Simon paused in the doorway like soldiers reporting back from a campaign awaiting their instructions.

“Leave that in the corner.” Vivian turned back to her computer.

That was it? Jules tried not to sigh.

Simon put the bags on the floor, and Jules put the binder on the table.

Well, she didn’t know what she’d expected. Good job, Julia would probably have killed Vivian. But she had looked forward to telling her about what had happened: that Vivian’s instincts had been dead-on (of course), that Alyson and Lucia had been plotting together, that Vivian hadn’t made a mistake in sending Jules to fix things, that maybe they could…what? Do this again sometime?

“Simon,” Vivian said, not looking at either of them, “please get in touch with Human Resources.” It was a remarkably civil request for her, and Simon nodded as he left.

Jules followed him and glanced at Vivian. Vivian was watching her right back. The look on her face was unreadable.

Well…nearly. Jules straightened her shoulders and hurried out of the office, realizing that, despite the lack of expression on Vivian’s face, she’d been a little impressed.

* * *