Profound and the woman wasn’t blowing smoke.She was right, it couldn’t be faked.Freya Dere was the real deal.Genuine in her words and actions, that honesty came from every part of her.From her gaze to her posture and the sincerity of her words.Freya would be a gold star ally, if they could convince her to come aboard.
“Damn, listening to you talk… How are you so wise?”
Roxie laughed.“I know, right?”
“Please, don’t.My work is my focus.In every other area, I fail miserably.I talk about this with authority because it’s the only thing I know.”
“Are you married?”
“No,” she said, showing her bare ring finger.“No husband.No kids.”
“Have you and K2 been broken up long?”
“Oh, years.It’s been…” The woman raised her chin.“We went our separate ways, and he got with the perfect woman.”
“You’d think the guys would learn from each other’s mistakes.”
“Hallie wasn’t a mistake.She embraced everything his parents wanted her to embrace.Everything they wanted him to embrace,” Freya said on a sigh.“I suppose we should learn from our friends’ mistakes.Not that I have any friends.Not any grown-up ones.”
“You have grown-up friends,” Roxie said.“You have me and Merci.We come with a whole troupe of girlfriends.”Their hostess took Freya’s hand but addressed her.“Freya’s so crazy rich, and so soft-hearted, that everyone takes advantage of her… until her grandfather runs them out of town.Why don’t you get back with K2?He’s single.”
And the gossip was too tempting to pass up.“What happened to Hallie?”
“He learned his lesson,” Roxie said.“His parents loved her.”
“They laid his future out before him.”
“And it wasn’t the one he wanted.”
So he did something about it.She could appreciate that clarity.“Sometimes these things come out of nowhere.Like an epiphany.I didn’t know I wanted to build something like Huddle Hope until the See It Through opportunity came up.From there it was obvious, it came to me that we can make a difference.Someone needs to try.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Freya said.“Money only goes so far.That’s why I make a point of engaging with as many families as I can.They mean more to me than paying the bills.Some of them, they make space for me.The generosity of people is overwhelming.Often those with less are more giving than those with the most.”She smiled at Roxie.“Though not all.Zairn would give his last for you.I’m so happy he found love.After everything he’s been through…”
“I’m not going anywhere.I’m Lola for life.And I will find love for all my girls, one way or another.”
“Men complicate things.I’m terrible at reading them and get tongue-tied.”The sophisticated beauty seemed too elegant to be anything less than composed.“K2, as it turns out, is not a good barometer of all men.If my track record with the opposite sex is any gauge of my future, I’ll be single for life.”
“That’s why we have our work,” she said.“All in the name of a good cause.”
“I heard you and Rourke were hot and heavy,” Freya said.“Aren’t you an item?”
“They’re a something.”
“We do what we want.”Was the shrug too glib?“We don’t put up a fight.Why should we?We’re consenting adults who do what feels good.The world would be a saner place if we all followed our instincts.”
“K2 would agree.Xavien’s either got you well trained or he’s found his perfect match.His matter-of-fact view of the world is enviable.The way his brain works, that linear process… He’s too smart for his own good.”
“It’s got him where he is.”
“It has.”
“He likes to rule people.To get under their skin and stir them up.”
“Or shake them up.”
“Roux is tenacious.She handles him better than anyone else.You should see them together, it’s fascinating theater.”
“With him it’s a tragedy, not a comedy,” she said.“He spouts some amount of crap.I just put him in his place.Other people are afraid to stand up to him.”
