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If yesterday was Wade’s big moment, today is mine. The contest winner will be announced in a meeting at two, and I’m unable to get an ounce of work done. I’ve been stuck on the same paragraph for over an hour. At this point, I’m not even worried about not getting the promotion, but staying employed at all. With all the work I’ve been missing, the state of my to-do list, and my inbox, it’s a wonder I still have a job here. My phone vibrates in my pocket. Since I have apparently no work ethic, I pick it up, thinking it might be Wade. It’s a text from Karl.
KARL
I’m sorry I’ve been such a moron. I miss you. Can we hang out?
My heart soars but not in a romantic way. Karl has been my friend for five years. Even if our last conversation was rough, I can’t help but miss him. Maybe we could still be friends.
ROXY
Yes you have. Yes we can. Drinks at Malone’s tonight?
Whether I win or lose, I will need a drink tonight. Plus, Wade won’t be back until tomorrow.
KARL
Sounds good. Meet you there.
“Roxy.” Lina’s voice startles me. She offers an apologetic smile. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. Should we go in? Meeting starts in ten.”
Taking a deep breath, I save my current project, close out of the program, and get up.
“It’ll be fine,” she says, squeezing my shoulder. “Worst case—you lose, Melanie gets the cover again, and we can keep hating her. So, in a way, it’s actually a win.”
“Yeah.” I force a tight-lipped smile.
Half of the conference room is already filled up. Only ten writers are competing, but we discuss the entire issue at this meeting, so the whole team is involved.
Melanie sits opposite me, wearing a smug smile. I’m not sure who she’s featuring, since she usually keeps it under wraps. But I’ve heard her mention jewellery and gowns, so I’m pretty sure it’s another royal—or at least someone from London’s high society.
Zelda’s entrance kills the chatter in the room. “Hi, everyone,” she says, settling into her chair at the end of the table. Lina, being her assistant, is seated to her left, and I’m right next to Lina. Orla strides in, sits down next to Melanie, and shoots me a subtle wink. That should give me confidence, but let’s not forget that the other shoe is still hanging in the air like the sword of Damocles.
“I won’t beat around the bush”, Zelda begins. “You’re all eager to know who won, and we’ve got work to do. So, Orla and I, along with the entire board, reviewed the ten entries diligently. The decision is never easy, but we quickly reached an agreement. The winning article is . . .” She pauses, smiling. “‘Behind Grey Eyes’ by Roxanne Grant, starring Wade Hunter.”
My eyes fly open as the shock hits me, but I’m tongue-tied. Some team members let out little gasps, but most are applauding. Orla is giving me an award-winning smile.
I won.
A mock-up of the cover appears on the screen behind Zelda. The photo they chose is simple, yet captivating. He’s sitting down, but it’s not obvious because it’s a closeup. He’s staring straight into the camera, his grey eyes seeming to pierce right through it.
“Congratulations, Roxanne.” Zelda gives me a nod. “Choosing a male cover model was a bold move, but we feel this is exactly the turn this magazine needs to take.”
“Thank you,” I bubble out, finally finding my voice. They’re featuring a man on the cover of a women’s fashion magazine. A first in Fashion Warehouse history. I can’t wait to tell Wade.
“Let’s hope this will lead to other male-focused covers in the future,” she adds. “Now, on to business. We have our cover lad and lead article. Let’s go through the rest of the issue.”
Three hours later, the meeting is over, and I’m still floating on cloud nine. Scores of colleagues are coming up to congratulate me, and Orla scheduled a private meeting for Monday to sign my promotion contract.
As soon as I leave the conference room, I text Wade.
ROXY
I won! Thank you so much for doing this for me.
He answers immediately.
WADE
Of course you won. You deserve it. You are amazing, and I cannot wait to be back to celebrate with you.
