Page 67 of We Met Like This
“You’re right. We need a plan of action. How do you feel about ethics?” she asked.
“What about them?”
“Are you for or against?”
“I mean, I was sleeping with my boss, so…”
“That says more abouthisethics than yours, but sure. Withthat answer, I’m going to assume that your ethics are questionable.”
“Okay. Thank you. Are you kicking me while I’m down or is there a point to this?”
“How would you feel about stealing potential clients?”
I choked on the sip of chai I’d just taken. “What do you mean?” I said through the coughing fit that followed.
“You know what I mean. Go through the queries authors send to Rob and poach some of his potential clients.”
“He’s going to disable my access. That’s why I gave Kari my personal email.”
“Then sign into his email from home. You have his passwords, right? Because you literally did everything for him.”
“I have his passwords.”
She shrugged. “It’s a good plan.”
“I can’t steal his potential clients. Did you see Rob’s face when he saw those books you took? How do you think he’d feel if I took his clients?”
“I don’t care about Rob’s feelings,” she said.
“I can’t do that…”
“But…” she prompted, obviously seeing my mind working.
“But maybe I can reach out to the ones from the past that I thought had potential but he ended up rejecting and see if they’ve found agents yet. And… what about our shared clients? I did all the work for them anyway and they love me. The commission on their past projects is lost to me, stays with the agency, but what if I convinced them to come with me for their next projects?”
“Yes!” she said.
This could be the jump start I needed. But before I couldeven think about approaching clients, I needed to take the proper steps: make aPublishers Weeklyannouncement, change my online profiles, make a website, contact editors. “I need to get a business license, don’t I? This is going to take time. I don’t have time. I already feel the clock ticking on my savings.”
“Can your parents loan you some money in the future if it takes you longer than you think?”
I cringed. I didn’t want to have to do that. “I haven’t even told my parents what’s really going on yet. I’ll call them today. And my sister… I need to tell her that I have no choice but to start my own agency because I quit after not getting a promotion…” I really should also tell herwhyI had to quit, what had led me down that path. But the thought of her face after learning I’d slept with Rob sent icy shivers through me. I was moving on with my life, leaving him behind; it was a nonissue now. I didn’t need to tell her that part.
“What’s worse? Facing Rob today or having to call your sister?”
“It’s a draw,” I said with a laugh. “My sister is just—”
“Perfect?”
“Yes. And Rob is maddening.”
“Yes, he is, but you look hot, and the fact that Rob had to see what he is missing one last time is making me happy right here.” She placed a hand over her heart.
I let out a breathy laugh.
“But we all know who you really dressed up for.” Her gaze was over my right shoulder and I turned to see Oliver come through the door. All wavy-haired, chocolate-eyed, chiseled-jawed, six-foot-something of him.
Even though my cheeks were now warm, back to her, I said,“I wouldn’t call jeans and a button-down shirtdressed up.” I wiped my palms against said jeans.
