Page 9 (1/2)

Really? Not only was that one of the lamest – and oldest – tricks in the book, but it violated about seventeen sexual harassment policies, it humiliated her for the rest of the day with filthy clothes, and it was so tone deaf that it stretched Mike’s credulity Were television tropes that orn? Is that what the public wants? he wondered Do they really want to see a wo patted down by athat by even participating in this show?

Lydia cleared her throat and he shook hi he hadn’t considered any of this in years, thoughts that connected to larger social concepts Perhaps the strident fe with nerves, had planted them there

Dave looked bored It unnerved her As if he were just tolerating this as soh, that was true As her eyes floated across Matt Jones’ face, trying very intently not to make eye contact, she realized that this was just bread and circus, Dave tolerating what she wanted to do That’s not what she wanted

The whole point of this was to prove herself Resilient Lydia, the one who had been raised by Sandy and Pete, knew that this would be a success – but if it failed, she would just pick herself up, dust herself off, andThat resilient self would be fine in the end

She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, kept her head down and pretended to read her notes, but lowered her lids The other part of her, the part that had broken so many rules that Pete and Sandy had instilled in her: like family came first, like the family business was her future, like stay here and marry a Mainer – that Lydia was the one perched on a precipice, a giant abyss rising up froround to suck her in

And that Lydia needed this to work

Apathetic Dave and attentive, friendly Matt were her audience She had toto be? Was she going to be resilient Lydia or fragile Lydia?

Not even a question She knew the answer already She always did She just let the insecurities creep in a little too e

Resilient Lydia took one ht in the eye with a nice professional ser than was coan

"Romance novels represent more than forty percent of all books sold in the United States," she started, eliciting the first eyeroll from Dave She knew there would beto the Roanization in the United States, seventy five million people read at least one romance novel in 2008"

"And all of the "That’s not true Dave Actually, nine percent of all readers areto read bodice rippers?" he asked It was a friendly question, more a shared joke than a taunt Not at all as closed off or derisive as Dave

Lydia turned to hirin, and told him, "No one knows exactly, but it seerab their wives' roh, there’s a whole other coet into later" She shot Dave a wink Casting a sidelong look at Matt, Dave showed his first sign of e sure Matt kneasn't gay Which he de at Lydia, as if she'd been insinuating that

Matt showed no eed on, undeterred "The trend's on the rise and h the social media statistics are much more up to date But, anywhere froularly read at least one ro"

Matt leaned forward, his attention lasered in on her Now she had hi his interest with her idea Her vision Hers and hers alone; she had carved out a niche for herself and da noticed

Wait until she showed him where she could take the division Oh, dear She could feel herself slipping, his face open and nurturing in a professional way He wanted her to succeed; she could tell It threw her off, because why should he want this? They were rivals, right?

Not really He had the job already She didn't Was he patronizing her?

She didn’t think so, actually There was soreen eyes taking inventory of her, of her words The way that he leaned forward on his elbows, his forearms dotted with sandy hair, relaxed and composed all at once as if what she had to say really lad

Because it did

"The distribution of people who read romance novels across the country is about what you’d expect The majority, about fifty-three percent, are clustered in the et their fill too Older readers are spiking, too In 2012, a survey done by Bowker Market Research shows that readers over the age of fifty are on the rise The bulge of readers – "