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But maybe she’s Ryker’s divorce lawyer?
“Uh, yes. Who’s this?”
“It’s Harper, Ryker’s sister.”
Relief hits me and soothes my racing heart just a little. It’s not a divorce lawyer asking for my new address.
“Hi Harper. How are you?”
And where is your brother?
Why did he leave me?
“I’m good. I’m in Seattle right now and I know this is really last minute, but I have an event that my boss just told me he wants ‘the works’ for. I’m kind of in a pinch. Any chance you would have availability to pull off an event for me?”
Part of me wants to say yes because this could be great exposure with the kind of clientele that attends art galleries but the other part of me doesn’t know if I can see her and not break down in tears.
I’m not a crier by nature but when it comes to Ryker, nothing has ever made sense.
“I’m not really sure if—”
“We’ll pay anything. My boss knows this is an expedite situation, but our firm doesn’t just work with art galleries. We host large art conferences and big parties. If you can make this happen, I can guarantee that my boss will turn to you for more work.”
“I’ll have to discuss this with my business partner,” I say, using Shawnie as my delayed tactic.
I need some time to decide if I can do this or not. Can I handle being attached to Ryker’s sister when I just cut off all other ties to him? Technically this woman is still my sister-in-law.
“Ok, could you talk with her and then meet me for coffee? You can give me your answer then.”
“What if it’s no?” I ask her.
“Then at least I get to see you while I’m here and I’ll keep looking for another party planning agency to help me with the event.”
I know I can’t turn this down. It’s too big of an opportunity. And if Shawnie finds out I didn’t take on a huge new client with massive elbow rubbing and referral potential because I couldn’t put my big girl panties on and meet with my ex’s sister… she’ll kill me. There’s also no way I’m telling Shawnie that I’m about to meet up with Harper. She’d hunt us down at the coffee shop and hit Harper with every question under the sun about Ryker and why he left, including if he got dropped on his head as a child.
Shawnie is so mad at Ryker that I hope he never shows up anywhere she and I are both at. His balls wouldn’t be safe.
“Ok,” I agree, trying to think of a coffee shop that none of the girls visit. Serendipity’s Coffee Shop is off the list. It’s a regular hot spot for all of my friends.
I think of a place on the opposite side of town and then give her the name.
She agrees and I end the call, reminding myself that this will be worth it because of the business growth. After all, I lied to James—I do want a penthouse office with incredible views of the city on the eighth floor.
I just don’t want Ryker’s.
I walk into a quaint little coffee shop an hour later. The smell of coffee and toasted bagels hit me right away, settling my anxiety with my favorite smells in the world.
It’s a cute little corner shop in a brick building with floor-to-ceiling windows on two of the four walls. It’s bright and airy but small with only six tables.
It’s a little busy when I walk in. The second I pass through the door, I see a hand shoot up and wave at me.
A smiling Harper in an off-the-runway green military-styled jacket with copper buttons, designer jeans and wedge platform heels stands out of her seat to make sure I see her. It’s weird to see her like this since in Canada, she was dressed in hockey gear during the charity event and then jeans and rainboots for a sledding race. However, the woman is an art curator so it shouldn’t surprise me that she knows how to dress in higher fashion when she needs to.
I make my way to the table as she steps away from it, opening her arms and giving me a hug. Just as Everett said, they’re a hugging family.
I wrap my arm around her too and hug back.
“It’s good to see you,” she says.
