Page 17 of That Friendzone Feeling

Butif she’s struggling with this new nightmare we’re trapped in,Iowe it to her to do everythingIcan to put the joy back behind those beautiful eyes.AndIwantto.Iwant to be the person who fixes it for her.Absolutelynoneed to dwell on any strange reasons behind that right now.Ijust do.

“Ithink the miracle of me knocking over one pin—never mind the only one standing—is more than enough miracles for one day,”Itell her. “Ineed coffee.”

“Okay.I’mgoing to the restroom.I’llhave a hot chocolate, please.”

Shestarts to head off, then looks over her shoulder. “With—”

“Whippedcream and sprinkles.Yes,Iknow.”

Ican’t stop myself from watching her walk away.GoodGod, how can anyone look so good in rented bowling shoes?Ablack-and-white swirly patterned dress, black tights, and bowling shoes—who knew that would be my thing?WhoknewEmilywould be my thing?

Shecan’t be my thing.

It’snot okay to lust after my best friend.Andit’s even more not okay to lust after my business partner.

WhatIsaid aboutMaxis completely true.Mixingbusiness with family would be a terrible idea.Likewise, mixing business with completely unprofessional thoughts about my partner would be catastrophic.Notto mention plain dumb.Andmore important than that, the last thingIwant is to risk losing my best friend.

Mypriority right now is to find a solution to this financial problem and make her happy.

Althoughher biggest worry is obviously the fact that our investor is now a guest of theFBI, it’s undoubtedly made worse coming right on top of the awfulAnthonything.Shemight claim she’s put that behind her and is thinking only about the business, butIheard her crying in her room this morning.

Combinethat with the dread of her parents using anybusiness failure as another example of how she’s not as brilliant as her sister, and she must be suffocating under layer upon layer of pressure to find a way to keep the resort going.

Iknow it’s a fool's errand, butI’dlove it if, just one time, her mom and dad would give her even the tiniest acknowledgment of all her achievements.

IfIcan find a new investor for the resort, it might help her fix all those things.Notto mentionIalso don’t want our company to collapse because we accidentally did a deal with a crook.

Isit back in our booth and video-callSterling, our brilliant and colorfulPRguy.He’son vacation in theBahamas, but he’s also a workaholic and has calledEmilyand me twice each since he went away a week ago and is probably disappointed neither of us has called him yet.

“Well, hellooo.”Sterling’sface fills the entire screen, so much soIstretch out my arm and pull back.Ihad no idea it was possible to have my personal space invaded by someone who’s not even here.

“Isthere a crisis?Doyou need me to solve a crisis?”

I’venever known anyone thrive so much, or be made so happy, by a state of emergency.

“Well, you could call it that.”

“Excellent,” he says, moving his phone farther from his face, revealing a shirt covered with vivid green palm trees and bright pink flamingos. “I’lljust prop you here, against the salt and pepper.”Heseems to be having breakfast at a beachfront restaurant.There’sa thatched roof above him, and sunlight on one side of his face.

“Couldyou use headphones so everyone around you can’t hear whatI’msaying?”

“Ohyes, of course.”Helooks over the top of the phoneat whoever is sitting opposite him. “Myear pods,” he says. “They’rein your bag.”

Twoseconds later he’s fully ear-podded.

“Right, boss.Hitme with it.What’sthe problem?”Helifts a forkful of what looks likeFrenchtoast. “I’mgoing to eat while you talk, though.Thisis too delicious to let it go cold.”

“Okay, here’s the thing.Theguy who was funding half the resort is on his way to jail.”

“Shit.”Hestops midchew. “That’snot great for the image.”

Sterlingis all about appearances.

“It’seven worse for our bank balance,”Itell him. “We’reon the hook for the whole thing now.Andthe business doesn’t have that much liquid cash.So,Iwas wondering if maybe you just happen to have any contacts with more money than they know what to do with—and a weakness for cool beer brands—who might want to step in as our backer.”

Hepulls a wide grimace.Thefirst silent responseI’veever known him to give.

“Andwho might want to do it, like, yesterday,”Iadd.