I’m not jealous. If I didn’t need a girlfriend for dinner with Fred tomorrow night, I couldn’t care less about my singledom. It’s preferred. No one to answer to, no one to inevitably disappoint when I need to choose business dinners over date nights.

I keep walking, willing my brain to come up with a solution.

I could call up Heather—or was it Haley? The girl that I dated for a month about four years ago. I stroke my chin, thinking of a way how I could possibly propose this idea to her. It would never work. She’d been too interested in a committed relationship, which is why it lasted a mere four weeks.

That had been a setup by my mother, back before I refused to entertain them.

I’d nearly stood Tessa up strictly based on my need to deny the pint-sized woman who delivered the message the smugness of knowing that my mother was setting me up on dates.

Thinking of Chloe’s full, pink lips twitching with amusement makes my jaw ache with the pressure my molars are applying to each other.

I need to forget about Chloe. I won’t let myself wonder if she’s somewhere in the city with her own date tonight.

While I don’t appreciate my mother meddling in my personal life, I’ve found her to be the person I turn to when I’m facing uncertainty. It doesn’t happen often, my father’s death and then my first year running SCM being the most difficult times in my life. She’s a calming presence. And I could use that right now, even if I don’t plan to share with her my current predicament.

I send her a quick text and ask if she has the books I asked her for as samples from a publisher in Beijing we might be partnering with at her apartment. She takes a minute to reply.

JSC: In LA to meet with the film producers for the thriller we purchased. Books are in the study. You can pop by to grab them if you need xo

It’s Friday and my mother doesn’t even question why I’d be looking for those books now. She knows that when it comes to a personal life, mine is all business.

The books aren’t a pressing issue, but I’ve got no other plans but to work tonight. That, and come up with a solution to my girlfriend issue.

4. Chloe

CHAPTER 4

Chloe

My phone buzzes again. Another message on the group text. Lauren and Claire are getting ready and sending me pics of their outfits. They arrived a few hours ago, along with the thirteen other women attending this party, most of whom I haven’t met, checked into their hotel and are already tossing back the champagne I had sent up to their room.

I look up from my phone.