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Not that I’m inlove.
“I’d put money down that there’s going to be a third arrangement.” She mocks the way I said it and I can’t help but blush.
“I don’t think so.” I hold my head high. “It was just a…business deal.”
“Then why do you have that look on your face?” she asks me softly and I wish I wasn’t so easy to read.
Suzette’s known me long enough to know that I love falling in love. Sex and love are hard for me to separate. I think. I don’t know. It’s just the way I am. I love the rush at the beginning and the giddy feelings whenever you get to see the other person and how it seems impossible to spend even five minutes apart.
Shealsoknows how devastating it can be when it all falls apart. She was there through the last major breakup I had before I met Kevin, and she stuck by me through the ups and downs without ever sayingI told you so.
“It’s just about having fun?” she questions softly.
“It’s about paying the rent.” I glance over at her, and the corners of her mouth are turned up. “And...yes. It’s fun.”
“As long as you’re happy.”
“I am happy enough to leave that behind. And now that I have this lead, I’m sure I’ll beveryhappy.”
We reach the building where Michael Davies’ company is housed. It’s a sky-high, gleaming tower that saysthis is a business doing important things in the world.
It reminds me of my apartment building. Graham’s building isn’t quite as tall as this one, but it has a vibe to it that saysimportant people live here, and they love it. You would love to live here, too.
I try to blink away the thoughts of him as Suzette rambles on about the company.
“The company’s housed on the tenth floor, so you’ll have a view when you’re at work.” Suzette counts the floors with a fingertip in the air, then points. “That’ll be nice, right?”
“Really nice.” Even if all I can think about is the view from my very own apartment. Every time I look at the windows, I think of Graham, and the way he feels when he’s inside me. I wonder if I’ll think of him the same way if I get this job and head to the office every morning. I wonder if I could even stay in that apartment…or if I should.
Suzette and I stare up at the building together, taking it all in. She’s right. This is going to be it. This is going to be the job that puts me on the path to a life I want.
She would know. I watched Suzette accidentally fall into love, too. It was a sizzling scandal and I freaking loved that for her.Miss prim and proper and all business, doing the deed in her boss’ office…apparently against the skyscraper window too. She knows a thing or two about unorthodox relations. Years later, it’s easy to see how happy she is. Everything turned out just the way it was supposed to for her.
And it’s going to turn out that way for me, too.
Hope warms itself in my chest. I’ve been called naïve plenty of times in my life. People want me to be more cynical about the world. For some reason, it bothers them that I want to be optimistic. And yes, sometimes I’m not. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I forget that worrying doesn’t help anything.
Actionhelps. Doing things helps. Meeting handsome men and asking them for help with the rent helps.
There I go again.
A soft laugh from Suzette pulls my attention away from the building and back to her.
“What’s so funny?”
“You,” she says gently. “I can tell you’re thinking about him.”
I blush violently and then blatantly lie. “I’m not. I was thinking about how this job could help me get my life back on track. And afterthat,I’m never letting it get off track again.”
“That’s my girl,” Suzette says, and loops her arm through mine. “Call this afternoon to set up an interview. He’s waiting for the call.”
“Call? Shouldn’t I submit a separate application? Send some emails or something?”
She shakes her head. “I told you, I asked around. They’re going to be ready for you. Just call, and I’d bet anything you’ll be headed in to work on Monday.”
Suzette lets out a satisfied sigh. “In the meantime, I want to hear all about this man you’re having a torrid affair with.”
“Atorrid affair?” I squeak. “It’s not an affairat all,Suzette. We’re both very, very single, and I?—”