“He’d be mad?” Libby guessed. “Is that why you’re not telling him?”
Hildy gazed at the brightening sky. “He’d respect the hustle. But I’m not going to give away my leverage before I have an ironclad commitment. Johnson Media is making bank off us. It’s not just the news coverage. TV movie rights, a novelization, there’s at least one memoir in it… if I can bring this all the way home,andclaim the credit, I’ll be able to write my own ticket. No more, ‘Wait your turn, Hildy. You have to pay your dues.’ Like Uncle Richard isn’t the ultimate nepo baby.”
“And that’s when she gets the job?” Jean asked, cutting through the Johnson family drama like so much plastic packaging.
“Yes! It finally came together in my head—thanks to you.” Hildy directed that part to Libby. “I’ve been stressing over how to play the ending, because I think we all know it’s tricky to makethe leap from tabloid darling to respected public figure. What am I going to do, go onDancing with the Stars? No. I have a better way to stage my metamorphosis frombeingthe story toproducingcontent.” She paused as if one of them might want to venture a guess. “A classy, thoughtful, yet still highly entertaining profile ofmoi. Including strategically placed references to my exciting new magazine venture. Which my uncle will have no choice but to bankroll if he doesn’t want to look like an out-of-touch buffoon with money problems. And thenyoucan be my star columnist, anchoring every issue with a deep-dive human-interest feature.” Hildy winked at Libby. “You talked me into it. No offense to what you’ve been doing, but this new direction feels fresh and forward-thinking. From self-care to caring about other people. It’s a radical approach.”
“Devious. Risky. Unnecessarily complicated,” Jean mused. “I love this plan.”
She was already taking it in stride, unlike Libby. In all their plotting and scrambling, Libby had never really believed the Lillibet experiment would work. It was more comfortable to keep her expectations low and imagine disasters, instead of letting herself dream that Hildy would offer her a golden ticket.
“Are you okay, Libby?” Jefferson spoke as if the two of them were alone on the island, earning a sharp look from Jean.
“That’s Lillibet to you, laddie.”
“It’s a lot to take in,” Libby said.
“Speaking of the job, she is,” Jean explained. “Proper gobsmacked.”
“I am. It sounds incredible.” Better than she deserved. That much at least Libby could say with complete honesty. A surge of hope sent her heart flying skyward. It was everything Hildy was offering but also the knowledge that Jefferson wasn’t in love with someone else. And maybe Libby hadn’t imagined the heat in hiseyes last night, or the way he said her name—her real name—like it was something of value.
“Let’s not be a-countin’ our chickens afore they hatch,” Jean cautioned. “What’s our play?”
“We need the keys to the kingdom,” Hildy said, getting down to business. “Aka a fully autonomous executive-level editorial position for yours truly. So let’s dot everyiand cross everytand serve this to my uncle in a package he won’t be able to resist. By which I mean a PowerPoint presentation. He has a troubling weakness for those.”
“All we have to do is—a slideshow?” Libby was sure there must be a catch.
“And keep my uncle happy and distracted. We’re selling him the narrative—I found love, sadly it didn’t last, but it’s okay because Lillibet helped me discover my true purpose, which is to be the next Anna Wintour. Only happy and not just about the clothes. Feed the illusion, so he doesn’t get suspicious and make me leave empty-handed.” Hildy paused to give Jefferson an encouraging nose-wrinkle. “Don’t worry, JJ. All you have to do is stand around looking stern. My uncle is always more comfortable with male energy in the mix. He’ll probably cry when we break up. But what was I going to do, live on a ranch?”
“Still not a cowboy, Hildy.”
“Your jeans beg to differ.”
Jean snickered.
“It’s today, tomorrow, and then Me-mas. Which will obviously have its own magic.” Hildy spoke as if they were home free. “And who better to curate a perfect vacation experience than Lillibet? Flex those hostess muscles before you transition to your ace reporter phase. Not that you won’t be able to maintain your lifestyle,” she added, like Libby might bail if she had to give up her sunrise yoga. “I’m totally down with you working remotely. I wouldn’t want Mr. L to think I’m stealing you away.”
“That—won’t be an issue.”
Jean elbowed Libby. “Sounds simple enough, eh? While we’re out here clearing the air, there’s something else you should know.”
Was she—she wouldn’t, would she?Libby was surprised by the force of her silentno.Of course she wanted Jefferson to know she wasn’t married, but that would require unmasking herself as a pathological liar.
“Turns out I’m not Irish,” Jean announced. “And I’ve never been in the slammer.”
“This is my shocked face.” Hildy pointed at her deeply unsurprised expression. “And the housekeeper thing?”
“Nah. I’m her roomie.”
“From college,” Libby jumped in. “Back in the day. You know what they say. Once a roommate, always a roommate.”
Jean nodded as if this were in her top three catchphrases. “I wanted to be here for moral support. Since this opportunity meansso muchto Lillibet. But like in the background, so she can do her thing. And who’s more invisible than a housekeeper?”
That really depended on the housekeeper, Libby thought.
“I figured the accent would set the mood,” Jean continued, forcing Libby to nod like that made perfect sense. Nothing like the world’s worst brogue to create an ambience!
“Aww, that’s sweet. Like me and JJ,” Hildy said. “Only without the accent, because I didn’t think of it. But he’s still my big manly binky. Not in a dirty way.”
