Chapter 19: Chapter 19

LAUREN

“Look,” Shana said, holding her phone toward Lauren. “One week later, and people are still posting about that fundraiser!” Shana shook her head, setting down her phone and cutting into her eggs Benedict. “It was so good. You should be proud.”

Lauren’s cheeks warmed, and she smiled. “Thanks, Shana. I am proud.”

Shana took a bite, then said, “Even though I didn’t see you much, I’m happy Mr. Hawke insisted we go.”

Lauren had been looking forward to her bacon and eggs, but the mention of a certain billionaire whom she’d tried in vain to stop thinking about for the past week diverted her attention. “He did? I thought the trip got canceled last minute?”

Shana nodded. “Yeah, by me. When I told him you were throwing the fundraiser, he had me cancel the trip.” Then she wriggled her eyebrows. “Mr. Hawke asked about you.”

In an attempt to hide her flaming cheeks from the expertly observant Shana, Lauren feigned wiping her mouth while she said, “Oh? What for?”

Focused on her plate, Shana shrugged. “Think he wanted a dance.”

“Really?” Lauren couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice, and Shana’s eyes snapped to hers.

Shana smiled. “Why are you surprised? You were hot! If you had danced, you two would have stolen the show.”

“I was fine,” Lauren said. “His date, though, was hot. I bet they stole the show.” She kept her gaze on her food but her peripheral vision on Shana.

“Pfft.” Shana waved her fork, dismissing the words. “They didn’t dance. Mr. Hawke had to bring her. She’s the daughter of a man he’s doing business with. The guy has been trying to force her on Logan for months.” She shrugged. “Seems he finally had to say yes.”

Lauren’s stomach dropped at the revelation. She’d been so harsh to him, thinking he’d moved on, and she’d been wrong.

“Actually,” Shana said, putting her arms down and locking eyes with Lauren, “I feel bad for him. Sure, he’s a playboy, but he sort of has to be. You know?”

Shaking her head, Lauren encouraged Shana to continue.

“He’s so rich that he’ll never know if a girl likes him for him.” She released a chuckle through her nose. “His handsomeness doesn’t help either.”

Lauren kicked herself for not considering this before. Of course Logan would be so guarded about his feelings. He had to be. ~I’m probably one of the few women in the world who find his money and name a hindrance to a relationship~, she thought.

“And he’s so good at reading people,” Shana continued, “he can find out within a week what the girls really want from him. Which is why they don’t last. He hasn’t wanted to be with a girl longer than a week or so. Usually a night is all it takes, though.”

Lauren’s mind swam, and she needed time to process her thoughts. Taking a sip of coffee, she looked out at the busy streets already swarmed with people. Downtown Manhattan was the worst place to be at breakfast time for peace and quiet, but Shana was a café person.

Smiling tightly, Lauren shifted the focus of the conversation. “And how did Dre like the party? He looked rather good in his suit.”

“He was so cute.” Shana chuckled, sipping her smoothie. “He followed me around all night, made me all hot and bothered. He’s got a way with words too. He had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand. And then we went home and, damn, did I reward him.”

Lauren mirrored Shana’s smile, but her mind was elsewhere.

“And Dre has soooo many hot cousins,” Shana said, laughing. “I’m going to introduce you to every single one until we find your perfect guy.” She winked.

Lauren had already met someone who was nearly perfect in every way, and now that she knew more of the facts, her red flags for him were beginning to fall away.

Maybe Logan didn’t have commitment issues, and maybe he wasn’t just a player. Even though his conquest list was the size of her online shopping receipts, maybe that was for a reason. Maybe he was searching for his perfect girl.

And she’d misjudged him. Harshly and unfairly.

Lauren sipped her orange juice as guilt ate at her, guilt about her prejudice and now about not telling Shana they’d slept together. Before this conversation, her mind had been made not to let it happen again, but now she wasn’t so sure.

Before it could happen again, though, Lauren had to figure out a way to make Shana okay with it.

“What’s wrong with you?” Shana asked, pulling Lauren from her wallowing. “You’re more in your head than normal.”

Lauren shrugged. “I just… I was thinking about my ‘perfect guy.’” Lauren decided to test the waters. “You know, Mr. Hawke seems pretty per—”

“No,” Shana interrupted, holding up her fork intertwined in her long fingers and fake nails.

“What?” Lauren asked, shrugging her shoulders.

“Don’t think about him at all, okay?” Shana waved the fork. “He has this weird, hypnotizing spell he puts on vulnerable women.”

Lauren stiffened at the accusation of her being a vulnerable woman, but Shana kept speaking.

“One minute they’re normal, can think for themselves,” Shana said, “and then they get with him, and suddenly they’re sobbing messes at his office door, begging me to let them in, to see him one last time. I will not let that happen to you, okay?”

“I’m not a ‘vulnerable woman,’” Lauren said, furrowing her brow.

“Girl, please,” Shana said with a sad smile. “Look at your history. You fall hard and fast every time. I promise your Prince Charming is coming, but men like Logan are one-hit wonders, pump-and-dump kings. They aren’t going to change, and they don’t deserve your emotions.”

Lauren couldn’t be mad at her, despite the words causing a sharp twang to ricochet in her chest. Shana was trying to protect her, be a great friend. It wasn’t her fault she didn’t have all the facts. Lauren was already there in the thick of it with her legs and eyes wide open.

“It’s better if you just stay away from him,” Shana said, “and guys like him.” Shana took a sip of her sparkling water and grabbed her purse, signaling the end of the conversation.

Lauren nodded, not entirely discouraged by the conversation. If Logan was capable of having something more than a fling, would Shana be saying something different? And if Shana’s job could be protected, would she approve of their “something more”?

After paying and leaving a generous tip, they returned to their apartment. Shana was just unlocking the door when her phone buzzed.

“Shoot, I’ve got to take this,” Shana said, rushing toward her room and waving at Lauren.

Lauren chuckled and went to get her things together for work. After a few minutes, a knock sounded on her door, and Shana popped her head in, her sheepish expression telling Lauren she was about to hear bad news.

“Hey, girl,” Shana said, coming in and sitting on her bed. “So, I need another favor.” Eyebrows rising and lips pouting, she held her hands together in prayer.

Keeping in mind how well Shana’s favors had worked out so far—mind-blowing orgasms followed by agonizing longing—Lauren sighed, then plopped down on the bed beside her. “What now?” she said with an exaggerated exhale.

“Well, it’s not a favor, really, it’s an offer. A job offer,” Shana said. “And you can’t say no to it because I need you to do it for me.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lauren asked, “A job offer? For when?”

“The end of next month.”

Lauren shook her head. “I can’t, Shana. You know I’ve got that event for—”

“Trust me, girl. You’ll be thanking me for it.” Shana perked up on the bed, excitement in her voice as she continued. “This will be the event of the year, and people will be talking about it for months after, not just weeks.”

Shrugging, Lauren shook her head again, but Shana didn’t let her speak.

“Plus,” Shana said, putting a hand on Lauren’s leg, “as I said, I need you, so you can’t say no.” Shana’s brown eyes went full puppy dog. “Please?”

Releasing an exaggerated sigh, Lauren said, “Ugh, fine!”

Shana squealed and hugged her, bouncing as she did. “Thank you!”

“I’m getting real sick of your favors, though,” Lauren said, hugging her back. “This is the last one.”

They both knew that was a lie, but Shana agreed with a nod. “Last time, promise.” Rising from the bed and going to the door, Shana added, “I already told Mr. Hawke that you’d do it, so you’re really saving my ass.”

“Wait, what?” Lauren almost slipped off the bed as she scrambled to her feet. “Mr. Hawke? This event is for him?”

Typing something into her phone, Shana paused in the doorway. “Mm-hmm. He’s opening a new hotel at the end of next month. We had an event planner, but Mr. Hawke had a tantrum and fired him.” Shana shrugged, eyes still on her screen. “So, I said you’d do it.”

Lauren froze, mind empty of what to say.

Finally meeting her gaze, Shana beamed at her. “And now you said you’d do it too.” She rushed to Lauren, kissed her on the cheek, and went to leave the room, grabbing the door handle as she said, “Thanks again. You’re a lifesaver.”

And then she was gone; the door shut behind her, leaving Lauren alone with a mind full of thoughts.

As the seconds ticked by, one train of thought became more prominent.

If Lauren became ~the~ Logan Hawke’s event planner, they would forever be linked in a professional capacity, in a business-client relationship. So wouldn’t that affect her job too?

Wouldn’t there be the chance that other clients only hired her because Logan Hawke had? Wouldn’t she question whether they wanted to hire her for her skills alone? Wasn’t this whole business about who you know?

And if all that were the case, Lauren was left to ponder the last and biggest question: if the ramifications on her career were the same regardless of the relationship type, why shouldn’t she give in to her feelings and have a romantic relationship with him?

“Thanks again, Lauren,” Shana called as she left the apartment, reminding Lauren of the last obstacle standing in the way.

She had to make it right for Shana and then get her blessing. But before she could do either of those, she needed to know if Logan had ulterior motives.

Taking a deep breath, she found his number and called him.