Mattie French has always known how to tell a good story. It’s why she stopped at nothing to land her dream career as a copywriter at a scrappy independent advertising agency. In fact, if it weren’t for one person, Mattie would probably be the most-talked-about rising star in town.
Campbell Porter is a senior copywriter at Chicago’s slickest agency. Absurdly talented, incredibly aware of it, and the bane of Mattie’s existence since they were interns together, Campbell is always just…there, with his golden-boy smirk and the familiar gaze that never fails to taunt her across a crowded room.
Mattie would love nothing more than to avoid Campbell forever. But when their agencies are pitted against each other to compete for a luxury resort account, it’s her chance to prove she can beat him—and earn the promotion she covets. (Courtesy of Amazon.)
—Lauren Connolly, author of PS: I Hate You and Love in Plane Sight
Excerpt:
It wasn’t until we left for college and then, eventually, moved to our own place in Chicago that I knew what it felt like to belong somewhere without the constant pressure of needing to earn my place. To be the quietest, or the politest, or the most talented, just so no one would look at me too hard and think: Is it time for her to go? “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you for a whole month,” Ava says, now. “Who will bang the water pipe for me? Who will tell me when the outfit I’ve put together is an embarrassment to all of womankind?”
Who will be there for me, I think, when you’re gone? But I don’t say this, because it isn’t fair.
“I only go if we win next week,” I tell her, instead. “Very high probability I’m not going anywhere at all.”
“Please.” Ava’s done with her nails and leans backward into the couch, careful not to disturb Pancake. Lev’s fish tank burbles from across the room. “You and Dexter are the best there is.”
“Well,” I say. My voice is even, but I can’t quite look at her. “Campbell Porter’s also going to be there.”
Ava gasps, closemouthed, like a lawn mower wheezing to life.
Her eyes are wide. “You didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t want it to be real.”
“Why is that man haunting you?” Ava demands. She sits forward, fingers splayed wide to dry. Behind her, warm light glows from beneath our ancient microwave. “Of all the agencies in Chicago.”
“Well, Wicksteed wants the best.”
“Which is you.”
“And Campbell.”
Ava rolls her eyes. “Says who?”
“Cannes,” I say, flatly. “Adweek. Should I go on?”
“Well, I think he’s nothing but a washed-up prep school jock who gets off on putting others down.” She lifts one hand, pointer finger extended. “And, he’s too handsome for his own good.”
I let out a great gust of a sigh. “That’s not exactly an insult.” “It’s the truth,” she says. “You can’t trust anyone who’s that smart and that good-looking. Except us, of course.”
“So you think he’s smart,” I say, and Ava rolls her eyes again. “I think you think he’s smart.”
It’s the worst thing about Campbell. That he’s always accosting me with how exceptional he is.
When I don’t respond, Ava pins me with a look. “You need to ignore him, Mattie.”
“That’s the plan,” I say, though even now I’m picturing Camp-bell’s face. Haunting me, indeed.
“I know how you get around him.”
I scoff. “How do I get around him?”
Ava hesitates, trying to spin up the word. Finally, she lands on, “Attack-y.”
“Attack‑y?”
“You know what I mean!” Pancake stirs at the rise in her voice, looking up. The crocheted blanket on the back of the couch, a housewarming gift from Mrs. Zimmerman, slips onto her back and she bolts out of the room. “He distracts you, Mattie. Don’t let this become about him.”
I’m insulted she would suggest it, and I feel my face going hot. “He doesn’t distract me.”
“You don’t need to prove anything to him,” Ava says, gentler. “That’s all I meant.”
But I do need to prove something to Campbell Porter. That I can do the one thing I’ve never done: beat him.
Ellen O’Clover writes stories about love, identity, and belonging for both teens and adults. She grew up in Ohio and studied creative writing at the Johns Hopkins University before moving west to Colorado, where she lives in a little green house under a giant aspen tree with her rocket scientist husband and two perfect bulldogs.
Credit: Noah Berg
Thanks to Berkley for sharing the excerpt and book with our readers.
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5 comments:
What stood out to me is the obvious strong bond between Ava and Mattie. They seem like great friends.
Friendship bond between mattie and Ava.
Mattie's description of how it is to belong is so raw and real.
I think Pancake is a cute name for a pet.
The bond between Mattie and Ava
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