Page 143 of For Wrath and Redemption
Callie looks tentatively at Sav, then Sav flicks her eyes to Mabel before looking back at me. She smiles brightly, making my neck prickle with awareness. Sav’s up to something. I can tell.
“Well, I have something to discuss with you. But can I use your bathroom first? I can feel lemonade pooling in my bra.”
“Yeah, of course.” I point to the clearly visible bathroom door.
“Thanks.”
When the faucet turns on in the bathroom, I bounce my eyes between Callie and Mabel.
“What is she up to? And don’t say nothing. I can tell it’s something.”
Mabel and Callie share a glance, and then Mabel gives me a small smile. “Just hear her out. It’s nothing bad, I promise.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the bathroom door opens and Sav reappears.
“So much better,” she says on a sigh before plopping down on the floor next to Callie. “Anyway, as I was saying, I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
I arch a brow. “Okay. What is it?”
“I’d like you to come work for me.”
My jaw drops. “What?”
“At the end of the European tour, we’ll be out of the contract with our label—thanks in large part to the way you were able to turn things around with Jonah—and then I’m going to launch my new record label, Rock Loveless Records. I’d like to hire you.”
“As what?”
“Marketing and communications director. Rock Loveless needs branding and a marketing plan, and then you’d be overseeing the PR and marketing plans for any bands we sign. At present, we only have one band.”
She hooks a thumb toward Callie, and Callie smiles brightly, putting her hands under her chin and fluttering her eyelashes.
“That would be me and my band of idiots.”
I laugh and shake my head, then look back at Sav.
“Next year, I’ll be bringing on more, so you’ll be able to hire people to work under you. The job would require some traveling, though, especially at first. You might have to do some tour stops, if that’s okay.”
When I don’t respond, her smile turns playful.
“Have I rendered you speechless?”
“I mean...I...I’m flattered, but...” I give my head a shake, then narrow my eyes. “Why me? You have no idea if I can do this level of work. You don’t want to at least put me through an interview or ask for references or my portfolio or something?”
Sav shrugs. “You’ve basically been doing a working interview since Stockholm. And Crue’s brother owns MixMosaic, so he works as a reference. He said your design presentation was the only reason they hired Innovation to help with their rebrand. He vouches for you.”
My eyes widen. “MixMosaic is owned by Crue’s brother? Like, Caveat Lover Crue?ThatCrue?He’srelated to a successful art broker?”
“I know, right?” Callie laughs. “I was shocked to hear it, too, but yep, our little baby Crue is from averycultured bloodline, and his family is loaded.”
“I never would have guessed.” I look back at Sav. “So, you’ve just been checking up on me? For how long?”
She smirks. “Since about five minutes after we learned Jo’s dad was sending you as his babysitter. But it wasn’t until after you set up Jonah’s social media that the idea of hiring you came to me.”
I breathe slowly and drop my attention to my battered wood floor. I do love the floors in this apartment. The building is old, and the floors are original. It’s another thing I’ll miss when I move.
My mind starts to swirl with possibilities.
Working for Sav would mean I could stay in this industry. I don’t know what she’d pay me yet, but I’m certain it’d be enough that I wouldn’t have to leave the city. I wouldn’t have to switch careers. I wouldn’t have to uproot my life and change everything.
