Millionaire Hero (Freeman Brothers 4)

I laughed. “Sounds like it does to me.”

After breakfast, I reluctantly left and drove straight for the office. I was hoping to be able to slip into place without anybody noticing, but when I walked in, I found Gabe sitting behind my desk, his feet propped up on it as he leaned back in my chair and clapped slowly.

“Well done,” he said. “You look good doing the walk of shame.”

I shook my head and playfully pushed his feet down off the desk. “There is no shame here.”

“Fine, but I’m going to want to know some details,” he said.

“Then you’re out of luck,” I said. “I’ve got to get to work, so you can just use your imagination.” He stood up and I plopped down into my chair, making a face at him as I did. “Actually, don’t use your imagination.”

He laughed and walked out of the office. I had gotten there just in time for my first video conference of the day. Work was busy for the next couple of hours, but after lunch I had a break. Instead of going to the kitchen to eat, I headed to my place. I took a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes before going back to the office. I finished out my workday with a grin, which evidently earned even more of the trust and enthusiasm of the brand-new client who came in just before closing.19Bryn“Bryn, this is my sixth message to you. I know you’re getting them. Why are you ignoring me? Did I do something? I don’t think I did anything. What could I have done? Maybe I did do something. I hope I didn’t do anything. If I did do something, I’m sorry. I didn’t do anything, then why are you ignoring me? Call me.”

I sighed as I erased the voicemail and tossed my phone onto the table in front of me. Rubbing my eyes, I shook my head. Trish was a lot. Not that that voicemail was actually her sixth one to me.

It was her eighth.

She had been calling me over the last couple of days, trying to make plans to hang out again. I felt bad ignoring her. I didn’t at first considering how crazy my brain felt. But as the calls kept coming in and I kept not answering them, I started to feel guilty. Maybe I really should give her more of a chance. She wasn’t what I would usually look for in a friend, but maybe that was exactly why she was good for me.

It wasn’t like I had an abundance of other people in my life. If I had a posse of good girlfriends, Nick probably wouldn’t have been the first person who popped into my head when Justin showed up to my house. Actually, he probably still would be. But there would have been somebody else for me to talk to about it, too.

My brand-new, fresh life was calling, so I decided it was about time to consider a call with Trish. I realized I had closed myself off so much since Justin and I got together. Everything was about him and his friends. Everything we did was wrapped up around him and them. I couldn’t even remember the last time I just started and maintained a friendship that was about me.

Finishing up the line of code I was doing, I picked my phone up and called Trish back.

“Bryn!” she exclaimed without even saying hello.

“Hey, Trish,” I said. “I’m sorry I missed your call.”

I figured I would just gloss past all the other calls I’d missed, too. Maybe she wouldn’t mention them. And if she did, then I’d figure out how to deal with it then.

“I was starting to get worried about you,” she said.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been sick,” I said.

It was the truth. Trish and I hadn’t seen each other since the stomach virus hit me.

“Oh, no! I hope you’re feeling better,” she said.

“Much. Thank you.”

“Good, because I want to get together again. What are you doing?”

“Right now?” I asked. “I’m working.”

“How about tonight?” she asked.

“Tonight works,” I said.

I gave her the information for Lindsey’s bar, and we made plans to meet up. I hung up and went back to work, trying to pick up my pace so I could get ahead again. I was more motivated than ever to do as much extra work in every month as I possibly could so I could make the money for my investments. Seeing Justin again didn’t hurt me like I would have expected it to. It infuriated me, but it didn’t make me sad or upset. It fueled me, and I wanted even more to feel that sense of vindication when my bank account was full again and I knew he couldn’t get his hands on it.

I worked longer than I usually would, and by the time I looked at the clock. I realized I didn’t have much time before meeting up with Trish. I jumped in a fast shower, got dressed, and headed over to the bar. She was already there when I walked in and waved at me enthusiastically from a barstool.