Cleo laughed at this. “Oh my god, you’re so right. Whenever I want to make out with someone, I always make sure my emails are superformal, so it seems like I don’t.”

“How often does this happen to you?” I asked her, truly curious.

“I don’t know, I’ve met a lot of hot lawyers!” she said defensively.

“If he signed his email ‘Best,’” Lola said confidently, “what he means is ‘I can’t stop thinking about putting my mouth all over you.’”

“Especially between your legs,” Cleo added, and Lola snorted.

I covered my face with my hands and laughed. “Okay,” I said as I balled my fingers into fists and pressed them to my chin. “Then what does it say that I sent an email today and signed it ‘Can’t wait to talk soon!’”

“Oh, girl,” Lola said with a shake of her head. “It means you’ve got it bad.”

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Hayes

The next day, at the office, I tossed my giant binder outlining our launch party on Eleanor’s desk.

“Well, look at you,” she said, lowering her glasses to gaze at me approvingly. Taking a sip from a glass of ginger ale, she opened the cover, her eyes skimming the first page.

“Tyler did most of it—let’s be honest.” I slid into my chair, flipping open my laptop. “That famous DJ they’re friends with agreed to spin for a couple hours for half their normal rate. Tyler knows everyone.”

“The guy who has the residency in Stockholm?” Eleanor asked, legitimately wowed.

“That’s the one,” I said with a nod.

“Maybe Tyler should be COO,” Eleanor joked.

“Not so fast,” I said. “I signed off on everything. Double-checked the budget. And I hired these caterers Serena recommended.”

Eleanor applauded.

“Oh, and Citi Bike is giving everyone a discount code to use so they can ride to and from the party.”

“Ooooh,” Eleanor said, sounding excited.

“I knew you’d like that.” I felt slightly smug.

“So if Serena gave you her preferred caterer, things must be getting serious,” Eleanor joked, poking around for info.

“I have to go prep for this call with Luis about the space he found for us in Seattle,” I said, grateful for the excuse not to discuss my romantic life. Especially because I’d decided after my conversation with Perrine that I needed to break things off with Serena. I didn’t want to do it right before her big event. She’d been working on the gala for months, and I knew that it was more than just a party for her; it was personal. I couldn’t decide which was a crappier move—calling things off before we went, or right after.

I sat down at my desk to send a quick email, but instead I picked up my phone, and found my finger hovering over Franny’s name.