The Other Side of the Story
J O J O
Chapter 12
2:35 P.M. Monday afternoon
Manoj stuck his head around the door. "Jojo, Keith Stein is here."
"Who's Keith Stein?"
"Photographer from Book News. To accompany the piece on you."
"Oh, right. Two minutes," Jojo said. She swung her feet off the desk and tossed aside the crossword that was making her crazy. From her hair she slid out the ballpoint that had been holding it in a makeshift updo. Them auburn waves tumbled to her shoulders.
"Why, Miss Harvey, you're beautiful," Manoj said. "Except your mascara's gone flaky."
He passed her her handbag. "Put your best face forward."
Jojo needed no encouragement. Everyone in publishing read the questionnaire in Book News; it was the first thing they went to.
She snapped open her compact and reapplied her trademark vamp-red lipstick. She wished it wasn't her trademark; she'd love to wear pale pink lip gloss and great neutral taupes. But the one time she'd come to work in Crushed Sorbet, people looked at her oddly. Mark Avery told her she was looking "a little peaky" and Richie Gant had accused her of having a hangover.
Same with the hair; it just didn't suit her any other way. Too long and she looked like an unkempt ceramicist, and too short, well . ... read full excerpt from: The Other Side of the Story ebook