Randi shrugged. “Isn’t this where we’ll give the pitch?”
Analise nodded.
“It’s good for me to be familiar with the space and the technology,” Randi said. “I don’t want it to look like it’s the first time I’ve been in the room or my first pitch. I want to be comfortable here.”
“It’s not your first pitch,” Analise stated.
“No, but I’ve never pitched to an author before.”
“You’ll be great.”
“Now you sound like Eden.” Randi sighed and shook her head.
Analise smirked then grinned. “We have an office that one of our creatives used, but now works mostly from home. Things seem to accumulate there that shouldn’t.”
“Ah, storage?”
“Something like that. Anyway, it’ll be ready for you in the morning.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, and it’s across the hall from Eden.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“You’ll find that we all get along, get our work done,andhopefully enjoy spending time here,” Analise explained. “I want our work environment to be pleasing so you’ll want to come work here permanently.”
“Oh, I know. Eden has told me several times that HLR is one team, like a family.”
Analise smiled. “That’s right. Didn’t you two go to lunch together?”
“We did.”
“I meant to ask her how the dating thing is going,” Analise said. “Has she heard from anyone?”
Randi nodded. “We were talking about that at lunch. She ran into one of the women she met at the coffee shop this morning. I think they have a date tomorrow. I’m sure the others will get in contact with her.”
Analise hesitated for a moment. “You don’t seem too thrilled about it.”
Randi widened her eyes. “What? That’s why we did it.”
Analise shrugged. “You know, I’ve wondered… Have you and Eden ever dated?”
Randi scoffed. “Us? No! We’re best friends.”
“Yeah,” Analise said. “Friends to lovers. It’s a very popular trope in romance.”
Randi raised her shoulder. “Cari DeWare’s latest release is a friends to lovers. I read it over the weekend.”
“Was there ever a time when you thought about it? You and Eden?”
“No. We met soon after we’d both moved here and Eden was in a long-distance relationship at the time,” Randi explained. “We only knew a couple of other people in the city so we ended up spending a lot of time together and became friends.”
“What happened to Eden’s relationship?”
“Ah, it fizzled. She took it pretty hard and I was there for her.” Randi chuckled softly. “I guess we became close because of a breakup.” She thought back to those nights when she would hang out with Eden and listen. She’d talk through her feelings and sometimes shed a tear or two. They spent several nights eating ice cream, binge watching trashy TV, and falling asleep on the couch.
“You didn’t want to be her rebound?”
