Prologue #2
“What were you thinking , alienating Monica Sullivan in that way? Monica is one of our top sellers.”
“Only because she has solid editing,” Summer said, not willing to roll over and play dead.
“She is a very talented writer.”
“She is. I totally agree. But as her sales have grown, so has the size of her ego. Monica doesn’t feel she needs to be edited anymore, and that’s simply not the case. Her writing tends to be bloated.”
“Why, I disagree. I read all her books, and they are streamlined.”
Summer gazed levelly at her boss until Dragon Lady looked away.
“You can thank me for that. At least these last three novels I’ve worked on with her. I cut out the excess. I keep her from meandering all over the place. Monica is talented and creative, with great characters and plots, but she needs someone to rein her in. I’ve done that successfully.”
She paused a moment, wanted her words to sink in before continuing.
“The hard truth is that Monica knows that she’ll need to put a lot more work into her manuscript now that I’ve sent her my notes. She’s gotten lazy. She doesn’t want to put in the work necessary to make her words shine.”
Dragon Lady shrugged nonchalantly. “We could fix it for her. She wouldn’t even have to know. I doubt she bothers to go back and read what’s been published. She’s only interested in reviews.”
Her brows shot up. “If you mean me as that we, the answer is no. I am not responsible for the necessary edits. Monica is the writer. I’ve recommended what she needs to do.
She emailed me and told me she would request another editor, but I can tell you that she’s already had a great edit.
It would be foolish to have someone go through the manuscript again.
I can forward you her original submission, along with my notes.
That would give you a good idea of what I’m talking about. ”
“That’s not necessary,” Dragon Lady said haughtily. “I’ll edit her myself.”
Summer’s stubbornness caused her to say, “You should still take my notes. It would save you some time. And at least I corrected all her typos, of which there were a ton. Anything else?”
Relief swept through her, knowing she could take Monica Sullivan off her plate.
While it was nice to have a writer who pulled in that many sales, Monica had never wanted to be a team, as writer and editor usually were.
Summer was also glad Dragon Lady would take Monica on herself.
That way, she would see the problem. At least Monica wasn’t Summer’s problem anymore.
What she should do now is tell Dragon Lady that Celia’s manuscript would come in late, especially not knowing when it would be ready.
A late manuscript shifted everything in production.
Summer didn’t think this was the right time to divulge that information, though.
Already Dragon Lady’s eyes were afire. She didn’t need her spewing hate.
Celia’s delay could wait until tomorrow. Or the next day.
“You have an attitude problem,” her boss declared. “If a writer of Monica Sullivan’s caliber cannot be convinced to work with you, then obviously something is lacking on your part.”
Summer kept silent, worried again where the conversation might go.
“This is just one of several instances which have arisen lately. I think it’s time to part ways, Ms. Sutherland.” Dragon Lady stared at her pointedly.
“You’re firing me? On what grounds?” she demanded, not shying away from battle.
“I have found you lacking in numerous areas,” Dragon Lady continued. “I have just cause to send you on your way.”
She decided to call this woman’s bluff. “No, you don’t. My evaluations up until this point have been excellent. All eight years of them,” she emphasized. “There is simply no just cause to fire me.”
Her boss smiled slyly. “You haven’t received my evaluation yet. It’s due next week. I don’t see the point in delaying the inevitable.”
Digging in her heels, she said, “I don’t see how I could work for Liberty House for eight years and receive outstanding evaluations and then suddenly, I’m worthless. Ask any of my previous supervisors and mentors.” Summer paused and threw out. “Ask Ted.”
Fire shot from Dragon Lady’s eyes now. “That’s Mr. Bennington to you,” she snarled.
Suddenly, things became clear to Summer.
“You’re … jealous ? Of me?”
“No,” her boss said, far too quickly. “You simply do not fit in with the Liberty House philosophy.”
Knowing her entire professional career was on the line, Summer said, “I won’t go quietly.
I’ll file a wrongful termination suit. You are discriminating against me.
You’re retaliating against me. And knowing your reputation, you would be nasty enough to blackball me in the publishing industry.
I won’t allow that to happen, Millicent.
I will call my lawyer so fast that your head will spin faster than that kid in The Exorcist . ”
Of course, the only lawyer she knew was her cousin Sawyer, and he was only licensed to practice law in Texas. Dragon Lady didn’t need to know that particular bit of information, though.
Her boss’ face had turned several shades of red. “I will speak to our in-house counsel immediately.”
“Call him,” she said coolly. “I’d like to be a part of the conversation. Call Mr. Bennington, too. Or I can call him,” she threatened.
Ted Bennington had taken a shine to Summer from the moment she was hired.
He wasn’t in the offices often because he had several other business interests, but he had mentored her, giving her advice and guiding her throughout her time at Liberty House.
Absolutely nothing sexual had ever taken place between them.
Ted had been more like a smart uncle, sharing insight with Summer about the publishing industry and how to handle authors she edited.
She was grateful for the time he had spent with her.
The fact that this woman thought something inappropriate had occurred between Summer and Ted was ludicrous.
“Please leave,” Dragon Lady said. “Remain available. I’ll speak with Bill Larson and send for you when we’re done.”
Summer stood. “I’ll be in my office.”
She returned there, ignoring everyone looking at her. Word must have spread about Monica wanting to dump Summer as her editor.
Entering her office, she closed the door and pulled out her cell, not trusting the company line. She texted Sawyer.
Can you talk? Call me when you can. Important.
He didn’t reply immediately, and she knew he could be with a client. Or even in court. Then her phone rang, and she saw his smiling face light up her screen with a FaceTime call.
“Hey, Sawyer.”
“What do I owe the honor of hearing from my lovely cousin in the middle of the workday?”
“It’s bad. I’m about to get fired.”
Immediately, he grew serious. “Tell me everything. Don’t leave out any details. I’ll decide what’s important and what isn’t.”
For the next ten minutes, she outlined her rise at Liberty House, noting that it wasn’t as if she’d been fast-tracked.
She had served time in every job before moving up the food chain.
She explained about her terrific evaluations and how the publisher had taken an interest in her years ago, helping guide her with advice.
“But Ted never got involved in any office politics or pushed to promote me. I know I earned every promotion I’ve received. Dragon Lady is just jealous.”
“What was the straw that broke the camel’s back today?”
Summer told him about Monica Sullivan’s huge ego and how the author didn’t want to put in the work, instead crying to the editor-in-chief that she didn’t want to work with Summer.
“My evaluations have been terrific. My reputation is solid. I work long hours. All day here, and then I take home manuscripts to read at night and on the weekends. I used to have a thriving social life when I first came to New York, but it’s dwindled to nothing over the years because I do put in so many hours. ”
She explained how she had threatened Dragon Lady with a wrongful termination suit if she were fired outright without cause.
“I didn’t throw anything yet about an employee separation agreement. Dragon Lady is speaking to our in-house counsel now.”
“You seem to know a lot about the law, Summer,” Sawyer noted.
She laughed. “Last year, I edited a novel about an employee who was wrongfully terminated for being a whistleblower. He was murdered. I learned a lot working with that author on the book.”
“You know I’m not able to practice in New York,” he reminded her.
“I do. But if they want me to sign anything, will you read it first? Or do you know of someone who practices here who might help me?”
“I can read it, especially if they give it to you this afternoon. My gut is telling me that Dragon Lady is going to want to work fast and sweep you out the door before her husband hears anything about the decision.”
“Should I text Ted?” she asked. “I don’t want her to think I ran and tattled on her to him, but I do think he would want to know about this.”
“I’d leave him out of it. You don’t want to substantiate any claim she has about something improper going on between the two of you. I know that’s not the case, but we want to keep everything aboveboard. I’m going to let you go now. Call me the minute you have anything in hand, okay?”
“I owe you, Sawyer.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
“But you were here to listen. I appreciate that. How is Hawthorne?”
“The same. I’m happy back here. I like being here again with Darby. West and Autumn. You’re the only one who’s missing.”
“I know,” she said softly.
Her cousin Darby had moved back to Hawthorne last fall, taking a teaching job at the high school after working with Cheer USA for a decade. She’d married Jace Tanner, a Dallas sports agent, over Christmas. Thankfully, Summer had gone home for Christmas in Texas and been able to attend the wedding.