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“We shall crown him King of the Bastards.”
“And leave him to the annals of history.” Why the hell did that thought hurt so damn much? She took a drink of coffee to swallow the lump in her throat. “Damn!” Hope’s pulse raced from the hit of caffeine.
“I made it a quad,” Skyler confessed. “I figured the King of the Bastards would have kept you awake late at night…for good reasons and not sucky ones.”
She took another drink. How had she been lucky enough to hire Skyler? She was more than an excellent employee, she was a thoughtful human being. Hope felt as if she’d won the lottery, and it was time to show her appreciation. “You know, I’m going to miss having you as an assistant.”
“What?” Skyler choked on her drink, and Hope reached across to grab the cup before it tipped over. “What do you mean? Am I…?” She twisted a hand into her hair. “Did I do something wrong?”
“You’re too damn good at what you do.”
“Hope, you’re scaring me.”
Why hadn’t she done this months ago? “You’ve been doing a lot of the work as an associate.” She paused to build the tension. “It’s time you were promoted.”
“What?” Skyler leaped from her chair, twirled around, then gave her butt a great big shake. “I’m going to be an associate, like Tony? I mean, I don’t dress as well, but, like I get to do the magic hocus pocus by myself?”
“You do.” Skyler’s enthusiasm was contagious. “Unlike Tony, no purple ties required.”
“He wore mauve on Saturday night. And a matching flower in his lapel. Women swooned all over him.”
“Including you?” Hope narrowed her eyes. Had there been love blossoming that she hadn’t seen?
“Ick. No. He’s like a brother…”
Tony entered the front door and walked quietly across the reception area. In a few steps, he stood in the doorway and pressed a finger to his lips. Hope hid her smile.
“Or a cousin. Maybe a father figure. Or something. But no. No. Eww.”
“Thanks a lot,” Tony said, a hand over his heart. He exhaled a huge, shuddering sigh. “My soul is crushed, fair maiden. It’s a good thing the engagement ring came with a thirty-day money-back guarantee.”
Skyler’s face drained of color. “Uhm.” Shit, Skyler mouthed before facing him.
Enjoying herself for the first time in days, Hope sat back with her latte. Her personal life might suck, but she had the best possible colleagues.
“I’ll do my best to get over you,” he promised, adjusting his baby-blue tie.
“You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
“I gathered that.”
“Really, I think you’re the greatest. The best. I mean, wow. All that…baby-blue…and…pinstripes?”
Hope laughed.
“And wingtips. How debonair and old-world. Any woman would be lucky to have you.”
“Except my daughter, was it? Or are you my sister? I’m confused.”
She tucked a purple strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re far too young to be a dad. Well, my dad, anyway.”
“Thanks. I think.”
Hope’s mood lightened, and she invited them both to come in and grab a seat.
“Cupcake?” Skyler offered, sliding the box Tony’s direction.
He sat back as if the treat were lethal. “I don’t eat sweets.”
“Oh. That’s right, Dad,” Skyler replied, reaching for her chocolate goodness again.
“I want to hear about Saturday night,” Hope prompted. As she took another drink, Tony began speaking.
“My daughter was brilliant.”
Skyler lifted her treat in a silent salute.
“I didn’t need to go with her. She handled the room like a pro, talking to single ladies, collecting their cards, and she even got a special invitation. Tell her,” he prompted.
“I met a producer for a local television station,” Skyler said. “They have a breakfast meeting once a month where people pitch ideas for features on their morning news show.” She grinned. “We got a five-minute slot on Thursday morning.”
“Congratulations!” Hope lifted her cup.
