I smiled nervously. “I was going to ask you to do that.”
“Fantastic. I’m going to tell that guy to shove it.”
“No, not to the actual meeting,” I corrected before Veronica got all geared up. “I was hoping you could hang out at the bar while he and I talk.”
“Where are you meeting him?”
“The Loft,” I said.
Her eyes bulged. “Really? You’re living in this dump, and he wants to splurge at The Loft? I hope he’s buying.”
I laughed. “If he doesn’t, the joke’s on him. I’m so broke, I can’t even afford an olive at that place. But I didn’t want to go back and forth with him when he suggested it. I just wanted to end the conversation.”
“I don’t blame you. When is it?”
“Tonight.”
Her eyes widened. “Wow. Way to spring this on me, girl.”
I sighed. “He called last night, but I didn’t have any energy left to call you.”
“All right. Let’s do this,” Veronica said.
I loved her so much. She was like the sister I never had. I was a single child. Mom and Dad suggested that they could moveback here temporarily after Marshall and I broke up, but I assured them that I could do this on my own. They were in Montana, taking care of my grandparents, who were in their late nineties.
When I was growing up, they lived here, too, in the house next to ours. It had been a big dream of mine to have a child while they were still alive so they’d meet their great-grandchild. But that ship had obviously sailed. I was never becoming a mother. The thought punched a hole in my chest.
Veronica shifted her chair closer to mine. “You know what? Let’s go to my place, spend the day there, and raid my closet for a hot dress for this evening.”
“Thanks! I’d love that.” Most of my stuff was still in bags. I didn’t have the interest to put them in these musty old dressers, afraid they had bugs in them. Besides, it would do me good to wear something new. Well, new for me. I had zero budget for shopping, so Veronica’s offer was amazing.
We used to do that a lot in our college years. We’d been so broke that we kept swapping clothes to keep our outfits “fresh.” A day away from this dump with my best friend was exactly what I needed.
Veronica tilted her head. “You know what would be great? If we conjure up a hunk for you tonight. Just to rub it in Marshall’s face.”
I laughed. “Oh, Veronica. I trust that you have many skills, but even you can’t pull that off.”
She sighed wistfully. “I know I can’t. But it’s nice to dream, isn’t it?”
I couldn’t argue with that.
She snapped her fingers, as if she’d just had a brilliant idea. “I know exactly what dress you’ll be wearing tonight. You’ll look like a rock star.”
I grinned. “I can’t wait.”
CHAPTER 3
GRIFFIN
Jude Carsonand I were meeting at The Loft. I arrived five minutes before our meeting time. The server nodded when I told him my name.
“The rest of your party is already here at the table.”
“Thank you.”
I’d been in business long enough to know what that meant. By being the first one here, he’d established it as his territory. I wasn’t worried, though. I was good at negotiating on anyone’s turf. I preferred mine, of course, but I was adaptable.
The server led me to a table right in the center of the restaurant. The Loft was a very sought-after location in the city, although not one of my favorites. Many people wanted to be seen here, and that wasn’t my MO. I preferred to be more discreet.
