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“Anyway,” she continues, “then she told me your father is a tiger in bed.”
“Oh my God,” I groan.
“I know. Total TMI. But then she said something else that surprised me.”
“Oh? What was that?”
“She said she almost said no when your dad first asked her out.”
I’m pretty sure my eyebrows just flew off my forehead. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I’m not. And she honestly seemed sincere.”
“Wow.” I shove a forkful of eggs in my mouth.
“She said the age difference concerned her, but she decided to go because he’s so handsome.”
I laugh. “I suppose he is. But I don’t really think of him that way.”
“Of course you don’t,” Skye says. “But trust me. Your dad’s a hottie.”
Her comment doesn’t bother me. I’m hardly jealous of my father. “But not a ‘Harvard law hottie.’” I laugh.
She laughs as well. “No. Apparently there’s only one of those. Anyway, she mentioned that you never get involved with anyone at the office.”
“She’s correct. But my father does.”
“Right. And then…” She stops.
“Go on.”
“Okay, but remember, you asked. She waxed poetic about your father’s prowess in bed. Said I wouldn’t believe what he’s into.”
“Oh God…”
“You asked!” She punches my arm again.
“True. What was I thinking?”
“I’m not sure. But she was nice, Braden. Really nice. We even had a toast to a new friendship, and by then, I was pretty sure that’s what she wanted. A friend.” Skye’s features darken.
“What? A friend’s a good thing, Skye.”
“I know. But I think I may have lost another friend at the same time. One that means everything to me.”
“Tessa?”
Skye nods. “Tessa and Betsy showed up at Ma Maison, and she saw me there with Kathy.”
“So what?”
“Yeah, it wouldn’t normally be an issue…except that I had turned down Tessa’s invite to drinks earlier.”
“Skye…”
“I know,” she says. “I posted on Instagram with Kathy. Tessa would have found out anyway. What was I thinking, Braden?”
“I don’t know. Why did you turn Tessa down in the first place?”
Skye sighs. “We were having lunch, and she was going on and on about Garrett and about how Betsy and Peter were hitting it off—”
I go rigid. Peter Reardon and Garrett Ramirez, who work for Peter’s father’s architecture firm, Reardon Brothers. I’ve heard the rumors about their business tactics. I need to verify them.
“—and I… I wanted to tell her about you and me, but I couldn’t.”
I lift my brow. “What do you mean?”
“The NDA, Braden.”
“Oh. You wanted to tell her about the club.”
“Well…yeah. She’s my best friend. I tell Tessa everything. I’m already on not-so-solid ground with her because I missed our shopping date when you and I flew to New York in the middle of the night.”
“She didn’t understand?”
“She did. Or she says she did. I don’t know. It’s just a mess, Braden.” She takes the last sip of her coffee. “I hope I can fix it. I’m meeting her for yoga.”
Understanding dawns on me. This is why Skye wasn’t herself last night. She feels like she’s losing her best friend.
“How can I help?” I ask.
“Let me tell Tess about the club?” She grins and raises her eyebrows.
“Sorry, love. That I can’t do.”
“I know.” She rises. “But you can’t blame me for trying.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Once Skye leaves, I set up my laptop for some research.
Personal research.
Normally on a Saturday morning I’m either working or working out.
Today?
I’m going to look into the Reardon Brothers.
I find enough that I want to know more. I call my PIs and get them on the case. Then…work.
After about an hour, my phone dings with a text from Skye.
I want to go to New York. Tonight.
Okay, then.
Yoga with Tessa must not have gone well.
As much as I’d love to indulge Skye’s darker side, Black Rose Underground is for passion and expression. It’s not an escape when life isn’t going the way you want it to go. This is another reason why I keep that part of me in New York. That way, I’m never tempted to indulge for the wrong reasons.
Besides, I have a meeting scheduled tomorrow. I don’t particularly like Sunday meetings, but I usually have them anyway. I also have a full calendar here in Boston all next week.
We’re not going to New York tonight.
My text is short and succinct. I have work to do here in Boston.
I continue reviewing the documents on my computer when my phone dings an hour later.
It’s not a text but an Instagram notification. I must have inadvertently switched notifications on after I looked at Skye’s posts last night.
It’s a photo of Skye in a locker room wearing her workout gear. Is she still at the yoga studio?
Sheer lip gloss in Honey Glaze by @susiegirlcosmetics is perfect after a yoga class! #sponsored #yoga #lipgloss #susiegirl
I wrinkle my forehead.
She looks…beautiful, of course, and the lip gloss flatters her. But something is off, similar to how it was last night. And the copy? It doesn’t have Skye’s usual subtle humor and finesse.
