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“Hey, this is good,” Kimberly says, wrapping her arm around me.

“Don’t you think this is all too soon? It’s only been a couple of months since he left Kitty.”

“She was screwing that old guy, and by the sounds of it they were over way before the wedding,” Harper advises.

“What do I do, guys?” I ask them.

“Drink more champagne,” Harper says.

Sounds like a good idea.

“Hey, did you want to catch up with Eve and me for lunch today?” Violetta asks.

My sister never invites me to lunch. “Sure,” I answer.

“Great, meet you at The Antipodean at 1:30 p.m.,” she tells me before hanging up.

I head down to the local Australian bar around the corner from my office and see my sisters sitting in a booth, but the closer I get to it, I see that someone else is with them.

“Collette?” I ask, arriving at the table.

“Surprise.” She smiles and gets out of her seat to hug me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask her.

“I just had an interview with The Mavericks for a job in their marketing and PR department.” She grins.

“No way. How did it go?”

“I got it.” She squeals.

“We are here to celebrate,” Vi says.

“This is fantastic. Congratulations! I can’t believe you will be living in New York. Have you found somewhere to stay?” I ask her.

“I’m moving in with my brothers which should be interesting. I haven’t lived with them since I was a kid because they were both gone as teens.” She chuckles.

“Vi is going to be so excited having you close by.” Violetta and Collette are the same age and became close once Felix moved in, they have maintained that friendship ever since.

“I’m so glad she is back in a real city. We need a shopping day,” Vi says.

“Issy said I could give her a makeover so we’re in,” Eve adds.

“Is this true?” Vi asks, sounding hurt.

“Yes.”

“But I’ve been wanting to give you a makeover for ages,” Vi whines.

“She got in first,” I tell her.

“You can give me one, Vi,” Collette says. This makes my sister smile widely.

We catch up on what Collette and her family have been doing since the wedding, and how she and her mom spent the past month traveling through Italy.

She’s been back home finishing up her contract at the South Dakota Devils while packing up her life.

She had resigned anyway, but she didn’t want to leave her colleagues in the lurch because the owner was a dick.

When the news broke about Bill and Kitty’s affair, she said the team was very upset, and it made everything clear why Pierre left.

She told us how most of the players asked for transfers, and the only way the players wouldn’t start leaving was if Bill resigned as CEO of the team, which he did when the board unanimously voted against him and voted for Michelle to be the new CEO.

Apparently, they are in court over it, but it looks like Michelle is going to be the new CEO of the South Dakota Devils.

Which is wild. Hope Kitty was worth it, Bill.

Now I find myself being pulled from shop to shop by my sisters, begging me to try on things like I’m their little dress-up doll.

Not everything is hideous that they put me in but most of the clothes aren’t me.

I bought some things they each love me in, even if I don’t, to make them happy and so they will never put me through this again.

“Last place,” Vi says as she brings us to a lingerie store.

“As a new single woman in the city, you need some sexy underwear,” she tells Collette.

“You need some, too. Maybe it might help you land a man,” Vi tells me.

Gee, thanks. Eve tries to hide her laughter, but I shoot daggers at her instead.

“Can you please try this on?” Vi asks, waving a chili pepper red lace one-piece, with a sheer robe and fluffy heels at me.

“It’s simple and sexy. You need something because whatever it is you are doing is not working. ”

“I look like I’m some 1950s woman about to murder her husband.” I stare at the outfit.

“At least you would have had a husband,” Vi quips. I roll my eyes and head into the change room. This is ridiculous. I look silly. I sashay out of the changing room and do a twirl.

“Are you happy now?” I say to the girls, but stop dead in my tracks. “Pierre! Felix!” I scream, not expecting them here. Felix quickly looks away, but his brother doesn’t do the same. He looks exhausted, but still so handsome. Those hazel eyes run up and down my exposed body, giving me goosebumps.

“Looking good, Issy,” he says, giving me a wink.

“Turn around,” I scream at him, which makes him laugh before I disappear into the change room.

My cheeks are burning bright. Of all the people who could possibly be standing in this lingerie shop, I never thought it would be him.

What the hell is he doing here? Is he back from training camp?

I’m mortified. I quickly get changed and come out again.

“I’m so sorry, Issy. My brothers wanted to catch up. They just got back from training camp, and were ducking in to let us know they were here and would wait for us next door. Then you came out and …”

“I’m sorry, but that is kind of iconic you walk out just as they arrive.” Vi laughs.

“It’s all good. I’m going to leave you guys. I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one day.” I give the girls a wave and head outside.

“Issy, wait up,” Pierre calls out to me. I stop, turn around, and look up at him. “I’m sorry about that.”

“No, you’re not.”

He chuckles. “No, I’m not. You looked fucking hot.” He bites his bottom lip.

“You’re back from camp,” I say.

“Yeah, today. I wanted to catch up with Lettie to celebrate her new job. Can you believe it, all three of us at The Mavericks.” He grins, running his hands through his hair.

“We just celebrated it earlier. Vi is so happy for her to be back in the city,” I say.

“And what about you?” he asks.

“It’s great to see Collette again,” I answer.

He smiles. “I meant me being back in the city.”

Oh. “It’s good to see you, too.”

He seems shocked at my answer. “You mean that.”

“I do.” It’s the truth. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed him until now. My stomach is doing that fluttery thing.

“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he curses.

“Me too.” Again, he’s surprised at my candidness, and so am I. “Did you want to come over to my place for dinner tomorrow night?” I ask him.

“Yes,” he answers without hesitation, which makes me smile.

“See you around seven?”

“I’ll be there.”

“See you then,” I tell him as I walk away.