“You just need a fresh pair of eyes sometimes. Trust me, I know.”
Sadie and I had had art classes together when we’d been at college. She’d become an artist, creating large paintings and murals for executive companies, and she did great. She made her own money and got huge contracts.
But Sadie had always been rich—her father had set up a trust fund for her the day she’d been born, and it had allowed her to be able to take chances with her career. If she failed, she would still have money to pull her through.
Maybe the confidence and the knowledge she would be fine, no matter what, was what allowed her to create masterpieces like that.
She had no pressure. She was reckless and free.
We’d stayed friends all these years, and because we both had a background in art, we could help each other out sometimes. Or, at the very least, understand exactly what the other was going through.
“Let’s finish eating, and then we’ll get to work,” I suggested. “If we can get home before sunrise, it will be a bonus. I present to him tomorrow at noon.”
“More than enough time,” Sadie said with a wave of her hand.
I was so grateful for her. Not only because she was a reliable friend, but because she understood me when I felt like a lot of people didn’t.
“I was serious when I said I would hold you to making tonight up to me,” Sadie said, chewing.
“I know; I know. And I’ll come through, don’t worry. I owe you a party.”
“You oweyourselfa party,” Sadie corrected me. “You’re never going to meet someone if you sit in the office all day.”
“Unless it’s a hottie who commissions me for a job and decides to throw in a proposal,” I said with a giggle.
Sadie laughed. “That would be amazing, but it doesn’t work that way.”
“If only,” I said. “Job offers and proposals don’t usually go hand in hand.” I popped another piece of pork into my mouth. “But it’s not like I’m desperate to find love. I’m happy doing my own thing. If someone comes along, that would be nice, but—”
“Oh, no. You’re almost thirty and still single. That’s a crime against humanity.”
I laughed. “It’s not! The days of having to settle down and pop out a bunch of kids just after college are long gone. I’m serious about getting my business running smoothly first. I don’t have time for a family right now.”
Sadie shook her head. “Maybe not a family right away. But if you don’t find a guy soon, a happy family won’t happen ever.”
I laughed and continued eating. Sadie was in a committed relationship and happy, and I was happy for her. But it just hadn’t happened for me. Of course, I wouldn’t have minded dating. But I had a company to get off the ground, and that was my priority.
“What about Ryan?” Sadie asked. “Doesn’t he have hot friends you can go for?”
“Of course, he does,” I said. “But the last thing I want is to cause shit. Going for my brother’s friends issocliché.”
“Unless they’re hot,” Sadie pointed out. “And rich.”
“Oh, no, that’s not happening,” I said, already knowing where she was headed with this. “Parker Conrad is like a brother to me.”
“Come on, the guy is drop-deadgorgeous, richer than most of the guys in this city, and he’s single, isn’t he?”
I nodded. “He was married, but that was a while ago.”
“Yeah, I remember reading about the divorce online. God, the media doesn’t leave them alone.”
“Which is another reason to steer clear,” I pointed out. “But Parker and I are just friends anyway. If something were going to happen between us, it would have happened when he and Ryan started hanging out a few years ago.”
“It’s never too late, you know,” Sadie said.
I laughed and put my empty cartons back into the plastic bag.
“I’m not looking for something. If it’s meant to be, it will be.”