Page 17 of Keep Your Friends Close and Your… Work Enemy Closer?

"With pink frosting and sprinkles?"

"But of course."

I gave her a hug, grateful for her as always, apologizing in her ear for being so unhinged lately.

"That's what friends are for," she said. "You were there for me during my big breakup."

The thought made me smile, even though at the time it'd kind of been hell. But what it had done was draw Mona and me closer together when I'd first started working here and found her crying in the bathroom, and now we had this amazing bond.

"You better hurry because Jared was eyeing your donut."

If the man ate my donut, he'd find out what true rage was.

Thanking Mona again, I rushed to my desk, and sure enough, Jared was staring at my donut.

"Don't even think about it," I warned.

"Or what?"

"I will fucking stab you with my pencil if you even think about touching my donut."

"All I can think about is touching your donut. I'm obsessed with your donut," he said, licking his lips.

I stood between Jared and my donut, eyes once again narrowed at the most annoying man in the world. "I will never, and I meannever, let you touch my donut. I will die before letting you touch my donut."

"Damn, Dee. Fine. I'll only touch your donut if you beg me to touch your donut."

"I willneverbeg you to touch my donut."

We were at a standoff, the two of us staring at each other, the tension palpable, a silent war over something much bigger than a simple donut.

Without breaking eye contact, I reached behind me to grab my donut, then took a big bite. "Mine," I said through a mouthful of sugary goodness. "All mine."

Jared burst out laughing. "For now," he said, still chuckling.

Once I had a little sugar rush going, I felt more ready to tackle the bullshit ahead of me. And a few minutes later, I turned to Jared. "Should we start?"

"Absolutely," he said.

At least he was enthusiastic. Hopefully, that was a positive.

I began by going over the methods I'd used in the past with great success, including beginning with research, learning everything there was to know about Venus, and then using that information to create a compelling book proposal. We'd trypitching to her agent and manager via emails and phone calls, and if that didn't work, we'd have to get more creative, like that time I'd sent an author a personalized cake to woo them.

"Why don't we just talk to her ourselves?" a yawning Jared asked once I was done with my monologue.

This guy never ceased to amaze me. "Talk to her ourselves? Are you joking?"

His brows creased. "No, I'm not joking. I'm dead serious."

"So we just stalk her and find her on the street and dart past her security and walk right up to her and introduce ourselves? Oh, and ignore the fact that she's a very protective mom with a young child plus a husband who could kick our asses?"

"No. Duh. Just go to some event she's at and talk to her there."

Oh, I hadn't thought of that. But never in a million years would I tell Jared that was actually a pretty decent idea. "Let's maybe try the more traditional methods first, and then if we have to, we can try that."

"It's a fantastic idea. You've got to admit," he said in a cocky tone.

"I'd rather chew rusty nails."

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