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“Okay, that sounds hot–”
Mason elbows me, and I laugh.
“I’m kidding!”
“I’m being serious, bro!”
I give him a military precise nod. “Okay, I’m listening. Tell me more.”
Mason eyes me to make sure I’m taking it as seriously as he’d like.
I’m not going to give him another reason to question it. Because if I’m serious about anything, I’m serious about Laney.
“Before I tell you my plan, I just need a promise.” Mason raises his glass. “That we’ll see this through. Together. No matter what.”
I raise my glass. “To seeing it through.”
“And to staying friends at the end of it.”
“Oh, that’s a given.”
We clink our glasses, both of us sip, no,drainour glasses.
Mason blows some air from between his lips. “Wow, that stuff goes right to your head, doesn’t it?”
I grin. “That’s why it’s so good.”
My friend grins back and leans in close. “Okay, here’s my plan.”
“I’m all ears.”
35
LANEY
When Sonia invitedme to celebrate her engagement with her, I wasn’t going to say yes.
For one, I’d have to take the ferry from New Jersey to get back to Manhattan proper from my current assignment which I’ve been avoiding the past two months I’ve been out of the city.
For the other, I am pretty positive this is some sort of setup.
But Sonia just wouldn’t quit. Wouldn’t leave me alone. She texted, she called, she assured me it would just be us girls and there’d be no risk of running into “any boys.”
It aligned with my day off, so I thought, you know what, what the hell. Sonia became a friend over the time I spent at the Lyons penthouse. The least I can do is congratulate her in person on her engagement.
Thankfully, the celebration isn’t on the Upper East Side near the penthouse. It’s at a lovely tearoom in Soho, not far from the train.
I’m a little late, but not by much.
The ferry went offwithout a hitch.
When I walk into the small gathering of Sonia, Bridget, and Abigail, I am greeted with so much warmth I think I might have heat stroke.
“Oh my gosh, there she is! It’s been so long!” Abigail exclaims and rushes over to me.
I’m passed between the women like a newborn baby until I end up next to Sonia. “I have a little something for you.” I hold out the gift I’ve had clutched in my purse the entire ride here.
“Stop, you didn’t have to get me anything.”
