Read Online The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes, Jo Piazza - Free Book Online Page B

the way out.” The rest of breakfast was dominated by talk of Fashion Week logistics. The “action item” for next month, as Eve put it, stabbing at her egg white omelet each time she said the word “action,” was to rule online coverage for the shows in New York, Paris, London and Milan. This would be the first year Imogen wouldn’t travel for the Europe shows, as apparently Glossy.com had “no budget” for it. Imogen didn’t grow up with money, but she had quickly grown quite comfortable around it when she was given the privilege to travel the world for work. She and Bridgett always took rooms next to each other and would throw parties every single night during Fashion Week, all on someone else’s dime. It was always someone else’s money. She thought Alex would leave her six months into their relationship when he surprised her in Paris only to find a hairstylist giving her a blowout each and every morning in the privacy of her room. It was a lifestyle that was just so easy to slip into, all very fizzy when you were made to feel like a real VIP. Imogen had to work hard when she returned to prove she reallywas the down-to-earth girl Alex fell in love with. Some days she even had to convince herself.
    The next bombshell was that Eve wanted Imogen to throw Glossy.com a launch party at the end of Fashion Week, and Eve needed reassurance that Imogen would invite all of her fabulous friends, making no bones about the fact that she wanted unfettered access to Imogen’s contacts.
    When the bill came, Eve changed the subject. “Introduce me to Gretchen now,” she demanded unceremoniously.
    Adrienne was gracious as always when Imogen introduced the stuttering Eve, who immediately asked to take a selfie with the entire table. Gretchen Kopf was rising gracefully from the table to kiss Imogen on the cheek when Eve wrapped her arm around her shoulders and stretched her phone out in front of them.
    “Smile!” she ordered Gretchen, Adrienne and Max. The trio was used to this drill and gave their best selfie faces before turning away from Eve and the camera to grab their things from the table.
    But Eve wouldn’t be deterred. “I’ll tag you in that photo, okay? Gretchen, we want you on board for the new
Glossy
app.” Eve burst like a bubble of caviar. “And you
have
to come to our party!”
    “Now may not be the best time, Eve,” Imogen tried to gently place her hand on the small of Eve’s back. Gretchen and Max glanced at each other and then at Imogen, not wanting to be rude, but also not wanting to have to awkwardly turn down a business proposition in the midst of a polite breakfast.
    “Of course it is. We are launching the new site! Gretchen and Max and Adrienne are perfect. They must be involved.” Eve played the role of the recalcitrant child and Gretchen, ever the mediator, smoothed the situation perfectly. She was well practiced in the art of making a fan feel welcome and then turning her attention elsewhere to end their interaction before it became too taxing on her. She smiled and touched them before purring: “I should let you get going” in a way that made you believe she was doing you a favor by dismissing you.
    “We will call you, darling,” she said in her sexy German accent.“Let us call you.” Imogen whispered a barely audible “thank you” to Gretchen before guiding Eve like a child gently out the exit.
    Midtown traffic was dense by nine a.m. as Imogen raised her hand in vain for a taxi with its light on. Eve fumbled on her iPhone to see if Uber would send a car her way. Imogen opened her mouth and then shut it.
    A black car sidled up to the curb.
    Eve pulled down hard on the end of her dress as she fell into the Town Car. “Aren’t you getting in?” Eve tapped her foot impatiently.
    “No. I’m not,” Imogen replied sternly. Eve barely had time to gather her limbs inside the vehicle before Imogen slammed the car door a bit too firmly for her.
    —
    Ever since she’d arrived in New