Eden shrugged. “I think I’m through talking for the night. How about you?”
Randi nodded. “I’ll walk out with you.”
As they walked to their cars in the parking lot Eden glanced over at Randi. “Hey, thanks for doing this. I know you love to give a pitch and in a way it makes you the center of attention, but I realize you were doing this for me.” She felt Randi’s shoulder bump against hers.
“I love you, friend. I’d do anything for you.”
“Really?” Eden stopped at her car and faced Randi. “Would you come to work with me?”
Randi pursed her lips then gave her a coy smile. “Yes, I will.”
Eden widened her eyes and gasped. “Do you mean it!”
Randi chuckled. “I already talked to Analise about it. Cari DeWare had the idea that I was the one who worked at HLR. So, we agreed that I would come in and do the pitch withthisauthor. We’ll see how it goes. If we’re a good fit then maybe we’ll do something more permanent. But for now, it’s like a consulting gig.”
Eden could feel her heart pounding with excitement. She reached out and wrapped Randi in a tight hug. “This is going to be so much fun!”
“Hold on,” Randi said, pulling away. “There’s one condition.”
Eden grinned. “I’m listening.”
“You have to buy lunch all week.”
Eden scoffed. “How’s that any different from now? I buy you lunch all the time.”
Randi chuckled. “You make a lot more money than I do.”
“If you’d stick with a job and stop moving around?—”
“Blah, blah, blah,” Randi said, putting her fingers in her ears. “I’ve heard it before.”
Eden smirked. “Maybe this will be the job that makes you want to stay. You already like the people.”
Randi smiled. “Most of them.”
“Ha ha,” Eden said, getting into her car.
“When’s your first date?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know.”
“You’d better!”
“Night, bestie. Love you,” Eden said, starting her car and pulling away once Randi was safely in her car.
As she drove home Eden tried to remember the women she’d met tonight, matching names with faces. They all had acted interested in going on a date with her, but she wondered how many would actually follow through.
She drove into her driveway and pulled into the garage. As soon as she stepped into her house Letty was immediately at her feet, meowing her little heart out in greeting.
“Hey, pretty girl.” Eden reached down and fluffed the hair on Letty’s head. “Let me change clothes and I’ll tell you all about it.”
She walked through her kitchen, down the hall, and into her bedroom. She changed into a comfy pair of shorts and a favorite T-shirt. Letty had followed her and jumped on the bed as Eden changed clothes. They followed this same routine nearly every day when she came home from work.
She walked into her living room, sat down on the couch, and Letty plopped into her lap. The cat began to purr as Eden stroked her hand down her back. “Such a good girl,” she murmured.
“What a night,” she said to the cat. “You wouldn’t believe all the nice things Randi said about me.” She continued to run her hand down Letty’s back then rested her fingers in the fluffy hair at her neck.
Randi had chosen to speak about things she knew made Eden happy. She’d been entertaining and made the crowd laugh at times. None of this surprised Eden because she knew howengaging Randi could be. She lived for moments like this, but Eden had never been the center of one of her pitches.
