The Color of Love by Radclyffe

Author:Radclyffe
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781626397170
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2016-07-11T16:00:00+00:00

*

“Any news?” Ron asked the instant Emily entered his office and plopped onto the sofa across from his desk.

She leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and let out a long breath. “Surgery is over, successful, and she’s in recovery.”

Ignoring the nearby chair, he sat on the coffee table across from her, his elbows on his knees, and his chin resting in his hands. Leaning even closer, he muttered, “Thank God. At least something around here is going right.”

She opened her eyes, suddenly more tired than she could remember being in days. She gazed at him. “How bad is it?”

“I can’t imagine it could get any worse. Well, I can, but I don’t want to.” Shuddering, he glanced toward the door as if checking that no one was listening. “Donatella has been cloistered behind closed doors all morning, but every now and then edicts emerge via email. She’s already terminated four pending approvals and cut Jeremy’s marketing budget by thirty percent.”

“That will gut our summer title promotions,” Emily said. “We’ve got co-op agreements with publishers for author tours. We have to have the funds to cover those.”

“Who’s going to tell her that?”

“I guess that would be me.” Emily rubbed her eyes. “God, this is terrible. How’s everybody holding up?”

“Everybody’s still pretty much in shock. But if this goes on—”

“It won’t,” Emily said emphatically. She needed to stem the decline in morale right now. “Henrietta will be well enough to delegate responsibility in a few days, and whomever she puts in charge—”

“What are you talking about? That will be you, of course.”

Emily wasn’t so sure, especially with Donatella already in residence. If her visa status remained uncertain, she might even be seen as expendable. The thought was paralyzing, and she forced it into a dark corner of her mind. She had to deal with what was actually happening, not what might happen. Still, with the exact timing of Henrietta’s return uncertain, she had to consider the long term. “Bill might be a better choice.”

“No way,” Ron said. “I like Bill, you know that, but he’s terrible at delegating, plus he’s—” He paused as if searching for a diplomatic term. “He’s got tunnel vision in terms of the marketplace. If it were up to him, the only thing we’d ever represent would be best-seller potentials, and that’s not us!”

Emily couldn’t argue. Bill would probably be one of the few agents who agreed with Donatella’s assessment as to what kind of titles they should carry. “Right now, none of that matters. We’re going to have to deal with Donatella.”

He made a face. “What about Henrietta’s niece?”

“Derian?” Emily’s heart actually raced just saying her name. Another thought she pushed aside.

“Is she likely to step in?”

“No,” Emily said. “She’s made it very clear she has no interest in the business.”

“Maybe she’ll change her mind,” he said hopefully.

“I wouldn’t count on that,” she said as much to herself as to him. One thing she knew for certain, Derian’s stay was only temporary.

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