She nods. “It was a little awkward. I don’t think Pete is the man I will marry.”
Thank fuck.
“You deserve the best, Iris. Don’t settle for less.”
Iris smiles as her shoulders relax. “Thanks, Max. See you later.”
I watch as she walks away, taking a piece of my heart with her, even though she doesn’t have a clue.
Chapter
Three
IRIS
“I am soglad you made it home for a game. Not that I don’t love Liv and Chloe, but you and I seem to have a little bit more in common,” Adrianna tells me as she slides into the seat next to me.
We are sitting up high in the owner’s box, watching the game with the windows open. From up here, you can see everything. I love it. I never thought I would be here, but meeting Max changed my life in more ways than one.
“Agreed. They have known each other a long time too, so that adds to their closeness. Still, you understand the stress of managing a whole company like I do,” I tell her.
“Sure do. I don’t know why, but now that I am CEO in title, I feel like the job has become more stressful even though I am doing the same things,” she tells me.
“Right? Same as me being the CFO. I think it’s because we are in the spotlight now. Before, I could hide behind Max, but now all eyes are on me.”
She laughs. “As if all eyes aren’t always on you. Girl, you have amazing fashion sense, and you are gorgeous. Dangerous combination.”
My cheeks heat at her words. I don’t get a chance to respond, though, because Chloe and Liv come to sit with us.
“What are we talking about?” Chloe asks, taking a swig from her beer.
“How gorgeous Iris is. You went on a date last night, right?” Adrianna asks.
I sigh. “I did, but it was a dud. I didn’t expect much, though. I haven’t been on a date in like ten years. Still, it was awkward.”
“Tell me about it,” Chloe says. “Dating in our thirties is like picking a fish out of a murky puddle. Nothing you get is as shiny as it was when you were in your twenties.”
“You are engaged to Brantley. Are you calling him a murky fish?” Liv asks her.
“He was a bit murky when I first grabbed him, but look at him now?” We all turn to look at the guys laughing by the bar. “He shines up pretty nice.”
We all chuckle, but my eyes linger on Max. He’s not a murky fish. He still shines as bright as the day I met him.
“If you stare any harder, he will catch fire,” Liv murmurs.
I tear my gaze away to see three knowing stares at me.
“So Max crashed your date. That’s what Ari said,” Liv teases.
“Where is the little rascal anyway?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
“Brantley had one of his employees take her down to watch warm-ups so we could have some adult time. She will be up here shortly. She had a lot of questions about your new boyfriend, so stop trying to change the subject. What really happened? I know Ari was exaggerating when she said Max wanted to fight the guy.”
I glance back over at Max and see him looking my way. He winks at me before focusing his attention back on his friends.
“Of course not,” I tell her, looking back to her. “Ari saw me and came running over. She asked if I was joining them for dinner, but I told her I was out with a friend. Max introduced himself, then excused them to their own table. Max didn’t even care. He asked me how the date was this morning and everything.”
“I’m surprised he wasn’t more upset. I always thought he had a thing for you,” Adrianna muses.
