If the Sun Never Sets (If Love 2)

Farrah arched a surprised brow. Despite Blake and Olivia’s truce, her friend still wasn’t Blake’s biggest fan. “I thought you hated Blake,” she said.

“I don’t hate him. Well, I hated him a little after he what he did to you,” Olivia amended. “But we were friends once. Besides, people change, and he’s crazy about you. I can tell by the way he looks at you.”

Farrah’s heart flipped. “You don’t know that.”

“I do, and I know the feeling’s mutual. Don’t deny it,” Olivia said when Farrah opened her mouth to protest. “I was there when you fell for him the first time. I was also there for every guy you’ve dated since him. And there’s only been one person who made you look at him like he hung the stars in the sky.”

The ache in Farrah’s chest had nothing to do with the cold, greasy pizza she ate earlier.

“I just got over him,” she murmured. “Before he dropped back into my life.”

“Bullshit.” Olivia slammed her empty cup onto the blanket. “You’ve never fallen out of love with him. Your first love is like a tidal wave. Your head can break above the water, and you might even make it to shore, but the slightest nudge and you’re in the deep again. Now, that’s not true for all people, but it is for you and Blake. You are each other’s oceans.”

If that were true, the waters were rocky as hell. They crashed against the edges of Farrah’s confidence, chipping at it, eroding it, until she floated adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Was she making too big a deal out of Blake’s silence, or did she have every right to worry?

“Liv, the poet.” Farrah threw a grape at her friend in an attempt to dispel the heavy emotions Olivia’s observations stirred up. “You should get an MFA instead of an MBA.”

It worked. The conversation about Blake ground to a halt as Olivia snorted and tossed a grape back. “Ha! No way. I don’t do lovey-dovey literature. That’s why I read erotica. They gloss over all the bullshit and focus on the good part: the sex.”

“Hmm.” A teasing smile tugged at Farrah’s lips. “I remember a time when you were very much in love.”

“You better not be talking about Sammy.” Olivia poured herself another cup of wine and chugged it. “That turned out to be a disaster.”

Farrah’s smile widened. “I didn’t mention Sammy. You did. You should stop by to see him, you know. His pop-up is crazy popular, but he’ll make time for you.”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed into slits.

Luckily, someone interrupted them before she could strangle Farrah.

“Farrah?”

The throaty, familiar voice slid through the humid summer air, followed by a cloud of Chanel No. 5.

Farrah’s eyes grew to the size of saucers when she saw Jane, her old supervisor at KBI, picking her way through the crowd toward her.

She scrambled to her feet. “Jane! What are you doing here?”

“Same as you. I can’t resist me some Swayze, though it appears I missed half the movie. I just got here and saw you, figured I’d say hi. It’s been a while.” Jane surveyed Farrah. “How are you doing? Where are you working these days?”

Jane couldn’t know about Kelly blackballing Farrah. Kelly was subtle about her sabotage. She planted her rumors in a few key ears and let them spread the gossip for her. Plus, Jane viewed Kelly the same way Farrah used to: as a sometimes-ruthless industry icon whose talent outweighed her shortcomings.

There was also zero chance Jane knew about Kelly and Matt’s relationship, or she wouldn’t be so calm. If there was one thing Jane despised, it was office romances, especially between a higher-up and their subordinate.

“I’m giving the consultant route a try,” Farrah said. There was no point in spilling Kelly’s dirty secrets. Even if Jane believed her, it wouldn’t do anything except stir up drama.

“Oh.” Jane’s brow creased. “Any chance you’ll come back to KBI? We miss you and you were—are—an excellent designer.”

Yeah, if I want Kelly or Matt to poison my coffee on my first day back.

“I don’t think so. I appreciate the offer though.” Farrah smiled. Jane had been a mentor to her since she was an intern, and she missed the other woman’s advice and humor. “We should get coffee one day. No work talk.”

Jane beamed. “I’d love to.”

Farrah introduced her to Olivia, and they chatted for another minute before Jane returned to her friends, and Farrah sank back onto the ground. Good thing she and Olivia were sitting at the back of the crowd, or she would’ve gotten pelted with popcorn for blocking other moviegoers’ view of Johnny and Baby’s final dance.

“She seems nice,” Olivia said. “Too bad she’s not the top dog at KBI.”

“Yeah.” Farrah fiddled with her skirt.