“Good. We could use you back home.” She nudges me as I climb up and sit on the stool next to her. “How is Noah?”
“He’s doing well. He’s engaged.” Her eyes go wide as the bartender hands me my glass.
“Holy shit. For real?” she says, surprised. “I thought that man would be heartbroken for years.” She laughs. “I mean, good for him.”
Everyone in my family loves Noah, so my sister’s comment kind of throws me. Soren also mentioned how he thought Noah was still interested in me. But us splitting up was mutual, so when they say it, I usually just brush it off. He’s still friends with all of my family on social media. I see them commenting on one another’s stuff regularly, and none of that bothers me because, technically, he’s going to be a part of my family forever since we share a son.
Izzy proceeds to tell me about her business deal, then complains about how awful our airports are, which caused her to be an hour late to her meeting, and now she’s dreading flying back. I told her that the longer we stay out, the easier it will be to get to the airport, and she laughed.
“So, are you seeing anyone? It’s been two years since your split.”
“Nope, not seeing anyone.”
“Married to your work.” She shakes her head as we each take a drink.
“Actually, I got a new job,” I tell her.
“Oh, wow. Really?”
I explain how I’ll be managing the newsroom, and she remembers that I used to do that before I got heavy into investigative journalism. As long as I’m doing something with stories, I think I’ll be happy no matter what I’m doing.
By the time I give her the rundown on everything, we’re already on our third glass of wine, and it’s getting late. Which means she’s going to have to leave me soon. I can already feel the dread creep up in my chest at the thought of not seeing her for a while. It’s not so bad when you don’t see your family forlong periods, but it makes it worse when you see them in small increments, and then they leave again.
“Fuck it! I’m booking the vacation to see you all.” I slam my fist down on the bar top.
She laughs and agrees that’s precisely what I should do before she says, “Ummm… what about the new job?”
“Yes, what about the new job?” a dark voice says behind me, grazing my ear as he speaks.
Izzy turns around first because I know that voice incredibly well. I know how it commands me to do things. He’s very good at that.
“I’m sorry, can we help you?” Izzy asks, and at the same time, I turn around to find Soren standing there, dressed in his suit and looking way too good.
“Miss Knight,” he greets me.
“Cres, you know him?” Izzy asks, not so quietly.
“Yes.” I groan.
“Did you have something you wanted to discuss in regard to your new job?” Soren asks.
Izzy lifts her glass to her lips, watching the exchange with interest.
How do I kindly tell him tofuck off?
I’m not even sure he would listen anyway, even if I did. He’ll probably just find it amusing, as he does with everything else I fucking say.
“Nope.”
“Oh, don’t be shy, Cres,” Izzy says. “You aren’t shy.”
“No, she isn’t. But since she seems to have lost her manners. I’m Soren, her new boss. And you are?”
“Her sister.” I watch in shocked horror as Izzy offers him her hand. “Izzy.”
“He’s the enemy, Iz. Don’t touch his hand.”
“Too late,” Soren says and shakes it before letting it go and looking back at me.
