“You do realize I don’t need a firm? Right? I’ve done well. I can go out on my own. You didn’t need to lie for me.”
“But don’t you miss your old life? You loved it. I saw it.”
“I did. You’re right. But I’m not desperate for it. Not like I thought I would be. Now that I’m back here, it’s not…I’m not sure I’m going to accept your dad’s offer.”
“But why? What will you do?”
“I’m weighing options. I’ll still invest. My portfolio alone is a full-time job. But I’m toying with ideas. Ethical investing practices. Maybe Tate’s rubbed off on me some, but I’ve had some ideas about—”
“Does this have to do with the homeless woman you saw?”
“What?”
“Your mom told me. She mentioned you might be interested in learning more about area charities. She thought I might have some suggestions.”
“No. It doesn’t have anything to do with…you spoke to my mom?”
“Yes. We’re close. Our families are close.”
I squeezed the bridge of my nose once more, again wishing Caroline would leave.
“Are you hung up on that girl? Is that why you’re rethinking everything?”
“What exactly am I rethinking?”
“Everything you ever wanted. You wanted to be a partner in an investment firm. Remember? A yacht, a driver, penthouse in Manhattan, two kids and a place in the Hamptons. Have you forgotten?”
I vaguely remembered an afternoon in Caroline’s bed, throwing out things we wanted one day, sometime after graduation. And in truth, I’d ticked off quite a number of those things. Had the penthouse, owned a place in Aspen. The Hamptons scene hadn’t appealed as much as I thought it would.
“Gabe? What’s going on?”
“Nothing. But you better get going. Don’t want to miss your reservations.”
She shook her head slowly. “I don’t understand. I looked up that girl. Poppy Smith.” Her name pulled me to attention. “She doesn’t even have a college degree. You know she’d never fit in here. Not in this world. Not in our world. Your family, your mother—”
“I hope you’re wrong. I like to think my mother has an open mind and a good heart. And I don’t care about anyone else you may be referring to. I don’t care. But for the record, I think Poppy can fit in anywhere. Yes, she has a different background. Than us. We had everything handed to us. Tutors if we needed them. Expectations set before us. Poppy didn’t have anyone coaching her, pushing her. But she pushed herself. And she’s doing well. As a matter of fact, she’s doing better than some of our Ivy league classmates, if your benchmark for success is revenue.”
“Gabe, please.”
“Seriously. She’s doing well. She’s kicking it. She’s made more money than you have as a designer.”
“How can you possibly know that?”
“Because I used to handle my mom’s design business books, and I know that you’re an employee, and I have a good idea of what a design firm can afford to pay employees. My guess is you’re living off a trust fund or your parents are pitching in to cover your expenses. And you’re what, thirty-three? Well, Poppy is twenty-five. So, when you come in here acting superior because of your college degree, you may want to re-think the foundation for your sense of superiority.”
She stood, visibly exhaling, hands plastered to the front of her coat.
“Have you thought about your future at all? I mean, five and ten years from now? Twenty years from now? Christmases and Thanksgivings. Have you thought about what those are going to look like?”
“Caroline, it’s late. You should go.”
She made it all the way to the entrance of the hall before the harsh clicks of her heels stopped. “I always thought you and I would end up back together. I thought you just needed to play the field a bit.” Her voice cracked.
“I never meant to give you that impression.” For me, we’d been over for years. And most of the time, I wasn’t certain I liked her. But guilt kicked at me. I couldn’t be certain I never led her on. Before she turned to the elevator, the light reflected on what I thought might be a tear. Fuck.
I returned to the sofa and found my phone.
Caroline might need a friend.
Within seconds, the phone rang.
“What’s going on?” Reed sounded concerned. Genuinely concerned.
“She’s leaving here now. I think she needs someone to go to dinner. I’m not up for it.”
“So, let me get this straight. You’re calling me. If I ask her out, you’re not going to deck me?”
I stretched back and smiled. “No. I think the two of you might be good together. Something tells me you both want the same things.”
Chapter 31
Poppy
A golden glow settled over the marsh, and a thin layer of pollen dust coated the world. I popped an allergy pill and kicked back in my chair with a glass of chilled wine, intent on letting the hectic pace of the week drift away. I’d picked up a few of my favorite romance books more than once in the evenings, hoping to lose myself in make-believe, but it didn’t work. My raw, mushy, sensitive heart bogged me down. The broken heart had been inevitable. I had my fun. The time had come to pay the piper, as my fifth-grade teacher used to say. But as much as the pain sucked, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Because I had memories. My own book boyfriend come to life.
Tap. Tap. Tap. The light rapping sound originated from the solid wood door, so I stared at it.
I expected Alice on the other side. She’d stopped by the day before to check on me and to offer something to eat. It had been a nice gesture. She meant well. But I didn’t want it to be a daily thing. And I didn’t want company. I sat still, hoping she’d assume
