She and William were in the same circle, but he’d never play golf with her. Or take her out to dinner.
Because of Peter, probably. She clenched her fists tight. “That fucker.”
“Hard agree, he is a fucker. But you need to take a deep breath.”
Instead, Rhiannon launched off the chair to pace. “He’s trying to buy Matchmaker from under me.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. He saw the videos. He’s annoyed about how fucking wholesome and cute it is and he’s pissed he’s not a part of it.” She got to the end of the patio and whirled around. “Do you know what he’s like when he feels left out ofsomething? Did I tell you about the time I went to a friend’s birthday party and didn’t think to invite him? He didn’t talk to me for a week. He broke the vase my brother made for me, the one I kept in my office.” Peter had said it was an accident, and at the time, she’d believed him. She gripped her elbows. “He knows I want Matchmaker. He’s gonna try to get it.”
She jerked to a stop when Katrina stepped in front of her and put her hands on her shoulders. “Stop. Take a deep breath.”
“This isn’t a fucking panic attack,” Rhiannon snapped, and then flinched at her own thoughtlessness. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I—”
“Stop,” Katrina repeated again, slower this time. She pressed her hand on Rhiannon’s collarbone. “Take a deep breath.”
Rhiannon complied, more out of regret than an actual belief it would help. Sure enough, her heart continued to pound. Sweat had popped out at her hairline. “Katrina, he can’t win. He can’t—”
“Name three things you see.”
She almost whimpered. This was stupid, and a waste of time.
But she’d already minimized Katrina’s issues once, and she owed it to her to listen. “Your eyes.”
“What color are they?”
“Brown. Medium brown.”
“Name two more things you see.”
“The orange marigolds you planted in the window boxes.”
“One more.”
She blinked, the better to clear her vision, which had narrowed and blurred. “The city. A sliver of the ocean.”
“Now name two things you can hear.”
“The birds calling to each other. The wind chimes on the tree over there.”
“Name one thing you can smell.”
She inhaled and exhaled deeply. “The roses.”
“Good. Good girl. Can you think a little clearer now?”
Rhiannon blinked back the tears in her eyes. She could think clearer, but that meant the panic and anger had receded and she could taste loss and defeat. She didn’t know if that was better or worse. “He can’t win.”
“Even if Peter does buy Matchmaker, Rhi, that doesn’t mean he’s won. You’re a better businessperson than him. You’ll trump him, one way or another.”
Rhiannon worked her jaw. No, Katrina didn’t understand. She couldn’t let Peter win at anything, or even think he’d won at anything.
The best revenge is success.
If she couldn’t get success? Then what? What did she have?
“I have to... I have to do something.” She walked to the table and picked up her phone, sending a quick text.
