“I am, but I have some questions for you.”
“Shoot.”
“It’s complicated.”
“Want to meet somewhere?’
Was that what she wanted? She had called him. “Yes,” she said, surprising herself. Maybe this was the best route, to restore her peace of mind. To make sure, once and for all, that he hadn’t meddled in Joan’s decision-making. Or that he had. In either case, she needed to know.
“I get back from California tomorrow afternoon,” he said. “You name the time.”
“I’m free tomorrow night. I’ll text you. Now go pitch your client.”
“Gotcha. We’re representing your ideas in there, too, you know.”
“Don’t be boring,” she reminded him, and hung up.
She tried to push away thoughts of Phoenix. For now, there were her commitments at work. She needed to prep for a call, plan for transition meetings, plus a list of other preparations that would consume her attention until the end of the business day.
No longer able to concentrate, she ordered a ride service. She didn’t want to take the subway with an armload of posies. She had fifteen minutes before the car arrived, so she called Mandy while waiting on the street.
“Phoenix sent me flowers.”
“Is he trying to buy you?”
“His note said he was sorry.”
“Are they nice at least?”
Orchid laughed. “They’re stunning. How are you? I want to see Matty soon.”
“Come by before your trip. You can have diaper duty. Or diaper doody, as the case may be.”
“Gross. Whoever said only guys have potty humor?”
“It’s my whole life now.”
“Better you than me!”
“So, what are you going to do about your rich suitor whose dad set him up from the grave.”
“It’s really twisted when you sum it up that way.”
“No more twisted than meeting guys on an app.”
“I don’t know about that. But I just called him and asked him to meet me.”
Mandy paused. “The plot thickens.”
“The thing is, I keep wondering about stuff that only he can answer.”
“Plus, you’re nursing a massive crush on the guy.”
Orchid smelled the flowers in her arms. The truth freed her tongue. “It’s not about his looks, though that doesn’t hurt. He’s charming with this funny sarcastic humor, and he’s open-minded about all kinds of things. He never makes me feel bad about my sensitivities, and sometimes I think he’d do anything to protect me. I just wonder about his motives.”
Mandy laughed. “I’m not even single and I can read the guy. Sure, maybe coming to see you the first time was out of obligation. But don’t you think he satisfied his dad’s promise just giving you the campaign to work on? Everything else—the trip to Paris, the invitation to his apartment, that fancy awards show, even your first coffee—was icing on the cake. That wasn’t for his dad. That was for him… and you.”
Before meeting him, she’d dated all types. She’d attracted badass bikers, studious prep schoolboys, artists, and architects. Phoenix orbited a sphere that defied easy classification. There’d been attraction for sure, and then mutual admiration, shared values and interests, matched intellect. One thing was certain. Phoenix had imprinted a space in her that was indelible.
