Page 236 of A Song for You

October 24, 2022

Subject: I miss you

Jay,

I wish you and Chloe could have come to Fashion Week. I miss you both so much. Show her these pictures of Sienna’s latest designs. God, that woman is a freaking genius. And Lucy Montgomery even made an appearance. Her designs are to die for. I want her in our spring edition.

I love you.

Cat

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

October 25, 2022

Subject: Re: I miss you

Kitten,

Come outside. I brought you a surprise.

Love you.

Hovering over the mockup for next month’s edition, I comb through page after page, racking my brain for what’s missing. My mind is still buzzing with ideas days after Fashion Week. And they aren’t all work-related ones. Spending a few days away from Chloe and Jay was much harder than I anticipated. I’ve spent the better part of the last decade alone, but after only a few weeks with Chloe full time and dinners with Jay most nights—and quality time in bed at night—I’ve gotten used to the noise. The quiet was impossibly lonely.

Then Jay went and stole another piece of my heart when he flew Chloe to New York to surprise me for the weekend. Sitting at a fashion show with her, hearing her thoughts on every design, will never get old. And Jay’s take on every outfit never disappointed. He had both of us giggling as he told us how the lines of a design were so amazing or later at night when he walked the “catwalk” of our hotel room, proving that he could model better than what we’d witnessed hours earlier.

We ate at an upscale restaurant and clinked glasses of champagne while Chloe gave us her critique of every dessert. The following night, we went from one pizza place to the next, trying a slice at every stop until we declared a winner. It was the perfect weekend with my two favorite people.

“Maybe we could get a few quotes from Sienna,” I suggest to one of our copy editors. “The story is missing heart. Her designs are gorgeous, but our readers want to know why she became a designer rather than going into the family business. They’d be more interested in what she had to give up and whether the sacrifice was worth it.”

Her story speaks to me at a cellular level. There aren’t many women who have done what she’s done. Who have forgone the easy path and forged their own. Sienna could have had any position she wanted in her family business, but sports didn’t interest her.

And she didn’t use her family’s money to build her career like many suspect. Yet her business skyrocketed anyway. There’s a story there. What did Sienna have to do to get to where she is?

“You’re right. Although I’m not sure how quickly we can get an interview scheduled on such short notice.”

“Pretty sure she’ll agree if the editor in chief of Jolie calls her,” Jay says from where he’s propped himself up in the doorway. His arms are folded across his chest and his expression is unreadable. In his black suit with the white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, he looks like sin.

“I can have Cynthia call,” I agree.

Jay shakes his head. “She’s not the editor in chief any longer. I’m sure Sienna would much rather hear from the newly appointed one.”

I frown, confused. Cynthia hasn’t mentioned the change, and nothing official has been announced.

Jay holds out his phone. “I saved her contact information when I had her design Chloe’s dress. Why don’t you give her a call?”

I swear my heart stops. “Me?” I squeak, pressing my hand to my chest.

Jay wears the widest grin I think I’ve ever seen. “Yes, Catherine. You, our new editor in chief. Effective today.”

“Really?” I ask, breathless. I have to plant a hand on the table to keep myself upright.

“Really,” Cynthia says, peeking out from behind Jay.

Screeching, I run at her, shocked to see her. At her appearance, the truth finally seeps in. I’m really editor in chief. All these years—all the hard work, the late nights spent studying fabrics and colors, weekends lost to fashion shows, sore feet from stalking around in heels all day—my dreams have finally come to fruition.