The Other Black Girl(86)

“Changes. In the next month or so, Natalie will be sending out an email to everyone on the Wagner staff reintroducing a series of Diversity Town Halls. They will be mandatory for all employees.”

Hazel’s doing. “That’s wonderful,” she said robotically, trying to suppress her annoyance, even though it really was wonderful.

“Isn’t it? It’ll be an excellent way for us to… to talk to one another.” Richard put his hands on the table and pushed himself onto his feet. “Do you see what I mean? I feel like there’s not enough talking happening here. We’re talking. Sure. But we’re not talking. If we were talking, I don’t think you’d be receiving notes like the ones you’ve been receiving. You see?”

Nella shrugged. Something about his fixation on the notes and the talking was making her feel restless. His fixation on getting her to agree with him didn’t sit too well, either. “Got it.”

“I have another change for you, too. It’s an even bigger piece of news that I’d like you to keep private. Do you promise me?”

“Sure.” A cramp was settling into her neck from all of the nodding she was doing, but she kept at it anyway.

“The profound, inimitable Jesse Watson is coming in to the office to meet with a few of us next week. And I’d like you to be one of the folks who meets him.”

For the teeniest amount of time, Nella forgot to inhale and exhale at a reasonable rate. The “profound” Jesse Watson? “He’s… he’s coming here?”

“Indeed. You have heard of him, yes?”

Nella nodded. “I have. I just thought he was… um… taking a break from the spotlight.”

“He was. He has been. He and Hazel happen to share a mutual acquaintance, though—small world, isn’t it?—and she gleaned that this hiatus has come from his desire to finally write a book. He’s been wanting to for quite some time, and, well… one thing led to another, and now we have a meeting with him before all the other publishing houses have even had the chance to think about contacting him.”

Of fucking course Hazel knows him, thought Nella petulantly, childishly. For a moment, that was the only piece of information she’d gleaned from Richard’s statement. “Small world, indeed.”

Richard studied her for a few moments, trying to read her blank expression. “If you don’t mind me being so blunt, I’d say you seem absolutely stupefied, Nella. You’d like to meet him, wouldn’t you? Surely, a man like that, of his caliber—”

“Of course. I’d love to meet him. Jesse just seems like… how do I put this…”

“I know exactly what you’re thinking,” said Richard, a small, knowing smile playing across his face. “You think he’s too young and hip for us. I get that.”

More like too Black, she thought, recalling the time Vera had called Jesse an “emotional terrorist.” She was surprised Richard didn’t feel the same way; then again, his interest in Jesse did support her Black mistress theory.

“I know—this whole thing is unconventional. All the controversies surrounding this young man…” Richard shook his head. “He’s so young. So outspoken. But like I said: There are going to be lots of changes occurring around here. And who knows—we could have our own bestseller on our hands with this guy. And you…” Richard pointed at Nella. “You, Nella Rogers, have an opportunity to be a part of that. You’ll join us, yes?”

“Of course,” Nella said warmly. She was feeling far more revitalized by this conversation than she’d expected to. “Would I be able to work on this book myself? As in… be the editor?”

Richard nodded. “Vera and I have talked about it as an option. And we both agree you’ve done more than enough to prove yourself.”

Finally! He hadn’t told her she was being promoted, but she could already see herself logging into her LinkedIn page and updating her title to “Assistant Editor.” She only had about twenty contacts on it, but she could change that. Maybe she’d add Lena just to remind her she existed—and to remind her how to spell her name.

She beamed. “I’m—wow. I would be honored. Thank you, Richard!”

“However,” Richard said, straightening his collar, “we would be remiss not to give Hazel an opportunity, too. Since she introduced us to him in the first place, of course.”

Nella’s smile vanished. She wouldn’t have been more surprised if Richard had picked up one of the chairs and thrown it at her. But Hazel practically just got here! she wanted to scream. I took the initiative and emailed Jesse, and I’ve been wanting this forever!

For a fleeting, rage-filled instant, she envisioned picking up the chair herself. But she pushed the fantasy away, scared it might come to fruition the way her outburst minutes earlier had.

“So, then… what? We’ll be coeditors?”

“Let’s not concern ourselves too much with ‘editor this’ and ‘editor that,’?” Richard said. “We’ll see how the meeting goes, alright? See how Jesse feels us out. There’s a chance he might even want a more seasoned editor—maybe myself, maybe Vera. Maybe he’ll go with another publishing house. Or, there’s a chance he’s not ready to do a book at all. You know how it is with these kinds of things. Always unpredictable.”