Page 56 of Denim & Diamonds

February

Knock. Knock . Oliver stepped into my office before I could even look up from the computer screen. He held my daily planner in his hands. “I need a favor, boss lady.”

I shut my laptop and leaned back in my chair. “What’s up?”

“My friend Matthew needs some business advice. He’s a former attorney who was miserable at his job, so he quit and started his own import/export company.

He has family in Turkey who are in the handwoven-rug business, so that’s what he started with, but he’s now expanded to high-end textiles like cashmere.

Anyway, his business is booming, and he wants to take the next steps and expand by buying into a manufacturing facility.

But he’s having a hard time getting funding since he’s only been in biz for a couple of years. ”

I smiled. “That sounds vaguely familiar…”

“Exactly. That’s why I was hoping you would talk to him. Tell him about how you found your funding and the pitfalls he should look out for. ”

“Sure. Why don’t you put him on my calendar for lunch one day?”

Oliver smirked. “Already did. You’re meeting him at one o’clock this afternoon.”

I shook my head. “What if I’d said no?”

“You love me too much. I knew you wouldn’t.”

“But if I did?”

“Then I would have been forced to give you my puppy-dog eyes.” Oliver stuck out his bottom lip in a pout and fluttered his lashes over a set of pleading peepers. He pointed to his face. “I’m impossible to say no to.”

I laughed. “Get out. I have work to do before this lunch meeting.”

Three hours later, I walked into Gramercy Tavern to meet Matthew. Oliver had described his friend as impeccably dressed, tall with olive skin. Not very much to go on. I looked around, but the height description didn’t help since most people were seated at tables.

The hostess greeted me. “Hi. Can I help you?”

“Yes, hello. I’m meeting someone for lunch, but I’m not too sure what he looks like. His name is Matthew Reis. Maybe he’s checked in?”

The woman’s eyes gleamed. “Lucky lady. He’s already seated, but he let me know he was waiting for someone.” She grabbed a menu and gestured for me to follow. “Right this way.”

Matthew was at a table in the back of the restaurant.

He stood when we approached. Oh my . I didn’t have to wonder what the lucky lady comment meant.

This man was absolutely gorgeous. Chiseled jaw, bright blue eyes that popped from his smooth, tan skin, and slightly messy hair that made me wonder if he’d just had sex before coming to meet me.

And don’t even get me started on the broad shoulders.

He did a quick sweep over me, and when he smiled, cavernous dimples appeared.

Seriously? Those should be illegal on a man who looked like that.

The way he checked me out made me almost certain he wasn’t gay.

Why had I assumed he was? Because Oliver is gay?

That was pretty dumb, but yeah— not gay.

“February.” He extended his hand. “Ollie described you perfectly.”

“With Oliver, I’m not sure that’s a compliment.”

Matthew smiled and stepped around the table to pull my chair out.

“Thank you.” I sat and settled my purse on the back of the seat. “The last time Oliver sent me to meet someone I’d never met, he described the man as a human espresso.”

Matthew’s brows pulled together. “Was he short with dark skin?”

“That’s what I thought. But he turned out to be Nordic—six foot four and blond. Apparently, his description meant the man talked too fast and could make your heart race. He’s not the best at providing a visual.”

Matthew chuckled. “He described you as a hurricane in high heels. But he also mentioned that you were beautiful with red hair, so it wasn’t hard to figure out who you were.”

I felt my cheeks grow warm. “So how do you and Oliver know each other? I didn’t get a chance to ask him.”

“I represented his friend Will in his divorce. ”

“Ah.” I nodded and picked up the white napkin on the table, draping it across my lap. “From Daniel, the husband who wouldn’t put up the shower curtain.”

Matthew’s smile widened. “He might’ve mentioned that once or…three hundred times.”

He folded his hands on the table, and I couldn’t help but notice the big, chunky watch on his wrist. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

Expensive, but not ostentatious. I also noticed that his hands matched the watch—large and manicured.

Matthew was exactly the type of guy I used to go for— before .

My heart sank remembering the man who’d changed my type .

Though maybe…maybe things with Brock were difficult because I was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole?

Matthew was definitely a round peg, and there was something comforting and safe about a man who fits .

Matthew lifted a glass of water. “So Ollie tells me you’re originally from Brooklyn.”

“I am. Park Slope.”

“I grew up in Prospect Heights.”

“Neighbors, huh? Do you still live there?”

He shook his head. “I stupidly sold seven years ago before the prices went berserk. I live on the Upper West Side now. But I do miss it. I don’t get back often enough.”

“I was there recently to meet a client,” I said. “At a place called Weather Up.”

“I know it well. Great place. They make a drink called Robert De Niro’s Waiting that I love.”

“That’s what I had! It was delicious.”

“A successful businesswoman from Brooklyn who drinks scotch? Do I propose now or wait until we get Ollie’s blessing? ”

I laughed, and as we ordered lunch, Matthew and I got to know each other a bit.

It turned out we had a lot more in common than growing up in nearby neighborhoods.

We were both divorced, both our exes had gotten involved with friends of ours after we split up, and we’d even gone to the same undergraduate college, though he was a few years older than me.

It made me wonder if Oliver had already given his blessing, and this was a setup disguised as a business meeting.

Though, after the food came, we got down to talking actual business, and it seemed Matthew did need some guidance.

I was candid about my experiences taking on investors and suggested a few venture capitalists I wished I’d considered originally.

At some point, my phone illuminated, and a message from Oliver flashed on the screen.

He wanted to know if he should push back my four o’clock appointment.

I thought it was a little premature to start rearranging my schedule, at least until I pressed the button and looked at the time on my phone— three forty-five .

“Oh my gosh,” I said. “Can that time be right? We’ve been sitting here for more than two-and-a-half hours?”

Matthew looked down at his watch. “I guess so.”

“I must’ve lost track of time. I have a four o’clock meeting back at the office.”

Matthew raised his hand to call the waiter. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to take up so much of your afternoon.”

“It’s fine. But I should text Oliver back so he can let my appointment know I’m running a little late. Excuse me a minute.”

After I thumbed off a message, the waiter brought the check. I took cash out of my purse and went to put it on the table .

Matthew shook his head. “Please. Allow me. It’s the least I can do for picking your brain for hours.” He smiled. “Plus, I really enjoyed your company.”

His comment was innocuous enough, but something in the way he looked at me told me it wasn’t as innocent as it seemed.

Maybe I should reciprocate and tell him I had a good time too—push myself to keep my options open…

I wasn’t sure, though, and I didn’t have time to debate it.

I needed to get to my appointment. So I just stood and pulled my purse over my shoulder. “Thank you for lunch.”

Matthew stood, too. “I really appreciate your time. I’m going to contact the VC you suggested as soon as I get back to the office. Would it be okay if I reached out to you with other questions that might come up as I go through the process?”

“Sure. Of course.”

He pulled his cell phone out and handed it to me. “Put your number in, and I’ll shoot you a text so you have mine.”

After, he extended his hand with a smile.

When we shook, his eyes dropped to my lips for the briefest of seconds.

It was so quick, I thought I might’ve imagined it.

Or maybe I’d been the one who’d looked at his mouth.

Whatever the case, I suddenly felt the urge to bolt.

I lifted my hand in an awkward wave and didn’t even wait to walk out of the restaurant with him.

“Okay, well, bye!”

***

It was almost seven before my afternoon meeting ended, but Oliver marched into the conference room less than ten seconds after the vendor had gone .

“I thought he was never going to leave!”

I swept together the samples the salesman had left behind. “We had a lot to go through. Is everything okay?”

Oliver’s hands went to his hips. “What did you do to my friend?”

I blinked a few times. “Who? Matthew?”

“Yes, Matthew.” Oliver turned his phone to show me the screen. “He’s blowing up my messages.”

“Oh no. Did the call with the venture capitalist I referred not go well?”

“Capitalist schmapitalist . The boy is smitten!”

“Smitten? You mean with me?”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “I know. It’s very unfair he isn’t gay, right?

Yes, you! Who the hell else would I be talking about?

” He swiped up on his phone and scrolled through dozens of messages.

“But if he can’t be mine, I guess being yours is the next best thing.

Look at all these texts! I’ve never seen the guy so ga-ga over a girl.

He’s usually the recipient of the ga-ga.

He wants to know if you’re single. I wasn’t sure how to answer. ”

I frowned. I hadn’t yet told Oliver about my last conversation with Brock. He knew about the awkward airport goodbye, but not that we’d formally called it quits. I sighed. “Brock and I ended things two days ago.”

“That’s great!” Oliver lifted his cell and started to text.

I reached for his phone. “No, it’s not. I love him, Oliver. Matthew was very nice, but I don’t think I’m ready to jump into something new.”

He gave me a sympathetic smile. “Oh honey, you don’t have to marry him. Just go out and enjoy the ride. It’s the best way to move on. ”

But I didn’t want to move on. I wanted Brock . I just wasn’t sure I could handle everything that now came in that package.