Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

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How do you walk into work on Monday and not tell everyone you had the best night of your life when they ask how your weekend was? Like, is it just me who blushes and says “fine” instead of saying I had my whole world rocked by a stranger?

I had an adventure that was straight out of a book, and it was glorious. I was brave, I trusted in myself with a complete stranger (risky, I know, but I felt as if I were in a safe place to do so), I committed to the experience, and what I got out of it was more than several orgasms.

I’m totally rocking the afterglow. It’s real. I’m light on my feet, my skin is as flawless as if I had a facial, and I might have grown an inch and a cup size. The funny thing is, it’s not Paris that made me feel this way. Well, of course he contributed, but this confidence is because of me. Because I owned what I wanted, went after it, and felt no shame in the experience. Like Dr. Ambrose told me, I should own my sexuality and never feel bad for what I want or what I have or have not done.

Kendrick and Amanda shared a smirk after Paige walked by. Apparently, others could see the glow too. Paige decided she didn’t care. She was going to own that glow. Paige smiled at them and sent Amanda a wink that caused her to blush. Everyone knew that Amanda and Kendrick liked each other. They just hadn’t made a move. At least a public one, yet.

Paige had a busy day. Mimi’s book was rocketing up all the sales charts and interview requests were through the roof. Paige spent all morning working on Mimi’s next month of travel, going over some books that Miriam thought had promise, and trying very hard not to refresh her email every second to see if the bestseller list came in. Every week, it was sent via email at four in the afternoon. It was now 3:58.

Paige’s intercom came on, startling her from checking her email for the millionth time. “Mr. Griffin wants you in his office now,” Kendrick told her.

Now? Ugh. The list was about to come out.

Paige practically ran down the hall. She wanted to get this over and back to her computer so she could see the bestsellers list the second it was released. Her career was riding on that list.

Jack was leaning back in his chair behind his desk. He watched her run into the room and his eyebrow rose. “In a hurry, Miss Turner?”

“The list is almost out. What do you need?” There was no time to mess around.

“I see Amanda is right. You are glowing. So, who was the lucky man?”

“My boss shouldn’t be asking me that,” Paige said with a roll of her eyes as she glanced at her phone: 3:59 .

“True, but you know I’m also a friend and former lover, so I think I can ask.”

“Did I ask you about your time in the VIP room?”

“No, but I’m happy to tell you all about this delicious little sub I had. You wouldn’t believe what she could do with . . .”

4:00

“Congratulations, Paige.”

“What?” Paige asked as the checking email wheel was going around in a circle on her cell phone.

“Mimi Golden’s debut novel hit at number eleven on the bestseller’s list for fiction.” Jack smiled as Paige’s mouth just dropped open in surprise. “My little sub made that same face.”

Paige snapped her jaw closed but was still stunned. “We did it? It’s real?”

Jack stood up, pressed a button on his phone, and called Amanda into the room.

“Yes, sir?” Amanda asked.

“Send out the press release announcing Miss Paige Turner as the Editorial Director of Romance for the new, select Griffin Romance line.”

Amanda jumped up and down and cheered, which brought Kendrick and Miriam running into the office. “Did you do it?” Miriam asked.

Paige still couldn’t believe it. Eight months of hard work. Eight months of taking risks, pushing for what she knew she wanted and what she could do, and it came true. “We did it!”

Kendrick lifted her off the ground in a hug as Miriam clapped her hands, Amanda cheered, and even Jack smiled.

“What’s your first order of business, director?” Jack asked.

Paige took a deep breath. It still didn’t seem real. “I need to call Mimi and give her the good news. Then I think we’ll celebrate. Everyone is welcome to Felix’s tonight to celebrate. ”

“Sorry, Paige,” Jack said seriously. “You can’t do that.”

Paige’s smile fell a little. “What? Why not? I mean, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

“I mean,” Jack said, “that you can’t do it tonight because you have to be at The Grandeur tonight at eight o’clock for a private event. Wear a dress.”

“Why isn’t it on my calendar?” Paige asked. She wanted to jump up and down, have a drink, and celebrate with her friends. The last thing she wanted to do was go to a work thing.

“Because I’m telling you about it now. I’ll pick you up a couple of minutes before eight. Be ready. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to call HR about your new job title, salary, and such while Amanda sends out the press release and you give Mimi the good news. See you soon.”

Jack dismissed her.

Kendrick and Miriam were still talking about the bestseller list and Paige’s promotion when Paige sat down at her computer to see the bestseller list herself. Right above it was an email from Jack.

Attached are your new salary, benefits, and perks. Sign and return to HR. I thought I’d let you inform Kendrick about his new job title as executive assistant to the editorial director. I’ve notified HR of the increase in his salary and his new benefits which I’ve also attached to the email. Further, you’ll now need to hire more staff. At least one senior editor and three junior editors. Miriam can be moved up if she and you wish. I’ve attached her new pay grade if she accepts the role of senior editor. Don’t be late tonight. – J

The email made her smile even more than her own promotion. Kenrick was going to lose his mind, and she hoped Miriam would take the promotion as well. She’d be good at running a team of younger editors. That is until Paige looked at her new salary and about passed out. With a salary like that, she could move out of her building into a real apartment where her bed didn’t touch all four walls of her room.

Paige tried not to hyperventilate as she told Kendrick and Miriam she needed to see them in ten minutes. Then she called Mimi. Paige’s heart flew as she heard Mimi’s scream of excitement. Even Timmy sent her a congratulatory text along with a hope to meet with him soon because he had more clients he’d like her to consider publishing.

“You wanted to see us?” Kendrick asked as Paige took off the two pieces of paper from her printer.

“These are yours if you want them.” Paige handed the papers to Kendrick and to Miriam.

Miriam read hers the fastest. She didn’t say anything. She just snagged a pen from her pocket and signed the bottom of the page. “It’ll be great working with you further.”

Kendrick was frozen, staring at the paper. “I think there’s been a mistake in my salary.”

“You’ll be the executive assistant to the editorial director. You need to be compensated for your promotion, if you want it,” Paige said, trying not to smile too wide. Jack had been generous with all of their salaries.

She’d expected a whoop of joy from Kendrick. Instead, he burst into tears. “Thank you,” was all he managed to get out as Miriam rubbed his back and handed him her pen.

She had her senior team in place. Now, to start a whole new department. It was almost overwhelming when she thought about it, but no one knew romance books like she did. She was nervous but so excited. Until Miriam pointed out it was now past five and she needed to get home and get ready .

New York City traffic sucked. When you were in a hurry, there were going to be at least two road closures, a train running late, no taxis, and you would for sure break a heel. That’s just the way it was.

Paige stared at her phone in the back of the car Jack said she now had full-time access to. Of course, that didn’t matter in rush hour. No one was going anywhere. She wanted to call Max and tell him. Then she looked at Fraser’s number. She wanted to tell him too.

Instead, she pressed the video chat option.

“What happened?” Leah asked.

“Wait! I’m here! Did you get it?” Amelia’s face came into view.

“Paige, did you get the promotion?” Eli asked the second he answered the group video chat.

There was no way Paige could pull off pretending she didn’t just have the best day of her life. “I got it!”

Her friends cheered so loud that even the driver smiled at them.

“We have to celebrate,” Leah told them all.

“I have to run home, get changed, and go to a work thing or I would be celebrating right this second.”

“We’ll find a way to celebrate tonight. Don’t you worry!” Amelia said as the others nodded.

“Do your thing, Miss Editorial Director, and we’ll celebrate tonight one way or the other, even if it’s midnight pizza in our pajamas. Congrats, girl!” Eli called out before they got off the video call.

Her friends once again made her day.