I sighed and told her what had happened.
“So ... was it good?” Her eyes sparkled.
“That doesn’t matter,” I said.
“That means it was!” Sadie cried out and giggled with glee.
“My misery shouldn’t be so entertaining,” I scolded her, but I couldn’t help but smile at Sadie’s reaction.
“It doesn’t sound like it was misery to me,” Sadie said with a laugh. “Why won’t you see him again?”
“How can I?” I asked, shaking my head. “It’s Ryan’s best friend. And I wasn’t planning this. I mean, I can’t sleep with my clients. Can you imagine how that will sink my company?”
“Client,” Sadie corrected me. “Singular. And if Parker is someone you can hit it off with, why not?”
I shook my head. “I can’t do it. Besides, I told him the contract is canceled.”
“Maybe you should rethink it,” Sadie said. “Especially now ...”
“No,” I said firmly. “I can’t do it. That would just be wrong.”
“Does he want you to end the contract too?”
I shook my head. “No. He wants to talk about what happened. And he wants me to see the designs that I started through.”
“You’re fine then,” Sadie said. “He’ll pay you for your work, you’ll get the name and the money, and everything will be fine.”
She was right. It would work out that way. And Parkerwantedme to keep going on the contract, despite my telling him I wasn’t interested. I hadn’t answered his text because I’d told myself I wouldn’t do it.
But that was before Richmond had canceled our contract. Before I’d gotten stuck without money.
“Maybe,” I finally said.
Sadie squealed, excited. “Maybe means yes.”
“Maybe means I’ll think about it.”
“And then say yes.” She clapped her hands like a child. “This could be your big break!”
I nodded. I guess it could be. But I felt bad about crawling back to Parker because I needed money. It was exactly who I’d never wanted to be. I’d done my own thing from the start, refusing to take help or money from anyone.
But it was business, wasn’t it? Going to Parker wasn’t about accepting charity. Or giving him anything because we slept together.
It was a business move.
“Maybe,” I said again.
Sadie grinned at me, sipping her wine. I hated that she was right.
Because “maybe” did mean yes.
10
PARKER
Theweekdraggedon,and I had a lot of paperwork to get through that I didn’t feel like doing. I just couldn’t focus on my work. My mind kept wandering.
I thought about Emily and the night we’d had together. I couldn’t get her out of my mind.