He has no idea.
“I wanted to ask a favor, but please feel free to say no. We’ve got a casino night coming up—the annual fundraiser for the athletic boosters.”
I nod, even though he can’t see me.
His voice softens as he continues. “Your mom usually helped with organizing, decorating, and setup—she loved the decorating part,” he says with a humorous huff. “No one’s volunteered to take over her tasks, and with your background, I, uh, I wasn’t sure if you’d lend a hand.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. Event planning. Decorating. Setup logistics. Those are all things I’ve done a thousand times in LA whenever the firm planned a party. “When is it?”
“End of May. We don’t need anything crazy. Everyone knows it’s a weird year.” His voice lowers on that last part. “Table setup, centerpieces, signage. Mostly making the place look good and casino-like.”
A part of me wants to say no. My plate is already overflowing. But something in his voice, the way he’s asking like he’s desperate and making this call was painful, has me agreeing.
“I can help. No problem, Jacob.”
The relieved sigh is unmistakable. “Thanks, Wren. Seriously. I appreciate it.”
We catch up for a few minutes, and he promises to email the details right away, then we hang up, and I add another thing to the calendars. My mom would’ve handled all of this without breaking a sweat. Hell, I bet if I comb through her computer or notebooks, I’d find a detailed list of what she’s done over the years. Mom always kept notebooks scattered around where she detailed everything. Each menu for holiday dinners. What flowers she planted and where.
I’m no sooner back to combing through emails when my phone buzzes on the wooden desk. Glancing at the screen, my stomach tightens as a wave of fear crawls down my spine at theUnknown Numbertext notification. It’s been a few days since I’ve received any messages from Elias, but that doesn’t mean he won’t resort to messages from unknown numbers to keep me on edge.
Unknown number
Hey, girly! It’s Saylor! Hope you don’t mind, I grabbed your number from the salon. But girl, you’ve got to get off the farm. Pilates & brunch tomorrow at 9. Don’t tell me no!!
Blinking at the screen, I read over her words as the fear vanishes. I tap on the number and quickly add Saylor Riggsby to my contacts.
Wow, I see the bossinessruns in the family!
Saylor
It’s genetic LOL See you tomorrow?
Count me in! You have no idea how bad I need a workout and girl time!
Saylor
I had a feeling.
Warmth blooms in my chest, a feeling I haven’t felt in what feels like forever. I didn’t realize how much I missed this, being wanted and included for just me, not my celebrity. In LA, everything felt transactional, but here, it feels genuine.
Will brunch include mimosas?
Saylor
Is Lake Drummond green? Of course! Bottomless mimosas and girly chats. Your mouth will be as sore as your body once we’re done with brunch.
LOL that sounds so dirty.
Saylor
LMAO!! Totally unintentional.
Sure, Say, sure…
I grin at the screen and set it aside.
In LA, I went to Pilates religiously. It was my one slice of sanity amidst the chaos. But brunch with the girls? Nope. So even though I'm a little nervous, I'm excited. This is my chance to find my way back into a circle of friends, real ones. A chanceto catch up with people I left behind and missed a lot more than I realized.
