“When did you even meet Phoebe?”
“That very night that you and I went to the restaurant. After you left, I stayed at the bar. She was there with her best friend, waiting to meet with that imbecile.” I frowned, remembering that evening. It had been bizarre. “I started talking with her friend. One thing led to another, and I went to Phoebe’stable pretending I was her boyfriend so she could get rid of the ex.”
Jude jerked his head back. “You’re joking.”
“No, I’m not. You should have seen Phoebe’s face. She was just as stunned as you were. I guess she trusted her friend because she went along with it. After that, I figured I wouldn’t see her again. But as luck would have it, I did. We started talking, and she suggested helping me with you, just as I’d helped with her ex. Thinking back, I can’t even tell you why I agreed to it. I knew it was a bad idea to negotiate under false pretenses. But I wanted to spend time with her, and that won out.”
“Wait… are you currently dating her or not?”
“Yes. Things changed during that weekend at your house.” What was I doing? My goal was to change his mind, not tell him about my personal life.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. We started seeing each other in earnest after that.”
“Another success of my dating app, if I can say so myself.” Jude looked smug, but his eyes were still cold.
“I’m sorry for lying to you, but I can’t say that I’m sorry about everything that happened. Otherwise, Phoebe and I wouldn’t be together right now.”
Jude didn’t reply, and I couldn’t read his expression. I’d gotten used to him being open and fun around me. I hated that I’d disappointed him.
And right here, right now, I realized one more thing. I didn’t actually care about sealing the deal anymore. In the past, I would have gone to great lengths to secure an investment, but Jude’s friendship was more important to me than that. And it was all because of Phoebe. She’d changed me fundamentally.
“My brothers often tease me that I’m too focused. That I go to great lengths to make sure things go my way.”
“I agree with them.”
“I will say that I’ve never lost a deal in my whole life.”
Jude cocked a brow. “I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true. But now I’m going for something else. I’m hoping to save our friendship.”
He sat up straighter in his seat, pointing at me. “When I told Emma about the ruse, her exact words were ‘Oh, but those two belong together.’ And then she said, ‘I actually liked them. I’d hoped to see them again.’”
“Forget about the deal,” I said. “Honestly.”
“You know what? I do appreciate your friendship as well. Let’s order some champagne and celebrate that.”
“That’s good enough for me,” I exclaimed, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
Jude flagged a waiter, who instantly appeared at our table. “Bring us a bottle of your best champagne,” he requested.
“Right away, sir.”
The waiter quickly returned with a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon. He popped the cork and poured in two glasses. Jude and I clinked them as the server left.
“To interesting developments,” he said.
I started to laugh. “I agree.”
Jude started to tell me about the boat he planned to rent for the Mediterranean to take his wife on a cruise. He showed me several options, and I gave him my honest opinion. I disliked all of them. “They’re far too small.”
“You’re right. If I want to stay with my wife for three weeks, we need something a bit bigger. Thanks for the honesty.”
“Irony intended?” I asked.
Jude shrugged. “Maybe. You know, I really appreciate that you’re not pushing the work issue.”
