“Sure, I get that vibe. We can make that happen.” Austin turned and looked me up and down again. My skin lit up with his attention. Maybe I should've put on something fancier. “I actually have a perfect model for that.”

After he ended the call, he came close to me. He reached out and touched my hair, then pushed it behind my ear. “Do you think it would be okay if I took pictures of you? With you?”

My heart was beating in my mouth, my ears. “Um. Yeah. Sure.”

“This brand wants a really dynamic ad campaign and you would be perfect. Classically, almost old Hollywood gorgeous. You’ll be fantastic.” He snapped his fingers near my face and took off into the wardrobe.

I covered my mouth. He called me gorgeous. Buzz, buzz. All over again.

I heard my phone vibrate again. I picked it up off of Austin’s dresser. The text message from Teddi was all caps:

TEDDI: UR DATING MY BROTHER?!!

“Oh no.” I felt my stomach stop. I mean, I didn’t even get to explain to Teddi anything about the situation.

“Oh crap.” Austin emerged from the wardrobe. He had a white silk dress draped over one arm and was holding out his phone to me. There was one word, all caps. My name.

“I think we have to FaceTime Teddi before she flies here on pure rage.”

I nodded. Of course, that made sense. Calling her would make sense. The one problem I had was Teddi could read me like a book. We’d been friends for so long, she knew my thoughts before I had them. I couldn’t hide my feelings for Austin from her, not even if I tried really hard.

The tones for the ringing FaceTime made my fate’s choice for me.

“Hey, Teddi Bear.” Austin stepped in front of me and moved to the side so Teddi could see me.

I wiggled my fingertips in her direction.

“You need to tell me when, what, and where.” She was dressed up. Behind her were massive deep orange curtains.

“How’s the meeting going?” Austin ignored her questions.

“Fine. We’re on a break.” She glanced over her shoulder.

I racked my brain for what she was doing. Teddi had the energy and drive of eight people. There was the nonprofit she was starting up under the name of her boyfriend’s late mother, Ivy. Then there was the under-the-radar store of necessities she was working on with the local mafia boss and his crew.

She was a busy lady with a daily planner that rivaled a billionaire’s.

“Are they going to donate the space?” Austin moved over to the bed and patted the spot next to him. I sat down. He put his arm around me.