Sunset In Central Park (From Manhattan with Love 2)

Could she trust him with her heart, too?

Yes. Yes, she could.

But how did she tell him that? How did she show him in a way that he’d believe?

Without saying a word she stood up suddenly, knocking a pile of papers to the floor. She reached for the can of diet cola that was sitting on her desk, slid the tip of her finger into the pull tab and opened the can.

She stared at it for a moment.

“Are you having second thoughts about drinking that stuff?” Eva gave her a reproving look. “Because you should. If you’re going to be living with me, you’re going to have to accept that I pay as much attention to what I put into my body as I do to what I pour over my hair. I won’t have that stuff in my fridge.”

Frankie ignored her and stared at the can, her mind working. “Where’s Matt today?”

“I think he’s working at home,” Paige said. “We had a conversation about Thanksgiving plans earlier. Why?”

She had to talk to him. She had to talk to him right now.

Frankie grabbed her purse. She’d never felt such a sense of desperate urgency. “I need to take the rest of the day off. Is that okay?”

“This is your company, too. You do what you need to do.” Paige gave her a quizzical look. “Are you going to see Matt?”

“Yes.” She fumbled with the strap of her bag. “But first I need to talk to my mother.”

She knew she had to do that before she could take the step she needed to take and say the things she needed to say.

Eva looked alarmed. “Are you sure? You and Matt were doing great until your mother showed up.”

“Exactly. Before I talk to Matt, I need to talk to her. I have to fix this. It’s time I was honest with her. It’s time I told her how I really feel.” She strode to the door. “And while we’re on that topic, there’s something I want to say to you, too.”

“You’re resigning from Urban Genie so that you can work with Matt?”

“Are you kidding? Resign from a job where I get to work with my two closest friends every day? No way.” She shook her head and forced the words through the barrier that always prevented her from expressing her feelings. “I just wanted to say that I’m lucky to have you.”

Eva’s gaze softened. “Oh, Frankie—”

“I’m not done yet. I—” She could feel the barrier weakening. “I love you both. Very much.”

There was silence.

Paige was the first to speak. “Well—” Her voice cracked. “Was that a practice run for the real thing?”

“No. This was the real thing, too. I meant every word. You’re the best friends any woman could have, or want in her life.”

Eva’s eyes filled. “Group hug?”

Frankie gave a wobbly smile and pulled open the door. “Don’t push your luck.”

Her mother was already at the coffee shop. “I came as soon as I got your text. What’s wrong? You normally refuse to meet me in the middle of your working day.”

“I need to talk to you, Mom.”

“Of course. That’s why I’m here. I came right away. I ordered you a diet cola. That’s what you like, isn’t it?”

“I mean really talk.” Frankie slid into the booth opposite her mother. “About stuff we probably should have talked about a long time ago.”

“You mean about what happened with your father? I know it affected you. How could it not? Him walking out like that with no warning—”

“I knew, Mom.”