The Boss (The Boss 1)

“Oh!” I said quickly, remembering. How could I forget? “My roommate got hired to do runway for fashion week in Paris!”

“Wow!” Jessica’s eyes went wide. “So, basically, she’s made it.”

“Yeah!” I hadn’t really thought about it, but... yeah. For a model who’d be happy standing in front of cars at auto shows, Holli had really exceeded her own career expectations. “She’s totally psyched.”

The door opened. I looked up, expecting India. Instead, Jake stepped in. “Sophie, do you have a minute?”

I looked to Jessica. “Do I have a quick minute?”

“India isn’t here yet, so...” Jess shrugged. “Go for it.”

“Okay, but it has to be really quick,” I told Jake as we walked out of the department. He led me to the emergency exit stairwell in the corner. We slipped through the door, Jake seemingly oblivious to the stares of some of our coworkers.

“So, you know it looks like we’re coming out here for some super secret meeting, right?” I was kind of annoyed. I knew he was still under the impression that I was on his side, but I had no idea what his side was or what he thought he was plotting to accomplish.

“We are coming out here for a secret meeting.” He looked over my head, through the small window in the door. “I wanted to be the first to tell you. I’m leaving.”

“Leaving? As in, quitting?” It wasn’t as huge a surprise as he was making it out to be. I had been expecting him to leave way back when Gabriella was still with us. Not because he’d been unhappy, I was just certain he would get a massive book deal or something and not need us anymore. Because despite all the flaws in his character that had become magnified about a thousand percent in the past couple of months, he really was a talented guy. He knew exactly how to work with photographers, how to describe the look he was going for to compliment his words, and how to cooperate if those visions didn’t quite match up.

“It’s Porteras’s loss,” I told him, and I meant it.

“It doesn’t have to be your loss, though.” He put one hand on the wall beside my head and leaned in, way too close. Because we were being covert, I guess?

I took a half-step away from his arm. “What do you mean?”

He blew out a breath and looked to the door. “You have to swear you won’t tell Elwood. I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but I can’t trust you with this information if you’re going to run right to him with it.”

Jake could have slapped me, and I would have been less stunned and shocked. “What?”

“Oh, come on,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “You were in his office that day, with the door locked. I was there. And then you suddenly got promoted.”

“That’s not how I got the promotion! Gabriella—”

“Gabriella put you on a list, I know. Look, I know how hard it is. I’ve done things I’m not proud of to get jobs, believe me.” He had a look on his face that said we’re the same, I understand you.

But he didn’t understand. He didn’t understand me at all.

He smirked down at me. “Gabriella has backers, lots of financial backers, as well as the support of several major designers. They’re going to start their own magazine.”

“Good.” I meant that. Neil’s weird new policies were going to kill Porteras, anyway. “I hope she’ll be very successful.”

“You don’t have to hope. She’s going to be successful. She’s picking up the advertisers that are fleeing this place like rats off a sinking ship.” Jake straightened and put his hands in his pockets. I wanted to smack the smug off his stupid face. “You’re looking at Gabriella’s second-in-command at the new publication. Do you want in?”

“What?” I thought I might choke on my tongue.

“Like I said, it’s all hush-hush right now. But I can talk to Gabriella, see if you can’t maybe get on board. You might be her assistant again, at first, but there’s definitely a chance for advancement. Are you in?”

I wanted to say was: Let me see. Work another two years for the woman who thought I wasn’t good enough to take along on this new venture in the first place, driving her dog to get its malfunctioning colon cleansed, and betray the man I love in order to do it? Sign me up, and which foot do you want me to shoot myself in, the right or the left?

But my sense and reason overrode that. Working for Gabriella on a new magazine? People would kill for that opportunity. Could I really pass that up? She had too much pull in the fashion world to fail at this. Her new magazine would be a phenomenal success, fueled by the ire of former Porteras readers alienated by the changes Elwood & Stern had made.