By ten o’clock the next morning, Meredith wished for a mocha latte, a bubble bath and that she’d never heard of Hurst House. Allo, the only-one-name-required in-house designer she’d been assigned to assist, hated her. Allo hated everyone as best Meredith could tell.

      Allo called for shears yet again—the third time he’d changed his mind about whether he wanted chalk or shears—so Meredith trotted obediently to the table where all of Allo’s tools had to be carefully stored when not in use. Even if he planned to use them in the next five minutes.

      She placed the shears in Allo’s outstretched hand and waited for the next round of barked instructions.

      “Non, non, non.” Allo threw the shears on the floor and kicked them across the beautiful blond hardwood. “I said pins. Take the cotton out of your head and pay attention.”

      “Pins. Coming right up,” she muttered and cursed under her breath as she crossed to the cabinet yet again.

      Tomorrow she’d wear flats. And bring cyanide to flavor Allo’s chai tea. Not really, but she’d fantasized about it more than once after being told to remake the beverage four times.

      Who was Meredith to question the genius of Allo, who had single-handedly launched Hurst House into the stratosphere with his line of ready-to-wear evening gowns? She’d even been a little tongue-tied when she’d first met him and secretly hoped she might absorb some of that genius. She still might. If she didn’t kill him first.

      None of Allo’s assistants lasted longer than two months, according to the gossip she’d overheard in Human Resources that morning.

      No wonder Bettina’s phone call had netted Meredith a job so fast.

      Now all she had to do was figure out how to casually run into Avery, pump her for secret information about her plans to thwart Jason’s bid for CEO and then take over the world. Easy as pie.

      At lunchtime, Meredith wearily contemplated the wilted salad and unidentifiable meat on offer in the building’s cafeteria. The shopping trip to Barneys had been a wasted effort since everyone employed at Hurst House wore the Hurst House label, a small fact Jason could have mentioned. So her credit card was maxed out unnecessarily—though the off-the-shoulder Alexander Wang dress she’d found buried in the sale rack was amazing and she loved it. But having an amazing dress meant a low-cost and tasteless lunch.

      All in the name of couture espionage.

      “I wouldn’t recommend the Salisbury steak.”

      Meredith glanced behind her and recognized Janelle, the girl from Human Resources who had performed Meredith’s employee orientation. “Is that what it is? I wondered.”

      Janelle laughed. “They like to keep us guessing.”

      It was unusual to get such a friendly reception from another woman, and Meredith needed all the friends she could get if she hoped to score any information useful to Jason’s cause. “What would you recommend for someone on a budget?”

      Janelle pointed to the unrecognizable off-white lumps behind the Salisbury steak. “Chicken. Can’t go wrong with that. It doesn’t taste like anything in the first place, so it’s hard to ruin it.”

      “Point taken.” Meredith collected her lunch plate and inclined her head toward Janelle. “Any other first-day advice? I mean besides don’t take a job working for Allo. That one I figured out on my own.”

      “Yeah, sorry about that.” With a sympathetic smile, Janelle jerked her head in the direction of the dining room. “We made a pact in HR to do what we can to convince you to stay. Allo generates more paperwork for us than the tax department. Sit with me and I’ll give you the scoop.”

      Oddly grateful for the support, Meredith followed Janelle to an unoccupied table as the other woman chatted about how to get around Allo’s strident personality, how to win points and anything else she deemed worthwhile.

      It wasn’t until lunch was nearly over that Meredith got the break she’d been waiting for.

      Janelle folded her napkin and glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to get back. I’ll see you at the Garment Center gala tonight, right?”

      “I don’t know. What is it?”

      “Samantha was supposed to invite you. I told her to send you an email with the details.” Janelle looked annoyed. “Hurst House is a supporter of Save the Garment Center and there’s a fund-raiser tonight. Avery Lynhurst—oh, she’s the vice president of Marketing, if you haven’t met her yet—is running the event and she wants all employees there. It makes her look good.”

      What better place to get in front of Jason’s sister than a social event? And as a brand-new Hurst House employee, all the more reason to make sure she met everyone in attendance.

      And it was a fashion-industry event that she got to attend. The thought made her downright cheerful.

      “I’ll be there,” Meredith pledged and watched Janelle as she left the lunchroom.

      As soon as Janelle was out of sight, she called Jason, who answered on the first ring.

      “You have news, I trust?” he asked shortly, and the undercurrent said she was interrupting him, so she better make it good.

      “There’s an event tonight,” she murmured softly in case anyone was listening in. “A Garment Center thing. Avery’s going to be there, so I am, too. It’s an opportunity to chat with her without raising any alarms.”

      “Excellent.” Jason’s voice warmed. “I’d forgotten about the gala, but you’re right, it’s perfect.”

      “There’s one problem. I don’t have anything to wear.”

      “That’s the exact opposite of a problem,” he said drily. “It so happens I know a couple of people in the evening-wear business. I’ll swing by your hotel at six.”

      “You don’t know what size I wear.”

      “Sweetheart, I’m a Lynhurst and that’s plain insulting. Trust me,” he advised with a chuckle. “See you tonight.”

      And that promise alone got her through the afternoon with Allo, the master of terror.

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