Chapter Twenty-Eight

While Braden got some much-deserved sleep—or so he said; I can’t imagine him sleeping in the middle of the day—he sent me out in a limo with a personal shopper. A few hours later, without looking at a single price tag and posting on Instagram twice, I’m the proud owner of a beautiful wardrobe for my meeting with Susanne Cosmetics.

The price tag thing bugs me. Apparently, Manhattan’s finest retailers don’t believe in them, and when I attempted to ask, the personal shopper—a lovely older woman named Mandy—shushed me.

I eye the bags and boxes as the driver deposits them in the trunk of the limo. Exactly how much of Braden’s money did I spend? At least a grand, and probably much more. The Chanel bag was probably a thousand dollars by itself.

I’ve never spent a hundred dollars on a bag, let alone a thousand.

I scramble into the back of the limo next to Mandy.

“Your new clothes are lovely,” she says. “Mr. Black will be pleased.”

“Isn’t it more important that I’m pleased?” I can’t help asking.

“Of course. That goes without saying. But you’ve already said you like the items.”

I nod. I love the items, in fact. Everything we purchased is both professional and extremely flattering.

And ridiculously expensive.

I’ll look better for this meeting with Eugenie than I ever imagined. Which reminds me. I forgot to call Tessa and tell her our shopping spree is off. It’s nearly five p.m., and I haven’t even checked my phone.

As I suspected, two texts and two phone calls from Tessa await me. I hastily call her back.

“Skye! Where are you? I’ve been worried sick.”

“I’m so sorry. Braden had to fly to New York in the middle of the night last night, and I came with him so I’d be here for my meeting tomorrow. I’ve been exhausted, and I forgot we were supposed to go shopping today.”

“You couldn’t be bothered to send a text?”

“Seriously, it was the middle of the night, Tess. I just wasn’t thinking, and I’m really sorry.”

“Okay. I guess I understand,” she says, her tone weakening.

But she doesn’t. I hear it in her voice. It’s not like me to blow her off, and she knows it. Consequently, I feel like complete shit, especially since I did two posts during the shopping spree that Tessa clearly hasn’t seen yet.

“I’ll make this up to you. The next time you ask me to go shopping, I won’t whine.” I force out a laugh.

“What are you going to wear tomorrow, then? In the middle of the night, you probably didn’t even think about packing.”

“Braden sent me out today with a personal shopper. I’m set.”

“A personal shopper? I’ve been replaced?” She laughs, but like mine, I can tell it’s forced.

She’s feeling distant, and I can’t blame her. I’m not sure what to say. My life has taken a drastic turn, but she’s still my best friend and she always will be.

“Look, Tess—”

“It’s okay. I get it.”

“I had to go with Braden. He had already canceled my other flight, and I didn’t want to take a train.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself, Skye. I said I get it. If my billionaire boyfriend wanted to whisk me away on a jet in the middle of the night, I’d go, too.”

I believe she understands. I also believe she would have gone. Still, I feel like a shithead. A good friend would have called her and let her know.

“I know you understand, Tess. That’s not the point. I’m not sorry I went. I’m sorry I didn’t call you and let you know. That was shitty of me. Please accept my apology.”

A few seconds pass before she says, “Of course I accept your apology. Did your personal shopper get you something nice to wear tomorrow?”

“Yes, but she’s not as good as you are.”

Tessa scoffs. “A professional personal shopper? I’m sure she’s much better than I am.”

“Are you kidding? You’d have had me looking like a million bucks for about a hundredth of the money she spent.”

Finally, Tessa laughs. A real laugh. I think. “You got that right.”

I sigh in relief. We seem to be friends again.

“Take a selfie,” she says. “I want to see your new duds.”

“I will. Tomorrow before my meeting.”

“Is Braden going with you to Susanne headquarters?”

“Originally he planned to, but now, with this contract emergency—that’s the reason we had to fly here in the middle of the night—I’m not sure he’ll be available.”

I’ll be on my own. The thought both exhilarates and petrifies me. I want to handle my career on my own, but to be honest, the thought of Braden being there gave me some strength. Now I’ll have to find that strength on my own.

I’m a professional. I can handle a business meeting. Yes, I can handle a business meeting with a top cosmetics company in Manhattan. Why not?

“You got this, Skye,” Tessa says, as if sensing my apprehension.

I clear my throat. “Yeah. I suppose so. Of course, whether I’ve got this or not really doesn’t matter. I have a meeting tomorrow.”

“You’ll kill it. No doubt in my mind.”

I smile into the phone. “Thanks, Tess. For always being in my corner.”

“Besties forever,” she says. “Call me after the meeting, okay?”

“I will. Thanks again for understanding.”

“Always. Talk to you tomorrow.”

I end the call.

And I still feel like a heel. My relationship with Braden cannot interfere with my relationship with Tessa. I’ll never leave her behind, and I already sense that’s what she fears. Tessa is beautiful and outgoing and has a large circle of friends. Still, she and I have something special, something unique. A closeness that thrives despite our differences.

I can’t—I won’t—give that up.