He leaned toward her and their lips met. Heat erupted and spread through her body. Her heart pounded, and it got even harder to breathe. Only the wild cheering of the crowd brought her out of the abyss of desire that kiss pulled her into. It appeared word was spreading around the restaurant and diners came from the other room to see what the fuss was about.
The maître d’ came over and offered congratulations and cards for a drink on the house before leading them to a quiet corner table where they were mostly out of sight of the audience that continued to clap and cheer for them.
He grinned at her as they were seated. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make my proposal quite so publicly. I wanted to do something more romantic, but I couldn’t contain myself.”
“Actually, I thought it was quite romantic. You certainly took a risk. Suppose I’d said no?”
“I’d’ve had to slink back to Brooklyn with my tail between my legs, I guess. Thanks for not making me look like an idiot.”
The server brought them menus. Dan waited until the man had departed before he added, “I have another proposal for you. Not quite so romantic, but maybe just as interesting.”
“Oh?”
“Since as of today, we’re both unemployed, I thought we might pool our skills and try something new. What do you think about forming a new company? Or maybe expanding J Varner Software? You’re the creative genius with software and I have the business and marketing skills. Put them together and I think we could manage to do some interesting things. I have some money set aside that I’d be glad to invest, and I can write a business plan that will get us enough sponsorship to start with.”
Julie considered his suggestion. “I like the idea. I’m not good at the whole marketing and sales thing. In fact, I hate it. That’s why I was so happy to work with Frank at C&W, even though people kept telling me I was leaving money on the table. I wasn’t looking forward to having to look around for customers again.”
The server returned to set out a basket of warm, fragrant rolls, a cruet of olive oil, and plates for each of them. As she reached for a piece of bread, Julie had another thought. “Do you think we could hire Maureen? I can produce software a lot faster with her doing all the testing and some of the simpler coding.”
“If you think she’d be interested, I can include a position for her in the business plan.”
“As long as we pay her a reasonable salary, she’ll jump at it. She’s not happy at Spieler. Maybe we could grab Stan eventually, too.”
“Or Jake,” Dan suggested. “I don’t think he’s going to be too welcome around there.”
“I’d be okay with either or both of them.”
“Good.” He smiled at her and reached across the table. “Want to shake on it, partner?”
She took his hand and stared at his face, loving the way the lights sparked in his blue eyes and streaks of red shone in his hair. Warmed by the way he watched her as though she was the center of the universe. “I’d really rather kiss on it but given the reaction the last time we did that, probably better this way.”
“Right.” They shook hands, but he added. “We’ll handle the kissing part later, when we go back to your place.”
She grinned at him, wondering if she’d ever been so happy in her life. “That’s a deal I’m good with.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather not wait too long to get married,” he said. “We know each pretty well at this point and it feels like we’ve wasted too much time already.”
“Not wasted,” she said. “It was hard, but we’ve both learned a lot about ourselves and each other. I’m pretty sure I needed the time to grow up and absorb important lessons. And I have a feeling that in a year or two, we’ll look back and say to each other we never would have made it to this point if not for the events of these three years.”
“Maybe you’re right. In any case, I don’t want to lose any more time with you. So, let’s see how short we can make the engagement.”
EPILOGUE
N ot quite a week later, Julie made her way to the rooftop lounge at the Briarwood Tavern to meet the rest of the No Brides Club. The ring was in her pocket, carefully wrapped in a tissue to be sure she didn’t lose it.
She met Kate on the way up, and they grinned at each other. Her best friend since they’d roomed together at NYU had been the next person she’d called after she let her parents know about the engagement.
“I’m so thrilled for you,” Kate said. “I know how hard it’s been. You deserve all the happiness.”
“You and Jon have had your issues, too,” Julie said. “But you’ve made it through. In fact, all of us have come a long way.” They stepped out into the lounge and joined their other friends already gathered at the usual table.
Noisy greetings and exchanges dominated for a while. It amazed her to realize that though none of them had been looking for love, it managed to find all of them just the same. Maybe the fact that they’d put it aside to concentrate on building their careers had made them stronger, more confident women, ready now to broaden their horizons and step into the additional role of romantic partner as well.
She waited until the initial hubbub of greetings and sharing of news died down after fifteen minutes or so before she said, “I have news, too.” She slipped the ring out of her pocket and onto her finger. “This!”
More excited chatter broke out as the others stared at her raised hand, with plenty of questions asked about how it had all come about. They knew well enough the problems she’d had with Dan in the past and that the breakup with him had been part of the impetus for her to join their club and agree to forswear love to concentrate on her career. She answered their questions and just enjoyed the peace and warmth of being with such a great group of friends.
They were different in many ways—personality, interests, upbringing and other things. But they had a lot in common, too. They were all strong, smart, accomplished women. They’d all put in three hard years working to succeed in their chosen fields, and their efforts had been rewarded with career advancement, profit, and personal enrichment. They’d grown in many ways.
And now, though none of them had sought it, love had found them all anyway. And each of them was happier for it.
She couldn’t be prouder to call this group of women friends.
SNEAK PEEK
Read the first chapter of NO TIME FOR LOVE, book 1 of the No Brides Club…
The colors of dusk shot across the Manhattan skyline in vibrant magenta and tangerine, while the lights from the high-rise buildings twinkled like the first stars of the night. The view from the West Ridge penthouse was spectacular and added a bundle to the selling price. It also played a huge role in why her buyer wanted it, making it the largest sale in Kinsley King’s career as a real estate broker. And that was saying a lot because she was among the city’s best.
She didn’t usually do walk-throughs this late in the day, but it was the only time the Sultan of Mawta’s representative could do it. “Everything you requested has been taken care of,” she said, turning her back on the wall of floor to ceiling windows and strolling into the kitchen. The dark gray soapstone countertops had been replaced with white marble that had been highly polished to bring out the veining and character of the stone. That alone had cost a pretty penny, but the seller was willing to do just about anything to close on the property.
The tall, slim man ran his hand over the smooth surface. “Very nice. Exactly as requested.”
Kinsley took him through the rest of the penthouse, letting out a sigh of relief after he left that everything was perfect. She’d been worrying all day that something might go wrong, but so far so good. Now they just had to get through the closing. It wasn’t unheard of for a sale to fall apart at the last minute.
She needn’t have worried, though. About an hour later, she was headed to her office in Tribeca, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city, with a nice big check in her hand.
“My, my, don’t you look like the c
at who swallowed the canary,” Sue, her assistant remarked when Kinsley strutted into the office.
She grinned as she dropped the check on the desk. “Nothing makes me happier than getting both ends of the deal, and this one has me ecstatic.”
Sue’s mouth dropped open when she saw the hefty commission seventy-five million brought. “Guess I don’t need to ask if you’re celebrating tonight.”
“Looks like I’m buying dinner for the No Brides Club.” Kinsley looked at her watch. “And I’m late.”
“That’s right. It’s Thursday.”
“Has been all day,” she replied with a wink, before heading into her office to change into a sleek little black dress. Three years ago she’d met some fabulous women during Happy Hour at the Briarwood Tavern, an upscale restaurant with a gorgeous roof-top bar. Kinsley had been going there for years. It was her favorite haunt, especially after a stressful day of showings. She used to go alone, have a glass or two of wine while checking her emails, and then head home to her multi-million dollar loft on North Moore Street. However, now she had friends that were just as career-driven as she and who had dreams that didn’t include a husband and kids. Many people would find that selfish, but those women didn’t. They were all on the same page—tired of having their wants and needs pushed aside for a man’s. And that’s why they formed the No Brides Club—a group of like-minded women who had sworn off marriage.
Kinsley took down from the closet shelf two evening bags—a Chanel and a Gucci—holding them both in front of her. She always had trouble deciding on accessories. Luckily, Sue didn’t have that problem.
“What do you think? The envelope clutch or the velvet cross-body?” Kinsley stood in front of her assistant’s desk.
“You know me. I’m a Chanel girl.”
“Hmmm…” Kinsley handed her the cross-body, then tucked the black satin clutch under her arm. “You’re right of course. Would you mind putting the Gucci back in my office? I’ve got to run!” She didn’t wait for an answer. Sue knew the ins and outs of King Realty and was used to locking up.
The walk to Church Street was a short one, and Kinsley enjoyed the trek through the neighborhood with its cobblestone streets and cast-iron buildings. The nineteenth-century mercantile architecture was simple, yet beautiful. There wasn’t the hustle and bustle of the Upper East Side, and that was one of the things Kinsley loved most about it. She spent a big part of the day in Manhattan and by nighttime was more than ready to return to the quieter streets of Tribeca.
When she entered the Briarwood, the usual Wall Street types were at the main bar. Kinsley had to squeeze past them, bumping into the back of a guy with a full glass of beer that nearly ended up all over her new Jimmy Choo shoes.
The group was at their usual table in the dining room, and she slid into one of the tufted leather banquettes beside Melody Mitchell, a pretty brunette with gorgeous green eyes. They’d met at a showing and had been at the bar celebrating Melody’s new apartment the night they met the other No Brides Club members. Although they were a tight-knit group, Kinsley and Melody had become the best of friends.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said. “I had a closing. Dinner and drinks are on me tonight.”
“Well, then it’s lobster and Champagne,” Rachel, an aspiring Broadway actress said with a laugh.
Kinsley shot her a huge smile. “You go for it, girl. Tonight’s a celebration. I’d been trying to sell the West Ridge penthouse for over six months and could’ve lost the listing if this deal hadn’t worked out.” With that said, when the waitress came by, she ordered a Magnum of Dom Perignon, after which she poured each woman a glass. “You all mean so much to me. I’m extremely grateful that you’re part of my life.” Kinsley raised her flute in a toast.
She’d just taken a sip when her cell phone rang. “No work tonight,” she said, more to herself than anyone else as she ignored the call and set the phone to vibrate. A moment later it went off again and then again.
“Maybe you should take it,” Melody advised. “It might be important.”
“They’re all important,” Kinsley replied, letting it go into voicemail for the third time. “However, tonight I’m not working. This is my time with my girlfriends.” She took a huge sip of champagne. Work was the love of her life, and most of the time she couldn’t get enough of it. Kinsley was smart enough, though, to know that too much of a good thing could cause burnout. She knew when it was time to take a break and those breaks were usually Thursday nights at the Briarwood. But all good intentions came with a price, and that price could mean losing a listing, so a few minutes later, she excused herself and headed to the ladies’ room where she checked her messages. The calls had come from an attorney in Upstate New York. Before she could call him back, her phone rang again. Boy, insistent. Must be an anxious buyer. Her favorite kind. “Hello. Kinsley King here.”
“Ms. King, this is Robert Sykes, Cora Forrester’s attorney.”
Her pulse quickened. Why would an attorney be calling about her aunt? “Is Cora okay?” Her voice was high pitched and a little shaky, revealing her inner terror. Besides Kinsley’s father, Cora was her only other relative. If something happened to her… Kinsley’s thoughts were jagging in a million different directions and were interrupted by the man clearing his throat.
“I’m sorry. I hate to have to tell you this, but Cora passed away,” he said quietly.
“What?” Her throat felt like it was about to close up. She swallowed hard, but that didn’t help. A picture of the elderly woman’s face appeared in her mind’s eye—short silver pipe-screw curls encircled her round rosy face and her pale blue eyes, so much like Kinsley’s mom’s eyes. She’d never seen her aunt angry or upset. She loved life and had always lived it to the fullest, believing the cup was half full, never empty, even in her darkest of times. Kinsley had tried to emulate that in her own life but usually wound up failing miserably. There was no way she could match Cora’s upbeat attitude.
She sucked in some much-needed air and then said in a small, squeaky voice, “What happened?”
She heard his heavy breath on the other end of the phone. “It was a heart attack. She’s at peace. Remember that.”
When Kinsley didn’t respond, he went on to say, “You’re her main beneficiary. I can mail you a copy of the will, but I think it would be best if you came here to read it. After all, there are the animals to consider. You’re going to have to decide how best to run the sanctuary.”
Kinsley’s grief quickly turned to shock. “What do you mean, run the sanctuary?”
“Well, it’s yours now. Although Cora did ask that Dylan Reese stay on as manager, she didn’t make that a provision in the will, so ultimately it’s up to you. If you’d like someone else, you’ll have to let him go. Best to make these decisions right away.”
“Yes. I suppose it is.” Kinsley sank onto a plush velvet settee. “I have a few things I need to do in the morning. I can be at your office at one. Will that work for you?”
“That’s fine. I’ll see you then.”
“Please text me your address.”
“Will do, Ms. King. Good night.”
After she hung up the phone, she held her head in her hands and let the tears she’d been holding back flow freely. She hadn’t seen her aunt in ages and guilt tugged at her heart. Kinsley should’ve gone to visit, but time had gotten away from her. There was always something important that required her attention, and that became even more the case after her dad retired and turned the business over to her three years ago. Still, she could’ve taken off a few days…
She thought back to when her mother died and how devastated she’d been. It was Aunt Cora who’d consoled her, despite having to deal with her own grief at losing her sister. Kinsley had spent a week at the sanctuary and during that time had grown even closer to her aunt as they celebrated Donna King’s life, rather than despairing over the loss of it. That was seven years ago, and the last time she’d been to Forever Wild. She’d been amazed at ho
w well Cora handled the animals, letting the wolves lick her face and the bobcats rub up against her. Kinsley had been terrified, but then she’d never even had a puppy. Animals weren’t in her wheelhouse, but they were her aunt’s entire world. And now she was gone, and Kinsley owned the sanctuary! A new wave of grief washed over her and with it another round of tears.
When the ladies’ room door swung open, she quickly reached for a tissue from the box on the counter and began to pat at her face. She must look a mess with mascara and eyeliner smeared across her cheeks.
“Oh, my goodness, Kins!” Melody bent down to give her a hug. “What’s wrong? We were worried because you’ve been gone a while. Does it have something to do with the calls you were getting?”
Kinsley shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. When she tried a second time, she croaked, “My aunt died.”
Melody sat down next to her. “Your Aunt Cora with the animal sanctuary?”
She nodded.
“I’m so sorry, honey.”
“I have to go upstate tomorrow to meet with her attorney, and I’ve got so much to do before I leave.”
Melody looked square in her eyes. “Just take care of yourself for once. The business will survive while you’re gone.”
Kinsley balled up the tissue and threw it in the trash. “You know that’s exactly what my aunt would’ve said.”
“She was a very wise woman.”
She shot her friend a small smile. “She left Forever Wild to me.”
Melody’s eyes grew wide. “She did? But you don’t know a thing about animals.”
“Exactly, so not only do I have to deal with her death, but I also have to decide what to do with my inheritance.”
Her friend’s brows shot up. “Won’t you just sell it?”
“That’s obviously the most sensible thing to do. However, my head’s pounding and I can barely think. Please explain to the others why I went home.”
“Of course. But don’t you want to take some food with you?”
No Time for Surprises (The No Brides Club Book 6) Page 16