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As soon as Payton entered the swanky hotel, she could almost smell the money. And she didn’t think she’d ever been this self-conscious in all her life. The bar staff were better dressed than she was.
“Payton,” Ashley said, waving her inside, her dark hair straight tonight. “Come on.”
Payton hadn’t even realized that she hadn’t made it beyond the entrance, her feet stalling as she took in the extravagance. The chandeliers, the champagne, the suits. And this was just the lobby.
She sucked in a breath, running her hands down her simple black dress. She might not feel like she belonged, but Ashley had invited her to this party of sorts. Payton hadn’t crashed it.
And as she followed Ashley away from the lobby and into one of the large ballrooms, she didn’t know why this display of wealth seemed to take her aback tonight. She was used to being around rich people. Her days were spent as a personal assistant to one of the most successful women in New York City. The amount of money that her company pulled in each week, each month… Payton struggled to comprehend it. That there was even a market for it. Managing reputations?
It was all so beyond Payton, and it had nothing to do with the business degree she’d studied for, but her job paid well and, while it was hard work and it could sometimes be trivial, it was rewarding more often than not.
Payton caught up with Ashley, doing her best to tap into her acting skills from all those plays she did in high school. She could play the part tonight. Pretend she was the heir to some hotel fortune or that she was the next great tech genius.
“Drinks?” Ashley asked, and Payton followed her over to a long table against the wall full of trays of champagne and wine.
Payton picked up a champagne flute, figuring she might as well indulge while she was here. She did have work tomorrow, so she couldn’t do too much damage. She took a sip, letting the fizzy, sweet taste hit her tongue.
“I love coming to Brian’s work stuff,” Ashley said with a grin. “I get to pretend for three hours that I’m not a struggling artist. That I’ve made it.” She flashed her a smile before picking up a glass of wine and taking a drink.
“Yeah, but was this worth missing Pride for?”
“It’s one night,” Ashley said with a laugh.
“Yeah, but it’s Pride,” Payton fake pouted.
“Well, thank you for taking the time.” Ashley shook her head as she spoke. “Seriously, I’m glad you were willing to come with me and keep me company. Brian’s always schmoozing at these things, and I barely see him. But it’s not like you were actually going to hook up with someone.”
Payton took another sip of champagne. “What? Why not? I’ve been single for almost two years. So, I am very much looking. When did I say I wasn’t?”
Ashley chuckled. “It’s not that you said you weren’t. It’s just that you’re a small bit obsessed with your boss. And I think she’s distracting you enough that you’re unable to even think about anyone else.”
“Woah.” Payton knew she had a crush on her boss. She joked with Ashley about it right from the start. But Madison Dunne was not preventing her from dating. “That’s some psychoanalysis there. Didn’t know you had a side-hustle as a shrink.”
Ashley playfully bumped her shoulder. “It’s true, and you know it. So, don’t pretend that you’re actively looking for a girlfriend and that tonight you might have found her.”
“Excuse me. I just need to go find a new best friend. Maybe even a new housemate.” Payton even took a few steps toward the door before Ashley reached out and caught her arm.
“Always so much drama with you.”
Payton shrugged. “We can’t all have amazing partners and chase our dreams.”
When Payton answered Ashley’s ad for a housemate four years, they’d clicked instantly. And in those four years, so much had changed. More for Ashley than Payton.
Ashley had met Brian almost two years ago. They were serious, but neither of them was willing to give up their independence, so they hadn’t moved in together yet and didn’t really look like they would anytime soon. Ashley had also made progress with her music. She went from giving piano lessons and taking the most random gigs, to actually having a pretty steady circuit between three bars, a jazz club, and a few private gigs for weddings or parties.
Ashley had done really well for herself. Not financially. She hadn’t got a record deal or anything, but she was doing what she loved, and she met a guy that seemed like the perfect match for her.
Payton was… Well, she was stuck.
She’d just turned twenty-eight. She was five years out of college, and she still hadn’t used her business degree. She’d worked all kinds of odd jobs. Waitressing, dog walking, tour guide, dish washer… The list went on and on.
This last year was actually the most stable of her life. The only problem was she was someone’s P.A. and while it paid well, it wasn’t really setting her up for anything in life. Yeah, the company name might look good on her resume, but she still hadn’t had any real responsibilities there.
“Thank you for coming,” Ashley said, taking her away from her thoughts. “I’m only joking with you. Kind of,” she said after a pause. “What are you going to do when you’re not working for her anymore?”
Payton took another drink. “It’s just a crush, and I’ll get over it when I don’t see her every day. That simple.”
