Good for You: A Novel (55)

“You did all that in two weeks?” said Aly, whose mind was spinning at the thought of it. “No,” she said before Meagan could answer. “You’ve had this in the works for a while now.” It made her wonder why Meagan had even bothered running her mouth about Aly’s job performance. What did she care?

“Of course! I’ve known for at least two years that I wanted to build something bigger than All Good. But I need staff to get started, Aly. And I can’t think of a better person to be editor in chief.”

“Of which magazine?” said Aly.

“All of them,” said Meagan. “Every single magazine we work on. I’ll make sure you have all the support you need. And Aly, I promise I’ll have your back.”

This was the most demonstrative apology Aly had ever received. And being the editor in chief of not one, but multiple magazines: really, it was the perfect job for Aly.

And yet she couldn’t bring herself to say yes, or even that she’d consider it. Because hadn’t she just decided that she no longer wanted Meagan in her life?

“Aly?” said Wyatt. He’d wandered down the stairs in his boxers, and his sleepy expression told her he’d just awoken.

“Is that Seth?” said Meagan.

“Actually, we broke up.”

“What? I hope it wasn’t because—”

“Meagan, I’ve got to run,” said Aly, waving a hand at Wyatt, whose eyebrows had just shot up.

“Just tell me you’ll think about it, Aly. Please? You’d have complete autonomy and the freedom to hire your own team. I could start you at two hundred.”

“A day?” That was a pretty decent rate.

“Thousand, Aly. Plus benefits, though I’m still trying to hammer those out,” said Meagan. “Let’s talk soon, okay? Call me when you’ve had a chance to think it through.”

“I . . . will,” said Aly and hung up the phone.

Wyatt frowned. “Judging by the look on your face, that was the same Meagan who upended your life.”

“That was her,” said Aly. She felt oddly guilty, even though she had no reason to. “She’s starting a new company, and she . . . wants to hire me.”

“Isn’t that rich. I hope you told her you weren’t interested.”

“Don’t you want to know the job she’s offering? And the salary is nearly three times what I make at Innovate.” It wasn’t that Aly was convinced it was the best opportunity. Really, she’d barely had a second to digest the offer. But Wyatt could at least ask for the details before he passed judgment.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “She could make you the queen of Spain and I’d still think it was a terrible idea. When people show you who they are, believe them.”

“You got that from Luke,” said Aly. She attempted to take a sip from her mug, only to discover she’d already finished her coffee.

“Who got it from Maya Angelou, but yeah—that’s where I first heard it. And for the record, they’re both right. Meagan’s a snake in the grass. She’s asking you to join her because she knows she can’t do it without you. She’s a hack, Aly.”

That was taking it a bit far, thought Aly, though she didn’t hate that Wyatt was defending her so adamantly. “You’ve never even met her,” she said.

He looked away, and at once Aly knew.

“You watched the video,” she said quietly.

“Yes,” he said, slowly turning to meet her eye. “I wanted to see what had happened. You didn’t do anything wrong, Aly. You really didn’t. And I think you should leave anyone associated with that soulless company in the dust. Especially Meagan.”

“I told you, I don’t want to hear anything about my meltdown.”

“I understand that, which is why I never brought it up. I just don’t want you to feel bad, because there’s no reason to. Hey,” he said, walking over to her. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. Damned pheromones—she felt herself soften as she leaned against his chest. “You can’t blame me for not wanting to see you get hurt again.”

“No,” she said quietly. “I’m not blaming you for anything. But I have to make this decision for myself.”

“I know that. Watch the video sometime, Aly,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “I think you’ll understand where I’m coming from.”

“Maybe later,” she told him.

And by later, Aly meant never. Because seeing herself act that way might lead her to channel her mother again the next time she was stressed out.

Yes, if she decided to work for Meagan, she would approach it with the strategy of a hardened warrior—right down to the contract she’d have Harry draw up for her, which would specify all sorts of things, but especially the type of language Meagan could use around her.

And if she kept letting Wyatt Goldstein into her heart, she would have to come up with a similar defense. Because as she looked into his eyes, which were big and brimming with something unfamiliar to her, she knew that if she wasn’t careful, she’d forget all about her future.





TWENTY-EIGHT


While her elementary and middle school friends were developing crushes on their peers, Aly was busy being obsessed with their mothers. Her pining wasn’t romantic, but the intensity was no different; she spent hours imagining how her life would be if she could walk home from school, open the door to another home, and have an entirely different person from Cindy waiting for her inside.