Tis The Season for Secrets (Village of Yule #2)

7. Juliet

J uliet resisted the urge to fidget as she waited for Ms Baum to finish skimming through Hugo’s manuscript. Her thoughts kept going back to Will. While they’d been talking, she’d spotted the town car outside the building and guessed it was waiting for him. She should’ve known from the hotel suite and the expensive tailored clothes, nothing marked with labels, that he came from real money. She feared that he belonged to the very world she’d spent years trying to escape. She hated that all it had taken was the smell of his cologne to tempt her.

“Congratulations, Ms Frost. You’ve proved you’re not entirely useless,” Ms Baum said, without lifting her eyes from the pages. Then again, she might turn to stone if she praised anyone while making eye contact. “I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show up, or you’d call in sick, until I came down and found you flirting in the lobby.”

“I’m sorry I was late.” Juliet tried to think of some lame excuse, but Ms Baum had seen her standing with Will.

“I can’t blame you; I’d forget about my boss waiting for me if a man like that paid me any attention.” The woman’s expression was as rigid as her jet-black bob.

Juliet didn’t answer, worried her tardiness would be held against her. She hadn’t meant to get so caught up talking with Will. She felt uncomfortable that she’d worried him by running out, and she wished she could’ve confessed how much she’d wanted to stay, but if he really was from the social circles she’d tried so hard to stay away from, maybe it was a good thing she hadn’t.

“Don’t look so terrified. I was only teasing. You really are too sensitive.” Ms Baum extended her hand, offering Juliet a seat.

It wasn’t the first time she’d been called too sensitive, but it was the first time Ms Baum had offered Juliet a seat in her office since she’d interviewed for the position at the publishing house.

“I got a call from Hugo himself while you were occupied downstairs. He informed me of how well you handled yourself, and he promised that in the future his pages will be in on time.” Ms Baum eyed her suspiciously through her thick square glasses.

Juliet forced herself to smile under the scrutinising gaze. “It took some convincing, but with the work you’ve already put in, he just needed an extra nudge. First-time authors are always nervous to get started.” She was surprised that he’d called Ms Baum to praise her instead of getting her fired. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to lose out on the contract for assaulting a staff member now that he’d sobered up. Juliet was just relieved she’d never have to stand in the same room as Hugo again.

Ms Baum’s suspicious gaze slipped away. At the end of the day, all that mattered to her was the manuscript.

“About the other manuscripts you wanted me to finish before the holidays… I didn’t get to finish the report because I had to go to the Bryce.” Juliet waited for her boss to use the missing report as an excuse not to promote her to Junior Editor despite getting Hugo’s heinous pages.

“Reports? You can forget about the other manuscripts.” Ms Baum waved it off, leaning back in her chair. “A deal is a deal, and though I may be many things, I keep my word. The Junior Editor position is yours.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes, but it was the effort that counted.

Speechless, Juliet wondered if this was a dream or some practical joke.

“Thank you! I promise I won’t let you down.” She shook Ms Baum’s hand before the woman changed her mind.

“Don’t thank me.” Ms Baum scoffed, like gratitude was an insult. “You’ve earned it. Hugo has been dragging out the process. I don’t know what you did, but this is a major win for us. And before I let you go, HR has been nagging me. You’ve got some vacation days remaining for the year. I don’t know how you could leave it so late to take them – it’s against policy.” She acted as though she wasn’t the one who’d denied Juliet’s every request for time off. Hell, she’d even worked when she was sick.

“Must’ve slipped my mind, so caught up in work,” Juliet lied, not wanting to rock the boat. Now was not the time to argue, not when she was so close to getting her dream job.

“Make sure you don’t let it happen again. HR is insisting you take them this month before your promotion can be processed. Even though it’ll leave us awfully short, there’s no arguing with policy. When you return in the new year, the Senior Editor of the Young Adult division will go over the new contract with you.” Ms Baum shoved Hugo’s pages in her drawer, probably not to be looked at again until January. The gesture confirmed that the last twenty-four hours had been a test, to either promote or fire Juliet. At least if she was fired, she wouldn’t have to spend another miserable year as Ms Baum’s servant.

“So… I’m off until we return on the fourth of January? If you can’t spare me, I’m happy to work.” A month off? Maybe I wasn’t the only one who got laid last night. The last time she’d had that much time off was before college.

“We’re well able to manage without you, and I don’t like to repeat myself. Are you accepting the position or not?” Ms Baum tapped her foot impatiently.

Juliet wanted to jump for joy and throw her arms around her hateful boss, but neither would be appropriate for the office. “Yes, I accept!” she practically shouted, before correcting her tone. “I’d love nothing more.” Being an editor was her dream, and the Young Adult department was a highly sought-after position. And in a separate building to Ms Baum.

“Excellent. I don’t know where I’ll find another assistant such as yourself, and I’m loath to let you leave, but I’m sad to say that our time together has come to an end.” Ms Baum sighed. “I hope you won’t embarrass me. I expect great things from those who leave my desk. Make me proud.”

Juliet glowed at the first praise she’d received in years. “You won’t regret this!”

“I hope not.” Ms Baum picked up her coffee cup and turned her attention to her computer screen. “Now, I suggest you go and enjoy your holidays before I decide to rescind the offer.”

Juliet didn’t need to be told twice; she practically danced out of the office.

For the rest of the work week, she slept in, caught up on her reading, finished the Korean drama she’d been forsaking, and celebrated Margot’s birthday without having to worry once about Ms Baum calling her into the office. The Christmas season was turning out to be too good to be true.

But even if she’d forgotten about the chest under her bed, she hadn’t forgotten about Will, as much as she tried to.