Page 67 of More Than a Billionaire

“As death.”

She looked taken aback. “I’m sorry, I’m just … I’m in shock. You’re so good at what you do.”

“I believe in doing the best I can at whatever I do, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t rather be doing something else.”

“What would you rather be doing?”

“Like I said, I wish I knew.”

Ivy had a confused expression on her face. “Forgive me. I’m trying to wrap my head around this right now.”

“Why is it so hard to believe?” he asked.

“Because you’re where I want to be and yet you’re not content in it. I hope I don’t feel that way when I get there.”

“That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?”

He reached across the table and laid his hand on hers. “Because I can tell that law is your passion, Ivy. It’s clear as day. To hear you talk about it, it’s the best thing you’ve ever experienced. So when you reach your goals, which I know you will do, your feelings are going to be the exact opposite of mine.”

She smiled shyly, and he took back his hand.

“Why did you become a lawyer if it wasn’t what you felt called to do? Your father?”

“Pretty much. I wanted him to be proud of me. I wanted to carry on the family business, I guess. And also, I didn’t have a lot of direction or purpose in my twenties. I did what I thought I was supposed to do, not what I wanted for my life. And I didn’t spend much time figuring out what it was I was meant to do either. Not until recently.”

“What happened recently?” she asked.

“I reconnected with an old friend, and she has really opened my eyes to the idea of doing something else with my life.”

“Is she your girlfriend?” Ivy asked.

He quickly shook his head. “Just friends.” He liked this woman and didn’t want to give her the wrong impression about him and Skylar.

“She sounds like a very good friend.”

He nodded and smiled. “She’s the best. Because of her, I’ve been more introspective over the past six months than I have in my entire life.”

“I’ve always been introspective,” she told him. “Except for the five years after law school that I like to pretend didn’t happen, I think I know myself and what I want pretty well.”

“Sorry you went through a hard time,” he said, “but it seems like you came out of it well.”

“It helped make me who I am today, which is a good thing.” She took another drink of water. “Deep down, I knew it was the wrong choice. He was jealous of my successes rather than celebrating them. But love made me blind, and I hate that. I feel like such a cliché when I think back on that time in my life.”

“Hey, we all make mistakes.” Some more than others.

Their conversation continued for hours, covering all things from childhood to siblings to friends before touching on favorite television shows, movies, and foods. This girl seemed too good to be true. She was funny and intelligent and supermodel beautiful. And he liked her. A lot.

When the bartender told them it was closing time, Franky stood and took her coat from the hook and helped her into it. “I had a great time talking with you.”

She turned to face him. “So did I.”

“So have you taken it under advisement yet?” Franky asked.

“What’s that?”

“Me asking you out.”

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