Page 91 of The Escape Plan

“I’ll come get you in about an hour?” Beckett stands and grabs his phone from the coffee table.

“Sounds perfect,” I reply, trying not to think about the fact that the drool stain on his chest is likely the reason he needs a shower.

My phone rings not long after he leaves, and I reach for it, assuming that he’s calling to say something dumb or funny or intended to make me blush.

“Miss me already?” I ask as I swipe to answer without looking at the Caller ID.

I’m shocked when Freya’s laugh bubbles from the phone speaker. “I miss you every day, my dear. Every single day that I walk into the OneWorld offices and sit at my desk, I thinkwow, work would be so much better if Keeley were here, too.”

“Ahh, sorry!” I cover my eyes with my free hand. “I thought you were someone else.”

“I figured. But my declaration still stands.” My boss laughs. “I do miss you.”

I smile. I haven’t chatted much with Freya lately—aside from her laughing at the horoscopes I submitted last week for the Serendipity Springs website and a quick call we had to go over her notes on a town council segment I was adding to the site.

At that point, she let me know Nisha had received my article submission, but I haven’t heard anything about the Evoke position since. Which I figured might happen. These things can take time.

And no matter if I get the job or not, I’m comfortable with what I submitted.

“Miss you too, Freya,” I say with a laugh. “One of these days, I’ll drive up to Boston for the day and write my horoscopes and traffic reports from the comfort of your cushy office. Deal?”

“Orrrrr,” Freya says coyly, drawing out the word so it has three syllables instead of one. “You and I could do lunch. Every day.”

“What?” I ask dumbly.

Freya laughs in delight. “I’m putting you on speakerphone here, Keels. I have someone with me who’d love to deliver this news herself.”

“Hi, Keeley, it’s Nisha!”

I gasp. Like, audibly.

And promptly attempt to turn said gasp into a cough so I don’t come across as a rabid stalker-slash-fan. I’m sure that’s not the best look in a potential new employee.

Luckily for me, Nisha laughs. “I loved your article.”

“You did?” I ask dumbly.

“I did. It was a great take on the legend, super unexpected—it took me by surprise, then made me think. Which is what we always aim to do with our content here:evokesomething in people. You’re a talented writer, Keeley. And the story earned you a job as the new full-time staff writer at Evoke. If you’d like it, that is.”

“If I’d like it?” I repeat—but in a much more yell-y, overexcited tone.

“I’ll take that as a yes?”

“Yes!” My stomach is in a knot of anticipation.

“I’ll send you an email with an official offer and all the details. But for now, consider this an unofficial welcome to the Evoke team!”

It’s all I can do not to squeal.

I did it!

I landed the job.

I can’t wait to tell Beckett.

“One thing I am curious about, though,” Nisha says, cutting through my mental celebratory breakdance of excitement. “For my own knowledge, what happened?”

“What happened?” Jeez, I’m literally parroting everything this woman says right back at her.

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