Cruel Fortune (Cruel 2)

“Wow. That’s amazing. Is that what the investor meeting was about?”

Jane nodded and downed the rest of her martini. “I’m working with all the best minds. You know John Forrester on Wall Street?” I didn’t nod, but she continued as if I had, “Well, he has a friend, Jeff Mathers, who works with bankers, and they’ve been setting me up with the right investors within the arts fields and on the club scene to pull it off. Already, I have a dozen fashion designers anxious to use the space and only the best celebrity entertainment.”

“Wow. Sounds like you know what you’re doing.”

“It’s been a struggle. You’d be amazed at the number of people who don’t want to work with a young woman.” Jane rolled her eyes and popped an olive in her mouth.

“I don’t think I would actually.”

“Yeah. Well, I’m going to prove them wrong.”

“I have no doubt. It’s pretty amazing to me that you’re not resting on your laurels,” I confessed. “So much of the Upper East Side is content to be rich and stay rich. Nothing else really matters.”

Jane twirled the new martini glass Kendrick had set before her. “I’m a driven woman. Much like you, I assume. I mean, your debut novel is killing it right now.”

“Thanks. It is doing pretty well.”

“And with Warren.”

I nodded.

“I’m so happy for you. Now, tell me everything. I want to know the real Natalie Bishop. Who are you seeing? You were with Penn for a while, right?”

“I…” I sputtered over my martini. “Uh, yeah, like a year ago. I’m not seeing anyone now. Just focused on my career.”

“Smart. But no one at all? All work and no play makes for a dull girl.”

“Well, what about you and Court?”

“Oh, you know,” Jane said dismissively.

No, I really didn’t.

“Is he going to meet us out?”

“He’s busy tonight, I’m afraid. Weekly poker game. You know how men are. No girls allowed.” She rolled her eyes and then reached out to grasp my hand. “You’re holding back. I heard you were seen with Lewis Warren. Tell me. Tell me.”

I tensed. “Who…who told you that?”

Oh god, had it already gotten out? Did everyone already know?

“It was nothing, I swear. Someone mentioned at the party that you showed up with him. I assumed it was more than it was.”

I deflated. My fear fleeing as quickly as it had come.

“I don’t know about Lewis.”

Jane laughed, squeezing my hand. “That sounds like you like him.”

“Well, it’s complicated. With my history with his friends, it feels like I’m crossing a line.”

“Your history from…a year ago?” Jane asked with an arched eyebrow. “That was forever ago. If you like him and he likes you, you’re both adults. You can do whatever you want.”

“I know, but…I did date his best friend.”

Jane shrugged. “So? Penn has moved on. Why shouldn’t you?”

My heart twinged at the words, and I suddenly felt like I was going to be sick. “He…he’s dating someone?”

“Oh, I don’t know if it’s serious. I’ve just heard all the rumors.”

“What rumors?

“Apparently he’s fucked half of the Upper East Side in the last year. He’s back to his old ways, seducing socialites and bedding every beauty who crosses his path. A modern rake.”

A piece of my heart shriveled at the news. I hadn’t kissed anyone in a year. My first kiss in all that time had happened only two days ago. But Penn? Penn hadn’t pined for me. He hadn’t even cared. He’d given up that shred of morality he’d claimed to have and dived headfirst back into the pool.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d been writing a book on why casual sex was philosophically moral. That the standard view that said relationships were safer and all-around better wasn’t accurate any longer. Of course he’d taken his own advice.

“Well, that’s interesting,” I finally managed to get out. “Here I was, feeling bad that I’d kissed Lewis. And maybe that was just stupid. Why would Penn care?”

“You kissed!” Jane gasped in delight.

“Yeah. I mean, I pushed him away because I thought it was wrong.”

“But it felt oh-so right?” Jane waggled her eyebrows.

I laughed despite my pain. “Oh-so right,” I agreed.

“I’ve got the best idea,” Jane said. “You should invite Lewis out for a martini.”

“Jane…”

“It’ll be fun. You can decide then if you really like him without all that guilt weighing you down. Or you can have a damn good martini from Kendrick here with the most eligible bachelor in Manhattan and moi, of course.”

“He might not even show up,” I argued.

Jane’s smile was electric. “Don’t know until you try.”

What did I have to lose really? I’d done the right thing over and over. Always the right thing. Always the smart and good thing. Where had that gotten me? Maybe I’d just forget about that and take Jane’s advice. Nothing was holding me back any longer.