Page 37 of Can't Get Enough

“When he called,” I continue softly, toying with my chopsticks, “my heart kinda skipped a beat and my pulse picked up and I… I think I’m attracted to him.”

“He’s an attractive man.” Soledad glances at the photo. “I mean, Black surfer boy. Whew. I’m getting Judah a board.”

Giggles overtake the table for a few seconds, but we sober and I wait for them to say more as Soledad keeps scrolling across his socials.

“Ohhhh, nice,” Soledad says, brows raised high. “He donated twenty million dollars to Finley College.”

“The HBCU?” I ask. “Didn’t know that. Generous.”

“It’s natural to be attracted to someone who looks like that.” Yasmen nods to the phone at the center of the table. “And he’s wealthy, successful—”

“Kind,” I interject, because that was probably the most magnetic thing about him—how kind he was. How he understood and offered compassion that maybe no one else at that party even knew how to.

“Kind,” Yasmen echoes, watching me closely. “That’s a pretty compelling combination, so it’s natural to find him attractive, but that’s it, right? I mean, isn’t Zere your business partner? Aren’t you doing Chapel’s show with her?”

“Yes, I am. For sure. That’s why I wanted to bounce this off you guys. He called to follow up about Aspire—learn more about the fund and meet current portfolio companies.”

“That’s fine,” Soledad says. “Still okay, right?”

“Yeah. He asked me to text him the information once we nail down the details and I… I felt like I should make sure he knew that I planned to tell Zere about him possibly investing so she would know about our business connection.”

“Good,” Yasmen says. “And what’d he say?”

“He was fine with it.” I lick my lips. “I just want to make sure that all sounds aboveboard to you.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Soledad tilts her head and considers me. “Hell, I get a pounding heart and a racing pulse at an estate sale. I haven’t heard anything that sounds out of bounds.”

I chuckle, allowing my shoulders to relax. “Okay. Just needed a gut check from you guys. Make sure I’m not crossing any lines. I can’t afford to. Pretty sure Zere’s still in love with him.”

Yasmen nods. “And if she even suspected for a moment there was something up with you and Maverick—”

“It might ruin my chance to do this show and possibly Chapel’s chance, too.” I trace a pattern on the table with my index finger before glancing back up at them.

“You don’t think she’d take it out on Chapel, do you?” Yasmen asks.

“I honestly don’t know.” I shrug. “She’s hurt and I haven’t known her long enough to predict how she would respond.”

I bounce a look between my two best friends.

“Though to be clear,” I say, “right now it’s all moot because attraction or not, I’m not acting on it.”

Yasmen watches me for an extra second. “You’ve gotten this far knowing what’s right for you, for your business. Trust yourself to keep doing what’s best for you.”

“Don’t worry.” I gulp my water and the last of my reservations. “I will.”

CHAPTER 12

HENDRIX

Zere, thanks for taking a few minutes to chat,” I say, watching the phone on my desk.

“No problem.” Her voice comes over on speaker a little distant, like maybe she’s not close to the phone. “I don’t have any updates since we last talked. I’ve sent the pitch out to a few places.”

“Yeah, I sent it to the contacts I mentioned, too. They’ll get back to me probably next week or soon after.”

“Same. You said you had something you wanted to discuss?”

“It’s not anything related to the show. I actually just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

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