The Wrong Girl by Zoe Foster

Or busted shoplifting, which had happened only once, because she had only ever shoplifted once, and was clearly horrible at it. All ridiculous thoughts, since Eliza was probably just going to ask her what she thought about adding some magnets to the on-set fridge.
    Once the room was cleared, Eliza closed the door in an over-the-top manner and then perched on the table, a move she’d probably seen on TV and wanted to try for herself.
    â€˜Lily, I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but there are some changes happening across the station and also here at
The Daily
.’
    Oh, sweet Jesus, Lily thought. She was being fired. Or somethinged.
    â€˜No?’ Lily said honestly, her heart racing.
    â€˜Just a few
small
changes, movement, promotions and new positions and whatnot, you know, normal restructuring stuff . . .’
    Lily swallowed.
    â€˜Anyway, there’s a series producer role coming up . . . within the station, and I thought you’d like to know. I know you’re probably wanting to move up by now, and I don’t blame you.’ She smiled as though she had just presented Lily with a brand new Aston Martin.
    Lily’s heart instantly flicked gears, from terrified to excited.
    â€˜Wow, really? Do you know which show?’
    Cue a smile that definitely
did
know, from a person who was almost definitely benefitting from this news on some level.
    â€˜Mmm, I really can’t say any more, sorry, Lil. But I did want to give you a bit of a heads-up, because it’s all so exciting and I think you should consider finding out more when that information becomes available. Don’t you agree?’
    Oh well, thought Lily. It was pretty useless info for now, but at least Eliza was alerting her to the possibility of a promotion. This could be a game-changer. She felt exhilaration flow through her veins. All she wanted this year was a promotion and now one was possible. Destiny, you cheeky old fox . . .
    â€˜Thanks so much for letting me know, Eliza.’
    â€˜Oh, you know I love helping out!’ she said, full-stopping with a giggle. She was far too excited about all this, which meant she was almost certainly being promoted – although to what Lily had no idea; in the big scheme of things Eliza was about as useful as the fake on-set sink.
    Lily headed to the kitchen with her head in a swirl of possibilities. Maybe this was
finally
her time. Maybe this was the year she became a grown-up, which she’d been positive was a myth created by health insurance companies. She would have a proper, impressive job, and she could maybe even move out on her own. She flinched a bit when she realised that the missing element to this glorious new life was love, which seemed to be further away than it ever had been. And with this man-detox making Lily a complete workaholic – and a pent-up one at that – things weren’t exactly shimmering with hope in that area. Was it too much to ask for a guy to present himself who wasn’t a nob or an alcoholic or a loser?
    Simone was cruising through this detox, Lily conceded. She was cheerful and had found no reason to stop being her usual gregarious, good-time self, if her partying was anything to go by. Maybe she got a thrill from having all the boys throw themselves at her, and then telling them that she was awfully sorry, but she was not-allowedsies at the moment, and they should stop sending so many long-stemmed roses and diamond earrings. That, or she was secretly seeing Michael again, which she’d done before, to her immense emotional detriment and Lily’s chagrin. As far as
Lily
knew, the last time Simone and Michael had seen each other was just before Christmas at a wedding. Simone had looked heavenly and refrained from drinking so she didn’t make any stupid mistakes, and this strength clearly acted as powerful aphrodisiac, with Michael basically proposing to her outside the women’s toilets