“Whoa!” Her mouth dropped an inch.

“And guess who told him I might have availability,” I added, drawing out the mystery.

Cleo tilted her head, confused. “No clue.”

“Lola.”

“Oh my god, she’s always got some scheme going on,” Cleo said with what could only be described as a loving eye roll.

“So now I have forty-eight hours to put something together.” Saying it out loud made it feel real, and my stomach bubbled with nerves.

“Fran!” It was all she needed to say. I could hear every bit of excitement she felt for me in just the way she squealed my name. “This is huge. Just make sure Mercury isn’t in retrograde when you sign the contract.”

I chuckled. “There’s not even a contract yet, Clee. Don’t worry.”

“And just think of how much one-on-one time you’re going to get with your Hot Suit,” she teased.

“Oh my god, come on,” I said, but, oh, I was thinking about it. That, and the way the sound of his voice had made my knees feel weak, like the time my mom took me to the top of Rockefeller Center when I was a kid. I didn’t just think Hayes Montgomery was nice. I was heading very close to crush territory, just like Cleo had suggested. Or maybe I was already in it.

“It would be a big deal to get this contract,” I said, before I took a sip, smiling as I imagined what a job like this could do for me. Not only would it get the word out about my design work, but it would do the thing I needed most: pay the bills.

“Oh, you’ll get it. No doubt in my mind,” Cleo said firmly, like there was no other option. “Let’s hurry up and find you an outfit so you can get to work.”

Besides, just the thought of Hayes and me together was ridiculous. This was one of those completely unattainable crushes that never led anywhere but sucked up all your time and energy. A possible job was way more important than some hot guy. I was going to land this thing, I decided, determined. Hayes and his enchanting eyes be damned.

*  *  *

I made it to the front of Hayes and Eleanor’s new building fifteen minutes early. I had planned to give myself some time to reapply my lipstick and check over my pitch document, work through my nerves so that I could be calm when they arrived. Instead, Hayes was already standing there, waiting for me. “Franny, hey,” he said with a wave.