“Not a fan, I take it?”
“Not after growing up with a dad and three brothers who were obsessed with it, no.” She shakes her head. “Constant screaming on Sundays, I tell you. No peace.”
I laugh. “Three brothers? Your poor boyfriends.”
“Very few made it past the meet the family stage,” she says. “And as you can tell by my glorious single state of being now, no one lasts long after.”
I smirk, not allowing myself the opportunity to take in her appearance any lower than her eyes. She knows as well as I do that she’s a very attractive woman — unique, edgy, with a rack that you can see from outer space. “I doubt you stay single long. Unless you want to, that is.”
She shrugs. “I don’t know what I want.”
“What a loaded statement,” I say with a sigh of my own. “I’ve been feeling the same, actually.”
Chandler takes a long drink. “Trouble in paradise?”
I frown, not understanding until I meet her gaze and then piece together that she thinks I mean Cassie.
“Oh, God no,” I say quickly. “Cassie is the only thing right in my life.” I pause. “Honestly, it’s been that way for a while, I think.”
“I don’t know, it looks like you’ve done a lot of good here. My girls can’t stop talking about Alpha Sigma’s transformation.” She does a little move with her hands to illustrate the word, her voice going up a pitch.
I chuckle. “And I’m happy for them. It’s been fun, it’s just…”
“Not what you thought it would be.”
“Not at all,” I admit.
“You thought it would be like college 2.0, that you would get the same satisfaction as a Field Executive that you did as president.”
“You’re too good at this.”
She smiles. “I know the feeling is all. It’s not the same when you’re not an active member. It makes you feel old, like an outsider. And fuck, it’s lonely.”
I nod in agreement. “I think I’m done after this year.”
“They’ll be sad to lose you.”
“Maybe. But the bigger issue is that I have no idea what I want to do next, only that it has to be in Baltimore.”
Chandler nearly chokes on her next sip of beer at that. “Jesus Christ, why Baltimore of all places?”
“That’s where Cassie will be going to med school.” I meet her gaze. “Johns Hopkins.”
Chandler’s brows shoot into her hairline. “Wow. Gorgeous and smart as hell… it’s just not fair. Some girls get all the fun.”
I smile. “She’s had to work her ass off for it.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Chandler taps the bar for a moment, watching me like she wants to say something. But she keeps biting her lip, her cheek, looking away just to look back again.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing, it’s just…” She shakes her head. “This is crazy, and I doubt you’d be interested but…” She stops. “Never mind.”
“Chandler,” I say, arching a brow to let her know I don’t like playing these games.
“Okay, okay,” she says, turning to face me more. “It’s just… what a small fucking world. I’m from Baltimore.”
I blanch. “You are?”
“I am. My whole family is. That whole football hate I was talking about earlier? Try being in a house full of Ravens fans.”
I chuckle.
“Anyway, my dad’s parents own a pretty big company based in Baltimore… Simmons Snacks.”
It was my turn to choke on my beer. “Simmons Snacks? As in the potato chip company?”
“Potato chips, popcorn, salsa and queso, cookies, crackers…” She nods. “Yep.”
I gape at her. “What the fuck, Chandler. You never told me you were the granddaughter of some of the wealthiest people in the world.”
“It’s not my wealth,” she says quickly. “Anyway, they’ve been hounding me for about a month now to come work for them. They’re in desperate need of someone to head their Public Relations and Events team.” She pauses. “In Baltimore.”
My ears heat.
“I have no interest,” she adds quickly. “And they know that. They’ve wanted me to work for the family business since I was born, but I just… I don’t want anything to do with it. Not because it isn’t a great company,” she clarifies. “Because it is. I just want to make a name for myself outside of it.” She pauses. “Also, I don’t want to live in Baltimore.”
I laugh at that. “So, why are you telling me this?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” She shrugs. “What if you lead their team?”
I blink.
“Don’t look so surprised,” she says with a smile. “You’d be great at it. I mean, that’s essentially what you’re doing here, what you did all through college — public relations and events. You’d get to do what you love professionally, outside of a fraternity organization. For a company you know and love. In the city where your girlfriend is.” She cocks a brow. “Did I lose you?”
“I’m just trying to decide if you’re a figment of my imagination,” I say, playfully swinging at the air around her like she’s a ghost.