Without acknowledging my comment, she told me about her meeting with her boss. I straightened as she explained the woman’s diagnosis and impending absence. The more Chloe explained about taking over the Dragonfly Lake project, the more I considered taking back all the bad things I’d said about Madame Dictator over the years. It sounded like she was finally giving Chloe the responsibility, recognition, and opportunity she deserved.

And then she got to the part about her coworker being favored because she was married and settled.

“What the hell? That’s counterintuitive,” I said.

“That’s my opinion as well,” Chloe said. “She went on about balance and how she’s lived wrong and doesn’t want me to make the same mistakes.”

I scowled and maybe growled a little, because once again, the world was throwing Chloe a roadblock. This girl could not catch a damn break. She’d tell you meeting Angelica in the business mentoring program at her college was a break, but I maintained it was the beginning of a long, punishing sentence. And here was more proof.

“I’m having trouble summoning sympathy for that woman,” I muttered.

“I don’t plan to lie down and let Gloria have it without a fight.”

“Thatta girl.” I nodded resolutely.

Chloe pressed her lips together, her face scrunched into an expression of doubt. “I told Angelica I’m in a relationship. With you.”

A grin crept across my face. Of course she had. “You’re brilliant. Take that, Madame Dictator.”

She didn’t smile. Still didn’t look at ease.

“What aren’t you telling me?” I asked.

“I’m getting there,” she snapped. “She asked if it was serious, and I said it was. So she insisted I bring you to the company’s anniversary dinner this Friday.”

“Okay.” I nodded as that sank in. “Okay, we can do that. So an evening of acting ‘serious.’”

It might be a little awkward, because there’d never been anything romantic between Chloe and me, but I could give that power-trip woman one hell of a show.

“Really? You aren’t pissed?”

“I’m pissed as hell that she’s throwing out this bullshit excuse to keep you from what you deserve. Trust me, we’re going to give her a show. At the end of the evening, she’ll have zero reasons not to leave you her company.”

While her shoulders relaxed a little, her eyes still searched me, as if there was more to my reaction. There wasn’t. I was in. One night of my life to help my deserving friend was nothing.

Chloe’s lips switched from a frown to a slow grin. “You are my favorite human in the whole wide world, Holden Henry.”