“Me too.” She chewed her bottom lip as I set her stuff in the trunk and held the passenger door for her. Her floral shampoo wafted my direction, and I breathed it in. “Thanks for, uh, waiting. I didn’t know it took that long.”
This was the first time she thanked me, really thanked me, and I smiled, reaching out to squeeze her hand because she looked so damn sad. Resigned. Like she’d signed up for her defeat.
“You’re welcome. Are you up for telling me what happened, or do you want to listen to a podcast on gardening?”
“Did you download a podcast on gardening?”
“Maybe I researched them. I became a plant dad recently, and I need to take care of them.” God, what was I saying? Who was I?Plant dad?
She smiled, staring at me under her long lashes, and she blushed.Thatwas why I’d said it. That look. To make her smile. To make her happy. “Let’s listen. Maybe I’ll be up for talking later.”
“Sure. Sounds good, Doc.”
She smirked again, and we got into the car, the weight in my chest gone and I had the weirdest urge to hold her hand. I did no such thing because how would I explain that? Instead, I rested it on the gear shift and relaxed knowing I’d have more time with my interesting neighbor.
Chapter Thirteen
Meeting Angelicafor lunch two days later wasn’t too out of the ordinary. In the past, I would’ve brought lunch in for her or my mom, maybe have Gilly tag along, and it’d be a nice social lunch. But I couldn’t risk going into the office and having Nora see me.
Not after her sad reply to my email. It appeared that after her parents banished her toliving on her own,she was set on talking to Anthony, determined that he could help solve her problems. A part of me hated that she wasn’t trying to succeed on her own. She could do it. I’d seen how focused she could be when she put her brilliant yet weird mind to it. Relying onAnthonyseemed like giving up.
“Thanks for asking me out of the office,” Angelica said, grinning after she took a bite of her salad. The woman had eaten like a bird the entire time I’d known her. She dabbed a napkin on the corners of her mouth before leaning back into the plush red chair at the Italian bistro three blocks from the foundation office. “This is nice, even though I have a million things to do.”
“You deserve an hour break.” I meant it. She worked her ass off for my parents, and with their constant globe-trotting, Angelica was the backbone of it all. “I wanted to ask about Leanora Atwood.”
“Oh.” Her eyes dimmed, like the question offended her. “What about the heiress?”
“Why the tone?” I tilted my head and forced my voice to come out nonchalant. Gilly and I were also recipients of a huge sum of money, but the way she saidheiressbothered me. She was misguided and sheltered, but the disgust in Angelica’s voice was unmistakable. “How is that going?”
“Well, no one wants her here. I’m not sure what your mother is doing. She called and demanded we find a place for her, which put me in a weird spot. Our marketing and branding teams already had a plan for the year, and this pink-haired airhead comes in talking about plants. It’s… Why are you frowning at me?”
“I don’t know her well,” I lied, running the pads of my fingers over the white tablecloth, planning my next move. I wouldn’t offend Angelica. She was family, but she wore the same expression I had the first week I knew Nora. She was an odd-colored onion who needed ten layers ripped off before her heart showed. “But I did hear she actually helped her family’s foundation increase donations and engagement online. Last I checked, we needed help on both those fronts.”
“And I’m supposed to just give her this job? We spent months hiring a VP for marketing. I can’t just ignore Ned’s entire outline.” Her face twisted into impatience, and she leaned forward, like she had a secret to tell me. “She wants to incorporate Pic Clock, FlashGram, all these social media apps that cater to the younger crowd. It’s not a horrible idea, but our target audience is upper middle-class, middle-age.”
“Angelica, young people care about making a difference in the world. Millennials and Gen Zs are constantly searching for purpose, to have a legacy. Statistically, these age groups are more likely to get involved and help. Engaging them and reaching out to them could bring a whole new element to the foundation.”
She huffed, clearly annoyed I was right. “So I should let her in?”
“I’m saying you shouldn’t have her going totaste testfood.”
She blushed and took a sip of water, avoiding my gaze. “That wasn’t my call—that was Peter’s. She made a comment about how horrible he was to the environment after he tossed a ton of plastic into the trash. She went into the garbage and rinsed it all off before putting it into the recycling. It…left an impression and might’ve rubbed people the wrong way.”
“Peter should recycle.”
“Fritz,” she said, her motherly tone making me sit up straighter. “You don’t get involved all that much with how things are run. Why this time? I’m not complaining but this isn’t…you.”
She was right. I broke the piece of bread in two, pulling apart a bite and chewing it. I wasn’t quite sure of the answer myself, why I was getting involved on Nora’s behalf. Hearing her break down in front of her mom, hearing her ideas that were actually good, and if I were honest…I did owe her. She’d covered for me, and I wasn’t going to marry her to return the favor.
This could make up some of that debt.
“Over a decade ago, Nora helped me out with something serious. She’s weird, but brilliant. Don’t let her quirks overshadow her talents. Give her a shot.”
Angelica’s face softened, and she nodded. “You’re right. I have been letting her oddities cloud my judgment of her.”
“It’s hard not to, but try. That’s all I ask.”
“Deal. Now, why hasn’t your sister stopped by in weeks? I want all the wedding details.”
