Page 45 of Kill Your Darlings

I decided to focus on finding my seat.Water would help.I was probably dehydrated.Food.A couple of OTC pain relievers.I could do this.

I located my name placard and took my seat next to Millie—Millicent Millbrook-Abernathy—the granddaughter of our founder, Ethel Millbrook.W&W’s VP of sales and their art director were also seated with us, so the good news was I still rated a place at one of the leadership tables.That was reassuring.

Millie was in her thirties.A charming, stately-looking blonde who, sadly, had the business acumen of a Palamino.

She smiled and greeted me with the news that W&W were in negotiation to sign Thomas McGregor.

“That’s… Unexpected.”Unexpectedly great news.I was pretty amazed because I hadn’t got even an inkling from Lila.

“I know.I was surprised, too,” Millie said.“Apparently, he was just about to sign with Theodore Mansfield when W&W swooped in at the last minute and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

“Great for us.Pretty lousy for TM.Who represents him?”

“He does.He doesn’t have an agent.”

“That’s bold.”

Here was someone who’d give Finn a run for his money.

I sipped from my water glass, fished the packet of Nuvicare out of my jacket pocket, tore it open, and swallowed two tablets.Hopefully, that would be enough.

W&W’s art director, Ariel Newsome, grimaced in sympathy.“These things always give me a headache, too.”

I smiled, sipped more water.

Honestly, I don’t remember much about the dinner.Vaughn gave a welcome speech, talked about exciting new beginnings, and the dishes began to arrive.I think the main entrée was prime rib and whatever went with that.I didn’t eat much and I avoided having a second drink.

Millie also wasn’t eating much, though she was drinking enough for both of us.Eventually, she leaned over and said a little shakily, “I feel like I shouldn’t even be here.I feel like everyone hates me.”

I regarded her, made a noncommittal, “Mm.”I didn’t see the point in lying.Shewasn’tvery popular at the moment.

I could feel her staring at my profile.“Keiran, couldn’t you… Talk to people?Couldn’t you help them see things from my point of view?Everyone likes you.They respect your opinion.”

My surprise had to have shown.But why wasthisthe hard part for her?She’d gotten everything she wanted out of the deal with W&W.Tonight would probably be our last public appearance as the publishing company formerly known as Millbrook House.Yes, every Millbrook employee in the room, myself included, had mixed emotions regarding her, but it was very likely the last time she’d see most of us.

Usually, I’d have felt obliged to come up with something polite and neutral.Maybe I was too tired, too shaken by the events of the last twenty-four hours, maybe it was the ominous pulse behind my right eye.The best I could do was offer another of those neutral nods.

Her voice wobbled.“Everyone is acting like I-I sold us out.And Ididn’t!You know I didn’t.You know how difficult that decision was.I had to make the right choice for all of us—and for the preservation of Millbrook’s legacy.”

I smiled faintly.“You did sell us out.”

“What?”

“Of course you did.”

She stammered, “Keiran.Y-you of all people know I didn’t want to sell.You know how hard it was for me.”

“Yes.I know you didn’t want to sell.I know it wasn’t an easy decision.”

“But you still think…” She seemed genuinely shocked.

“You could have chosen to accept our buyout offer,” I pointed out.“At the least, you could have waited to find out what our final offer was going to be.”

It was a terrible idea to have this conversation now.I should have shut her down immediately.

She said softly, indignantly, “For God’s sake, this company is all I have.Once it’s sold, that’s it.Game over.The choices I had to make regarding Millbrook determined my entire financial future.You couldn’tbeginto match W&W’s offer.”

It’s fascinating, the stories people tell themselves.I ought to know.