Page 76 of VOGUEish

Frankie lowered her glasses and gave her a stare that felt like a cat clawing at her eyeballs. “Why didn’t you come to me when you came to your senses and decided to do what you were born to do? How could you, of all people, choose Amanda?”

Isabella tried to pinpoint the emotion she heard in Frankie’s voice. It wasn’t just anger at not being chosen. There was something else there, almost like true hurt. But that had to be wrong. Frankie didn’t do normal people emotions. “I…I—” Isabella couldn’t continue. Tears were ready to gush down her cheekbones. If there was one thing Frankie Peterson couldn’t abide, it was tears.

As if aware she was on the verge of a breakdown, Chandler came and sat down beside Isabella. “It sounds like our two hours with Ms. Peterson have started.” He laid a hand on Isabella’s shoulder and squeezed. “Isabella, why don’t you and Annie make yourselves scarce? Ms. Peterson and I need to speak frankly with one another. We’ll send for you when we’re ready.”

Frankie gave a derisive laugh as she pushed her sunglasses up her nose. “Mr. Roman, with all due respect, the only reason I agreed to meet with you is because of Isabella. I wanted to see with my own eyes she was the traitor I’d been told she was by Amanda. Now that I’ve verified what my heart couldn’t believe, there’s nothing more for us to speak about. I have no intention of leaving Vogue to come to Naked Runway.”

Tabby tugged Isabella’s hand. Isabella didn’t budge. She’d never seen two trains barreling down the same track at one another. What would the impact look like?

Chandler removed his sunglasses and leaned forward.

Isabella held her breath.

“Ms. Peterson, I have nothing but time and energy to go after the person who will be the best fit for Naked Runway. You promised me two hours. I’m collecting those two hours.”

“In that case, Mr. Roman, please throw Isabella and your sidekick overboard. I absolutely refuse to talk freely around people I can’t trust.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Chandler watched the small lifeboat bob up and down in the ocean. From a distance, he could already make out the boat that was coming to pull them to shore. To say Isabella and Annie weren’t pleased was an understatement. And God knew what they’d talk about alone in the boat. Both would probably stab him with a rusty letter opener when he got back to the hotel.

But his priority was to Naked Runway. His godmother thought Frankie Peterson was the best in the business, and he wanted the best in the business. After all, Isabella would be there, and the success of the magazine would benefit her.

“Now that they are gone, let’s get down to business,” Frankie said. “Birdie Fairway, whom I am to understand is your godmother, assured me that if I came to Naked Runway, Isabella would remain with the magazine for at least a year. Is that true?”

“She is under contract, but we can try and buy her out if her presence is a deal breaker.” The offer was made from loyalty to Glamour, Inc. and it took everything inside of him to say it.

“Oh, darling. You misunderstood. I want that chit around so I can toy with her.”

Was Nonna aware of this? “I see.”

“I doubt it, but I don’t care.” She paused long enough to take a drink of her water. “I was also assured I could bring in my own people. I wouldn’t be stuck keeping anyone I didn’t find useful. Like that pregnant woman you put in the boat.”

How in the hell did she know Annie was pregnant? She couldn’t. Not for sure. “And what did my godmother ask in return from you?”

“That I would use my vast resources in the business to discover the mole. She wants to know who that person is and their reason for trying to tank the magazine.”

If there was one thing Nonna didn’t like, it was for someone to get the better of her. But was that enough of one for her to throw Isabella to the wolves? He wouldn’t allow himself to believe that. Nonna would have a plan for Isabella. A better plan. One that might allow him a chance with her. One like buying another magazine and placing Isabella in charge of it once her comeback moment was over. Or was that wishful thinking? “It sounds like she’s given you all the assurances you need to say yes.”

“Tell me about Birdie.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked. “Once you take over, she’ll be in the background and allow you to run the magazine. She has many businesses in her portfolio. She’s not the type to micromanage.”

“I was told she is an older version of myself. Not afraid to get her hands dirty for the greater good of the cause. Not afraid to make the hard decisions for the bottom line.”

“You’ve heard correctly.”

“And you? Do you make the hard decisions?”

It was as if this woman could read minds. He frowned. “When necessary.”

“If I take the job, I will not be keeping Annie on. She’s weak, and I don’t work with weak women.”

“You’re wrong. She’s not at all weak. She’s recently proved to me she’s not at all afraid to make hard decisions either.” If he were in Annie’s shoes, what lengths would he go to in order to protect his child?

“Nonetheless, I have my own assistant,” Frankie said. “There will be no place for Annie.”

“Isabella is in the process of hiring an assistant to help her run the new digital department. Annie could move into that spot.” The moment he spoke the words, he wanted to take them back. The idea was a disaster waiting to happen.

---