Page 65 of Made Better Together

Grace gasps in triumph and sits in my office’s guest chair. “But there was?”

“We’ve…hung out before. And we were going to again, until this.” I wave my hand in the direction of the meeting room. “When Milo signed her.”

She wrinkles her brow. “I thought you were the impetus for that.”

“I was, unfortunately. Then Milo sealed the deal. Which also meant no dating a client.”

“So let me get this straight. You already liked each other. Maybe more—” She shakes her head. “I don’t need the details. Then Milo and you pitch the company to her, and she signs. So now you can’t be together?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“As your superior, great job on following the code of conduct. As your sister, I’m bummed for you. You really liked her?”

“I did. I do. But we’ve only spent a handful of hours together.”

She rubs the arms of her chair. “Well…thank you for telling me.”

“Just don’t start spreading this sad tale around, please. The last thing I need is pity from Johnson and Landon.”

“Since nothing’s going on, I promise.” She bites her lip. “How are you liking the internship after a few more weeks?”

I debate how honest to be, and then I decide to go for 100 percent. “The analysis for today—evaluating her options—it’s a sweet spot. I appreciate how Milo is exposing me to this world, to the profession. I can see why you love it.”

“But?”

“I—it’s missing something for me. I’m not a schmoozer, and I don’t love the daily coordination and planning aspects of our clients’ lives, like you do. Sure, I can do it, and I need to have a job, so the easiest path is to stay at SLP after the internship, if Milo wants me. Something about it doesn’t feel like…me, though.”

She nods. “I hear you. Maybe you should explore grad school? An MBA could open even more doors.”

“Maybe. But that means more debt, with no clear outcome. It buys me time, at a cost.”

“Well, not necessarily at a cost. Any one of us would help you financially.”

Frustration fills me at this familiar refrain from my siblings. “I don’t want that. I’m sick of not being able to stand on my own.”

She blinks at my tone before softening.

“Alright. So we need to find a way for you to do something you love while being able to make a real income. In the meantime, I’ll talk to Milo about having you lean into the analysis side whenever possible.”

I don’t want her to put herself out for me again, but I force myself to make a polite, simple reply.

“Thanks, Gracie.”

If only something could go right, without needing an assist from my siblings.

18

EDEN

Over the next ten days, the confusing-as-heck behavior by Connor during the meeting with his sister turns into equally perplexing email exchanges.

When I was at the office, Connor’s quiet intensity was back: the staring, the small touches. As stoic as he is, there are tells that he cares about me, even if our relationship has to stay platonic.

Now that we’re not physically in the same place, he’s returned to a cold formality in his unemotional emails that could be from any business contact.

Four days ago, it had been:

Dear Eden,