Two

"We'll take the top shelf margarita in a fishbowl with two straws and an order of the ultimate nachos, please." I order our usual as of lately. Sloan, Quinn, and I used to do this weekly, if not more often, and it usually consisted of a night full of shenanigans afterwards. But those are few and far between now.

"Wes loves when I come home extra frisky after fishbowl nights," Sloan says with that chummy smile she always gets when she mentions her husband.

"What's he up to tonight?" I ask, partially out of curiosity…but mostly because he has recently become closer friends with Parker. Wes originally met him through Eli like the rest of us, but with them both living in Tribeca over the past year, they seem to have developed more of a friendship of their own.

"He's actually up at King's Hideaway, finalizing plans for their big event next weekend." Oh shit, I forgot about that.

Wes's former agent's wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. So, Wes organized a fundraiser at the speakeasy he owns here in the city.

"I should have offered to help decorate. Is there anything I can do?" I ask, hating myself for being so wrapped up in my own things that I didn't think to recommend this before.

"No, no, he isn't even doing much decorating. More coordinating the food, seating, and that type of stuff." The vibe of Wes's bar is so cool the décor speaks for itself. The designer, Giselle Armistead, who helped him when he bought the bar, is someone I have always admired in the business.

"You're still able to come, right?"

"Yes, for sure, I'll be there." My mind scans my closet, thinking about which dress will show my legs off best.

"Awesome… Have you checked your emails lately?" she asks, lips pursed.

I lift my phone off the table. "Of course." Shaking my head, I tell her, "Nothing new."

"I'm sure it will come through soon. It's only seven, and knowing Parker, he's probably just finishing his workday."

That asshole's probably intentionally making me wait just to keep me sweating. He loves to torture me.

"Yeah, maybe. Oh well, distract me with something else."

Sloan chuckles. "How'd your latest Tinder date go?"

"I've moved on to Hinge now, and it was a disaster. Only wanted one thing…and ya know that wouldn't be so bad if he could have carried on a decent conversation prior to."

Sloan laughs, nodding along. "So what you are saying is, Hinge is full of fuck boys just like Tinder."

"Basically. I ended up walking myself home from the restaurant and hanging out with my neighbor the rest of the night."

"You mean, the twenty-three-year-old neighbor you occasionally hook up with?"

I pretend to clear my throat. "Twenty-two."

When she gives me a look of, I love you, but really? I feel like I need to justify myself a bit.

"Only six years younger than me. Plus, he's sweet and simple and wants absolutely nothing from me. Sometimes, we just take an edible and watch documentaries."

"So basically, he reminds you of our college days?"

I smile as a sense of longing falls over me. I met Sloan and Quinn in college, and they became the friends and, essentially, family that I had always wanted. We were inseparable. Of course, I'm beyond happy for both of them, and I dream of having what they have with their partners one day. But those days were some of the best times of my life, so I can't help but miss them.

The waitress comes back with our huge "fishbowl" full of tequila goodness. "Thank you."

"The nachos will be out soon. Let me know if I can get you ladies anything else."

Sloan and I both lean in from opposite sides of the table and each take a long pull from the straw.

"Gah, I needed that," I say, releasing a heavy sigh. I feel like I've been holding that all day.

"These never get old." Sloan smiles, giggling as she goes in for another taste.

We continue to sip and chat about life since the last time we saw each other until our nachos are delivered.

Mid-chew, the distinct tone of an iPhone ringing has my heart jumping into my throat. It"s a local number. Fuck, what if they are calling to tell me I didn't get it?

"Answer it," Sloan insists, waving her hands at me.

"Hello," I say confidently, even though that's far from how I'm feeling.

"Hi, Ava! It's Olivia!" Her peppy voice reawakens the hope inside my chest. "You got the job…and I don't think I've ever been more excited to work with a designer before."

I cover the phone with my hand and mouth to Sloan, "I got it!"

She lets out an excited squeal, and I bite my lip to hold mine in.

"Ava, did you hear me?" Olivia's voice hums back through the phone.

I rush out, "Yes, yes…just trying to control my excitement and stay professional. I'm so thrilled to work with you, too. Honestly, I'm shocked right now."

"Well, leave your professionalism at the door for the night because we don't start till Monday. Come celebrate with me and Logan. We are going to Birdie Bar for a few drinks and we want to buy you one."

I think on it for a second, wondering if Parker will be there too, but you know what… Fuck it. I want to celebrate and get to know them more. The fact she is this excited to work with me puts me on cloud nine.

"That sounds fun! I'm finishing up girls' dinner with my best friend, but I'll head to you guys when we finish here."

I can hear the smile in her voice. "Okay perfect. This is my cell, so text me when you are on the way."

"Great, see you soon."

When I hang up, Sloan is out of her chair, wrapping me in a hug. "I knew you'd land it. I am so freaking proud of you, Av.You did this…all on your own. There is no denying your talent."

The waitress comes back to check in and Sloan orders us patron shots. Even a third one for Quinn—which we split in her honor as we FaceTime her with the good news.

If there is one piece of advice I could give teenage girls, it's to find your tribe. Find friends who are so much more than just that. They're your cheerleaders, confidants, therapists, bodyguards… They're your sisters.

Blood isn't always thicker than water.

"AVA!!"Olivia sing-songs through the crowd as I walk toward the cocktail table she's sitting at with Logan.

She hops down from her seat, greeting me with a hug. "I'm so damn happy to have another badass female working on this project with me." Embracing her, we rock back and forth. I finally allow my true giddiness to show. "Thank you so much. I don't think it"s quite sunk in yet. This is a literal dream job for me."

"I knew you deserved it the minute I saw your pitch. I didn't even listen to anyone else's." She laughs, waving her hand in good riddance to the others before continuing. "We just had to make sure Parker was convinced of that."

"Yeah, same, but thankfully, he agreed…albeit reluctantly," Logan says, getting up to give me a congratulatory hug as well.

Ouch. But truly, what else do I expect from the asshole.

"Not that reluctantly," Olivia murmurs.

Logan's hand rests on my lower back as he pulls my chair out for me. "We just ordered a round of shots."

We chat about where we are from and the basic get-to-know-you questions. I find out Olivia is from Jersey and Logan was born and raised here in the city. Olivia is thirty-five and Logan is twenty-five. They both seem surprised to find out I grew up in the Upper East Side. Luckily, the shots are delivered just in time to avoid that conversation.

"Cheers to Ava…our newest teammate," Olivia says, and we all clink our glasses before throwing the shots back.

Olivia glances at Logan before asking me her next question. "So Ava, are you single?"

Ah, I see what's going on here.

"Single as a Pringle. How about you guys?"

"My boyfriend is actually on the way to meet us here now…but Logan's single."

Olivia's gaze falls behind me, and she speaks again before I can respond. "Well, that's the most interesting thing that's happened all year."

She moves toward whatever her eyes have landed on, and I hear Logan grumble, "What the fuck is he doing here?" just before I turn around to find a sexy-as-sin Parker talking to another guy.

Long gone is his suit jacket.

He's a walking, talking wet dream with the dark grey sleeves of his tailored shirt rolled up, showcasing his fully tattooed arms. The peach-colored rose peeks out of the top of his collar, crawling just slightly up his neck.

A memory of my tongue running along the rose petals flashes before my eyes.

Olivia slings her arms around the guy beside Parker and she steers them to the bar to grab a drink.

Parker's gaze moves up to meet mine, and I quickly turn back to Logan, realizing I've been staring for too long.

"So, I take it that's Olivia's boyfriend?" I ask quickly, hoping Logan didn't notice my perusal of the boss.

"Yep…he's Parker's friend and a tattoo artist here in the city, if that's your thing."

Unfortunately, it is absolutely my thing, especially when they come with a side of asshole.

Can we say, disaster waiting to happen?

"Do you want something else to drink?" Logan asks.

"I'm okay right now. I shared a huge fishbowl full of tequila, plus a celebratory shot with my best friend before coming here."

He chuckles. "Nice… Did you at least eat?"

"Yeah, we shared a delicious plate of nachos too."

"Fishbowls and nachos… Sounds like a place I need to try out. We should go sometime."

"Yes, for sure… It's over in Nolita, so it's easy to walk to from the office or the hotel one night." Logan is extremely attractive, but I haven't even started the job yet, so I don't want to give him the wrong idea. "Olivia looks like she'd be a margarita type of girl too… Maybe all three of us can go one day this week after work."

"Either way, I'm down. Wednesday night, I know I'm free, if that works for you," Logan says before taking a sip of the pint glass he's been working on.

"Where are we going?" Parker's deep voice interrupts as he takes Olivia's seat.

"Just planning a dinner one night this week after work," Logan answers.

"Isn't that cute, a Pierce and a Bryant? Two New York City legacies making immediate friends," Parker hums, sounding the opposite of amused and not looking my way.

"Wait, Bryant? As in, Bryant Co.?" I question, confused at his insinuation.

A sheepish smile takes over Logan's face. "Dennis Bryant is my mom's father."

"Ah, cool, I had no idea."

I'm relieved when he doesn't pry into why I don't use my last name as clout.

Logan turns his attention to Parker, who has obviously pissed him off with his previous smartass comment. "Surprised you joined us tonight. You never come out."

He scoffs. "Well, after sitting through all those boring interviews, I needed a drink." Tipping his rocks glass toward us, he takes a swig of the brown liquid.

Whiskey… I can almost taste the memory.

His eyes find mine for the first time since he sat down. "Plus, I wanted to congratulate Ava here on landing the job."

What is he playing at?

"Thank you. I'm looking forward to working with you all on this." I force myself to act normal, just as I did with Logan and Olivia. But my body knows he's different.

"Well, you'll be working under me."

Under me.

My core tingles, and I quickly pull myself out of his dark stare. "Ya know, Logan, I think I may actually take you up on that drink."

He beams at me. "What do you want? I'll just go up to the bar and grab it," Logan says, pointing to the cocktail waitress dealing with a loud crowd in the corner.

"You pick…as long as it has tequila in it," I say, not wanting to mix my liquors and make a fool of myself tonight.

"Okay, beautiful." Logan nods before moving toward the bar.

"Beautiful…really? He's laying it on a little thick, isn't he?" Parker grumbles.

"It's called being nice. You should try it."Leaning in, I give him a saccharine smile.

"It's called don't shit where you eat, Legs."

"You are one to talk. From what I've heard, you've fucked half of Manhattan. I can't imagine none of them were colleagues." I roll my eyes.

"What I do is none of your business."

"Well then, same goes for you… I'm a grown woman, and I can do what I want and who I want," I say with a shrug, and he huffs a laugh that holds no humor.

"Not when I'm your boss. For fuck's sake, you just got the job. Are you already trying to get fired?"

He wouldn't, but the thought is sobering. "Again, none of your business… but Logan is just a new associate who I'll be working closely with, so I have no plans to take our friendship further at the moment."

"Or ever," Parker growls.

"Stop. You are pissing me off." I level him with a hard stare, watching as his nostrils flare. "I know you don't really know me, but believe me on this… If you are worried I am going to let something distract me from this project, you are certainly mistaken. This is huge for me."

He nods, taking another sip of his whiskey as Logan returns with our drinks.

Worried he will feel the tension in the air, I give him a bright smile. "Thanks so much."

Thankfully, Olivia and her boyfriend, who introduces himself as Braxton, rejoin the table, and the conversation turns toward baseball. We discuss Eli's recent game, as well as the Yankees' first month since opening day.

Logan notices my drink is empty. "Do you want anything else?"

"No, I'm actually going to head out. I have a dance class in the morning."

"Oooh, what kind of dance class? That sounds fun," Olivia chimes in.

"It's a combination class tomorrow. Hip hop and pole."

She gasps. "I've always wanted to try pole dancing, but I know it"s hard. Takes a lot of leg strength."

"You should try out one of the beginner classes. I help teach that one sometimes, so I can get you a pass if you really want to check it out."

"Hell yes! Now that's a hobby I can get behind. I'll even buy a pole for the bedroom so you can practice," Braxton says, wiggling his eyebrows and making her laugh.

I chuckle. "Honestly, having one at home is helpful because you can practice a little each day and help build your strength, or if you really get into it, you can practice new moves you learn and keep them fresh in your head between classes."

"So, you have one in your place?" Logan asks, and I feel Parker's stare burning into me.

"Sure do!"

"Fuck," Logan says under his breath.

Feeling slightly awkward, I move the attention off me. "Olivia, they have morning and lunchtime classes during the week too. We can figure out a day that works with our schedule and I'll take you."

She does a little dance in her seat. "Okay, I'm excited! Can't wait to see you in action."

"Can I come?" Logan asks with a playful smirk, and Parker speaks for the first time since they all joined us.

"No."

Even though I know he's dead serious, we all laugh as I start to put on my lightweight jacket. "Where do you live Ava?" Logan asks.

"I'm in West Village."

"Nice… Well, I'm in Greenwich. Are you walking? We could head that way together."

"How convenient," Parker murmurs, and I see Olivia give him a quizzical look.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I like to walk, especially with this nice spring weather coming in."

"Ava, can I speak to you one second about next week?" Parker asks, but it doesn't quite sound like a question as much as it does a demand. Standing and walking in front of me, I follow him toward the door with an internal sigh once we say our goodbyes to Olivia and Braxton.

As soon as we're outside, he turns to me. "My assistant, Tasha, will send you all the information tomorrow about getting started on Monday," he says, and I look at him expectantly, questioning why he pulled me out here to tell me that.

Eyes on mine, void of emotion, he continues. "I just wanted to make you aware of the no fraternizing rule between an employee and the person they directly report to, which would be Logan and Olivia for you."

I narrow my gaze at him, wondering why he didn't just say this earlier during his whole don't shit where you eat speech.

"Yes, Sir," I say with a salute, just as Logan walks out, and I don't miss the way Parker's eyes flare at my words.

The way I love getting a reaction out of this man, both good and bad, is concerning.

He speaks again, nothing but business in his tone. "Logan, don't forget I need the project plan for next week typed out and sent to my email before I start work tomorrow morning."

Logan nods. "Yep... I'm planning to finish that up when I get home. Why are you working on Saturday anyway?"

"Because there is too much to do… I need to utilize some free time."

"Okay then, have a good night," Logan says with a wave, then places his hand on my lower back, guiding me down the sidewalk.

"Night," Parker says gruffly, and I turn my head slightly to peek at him. The city lights shine on his tightened jaw as he stares at where Logan's hand rests against me. My lips quirk at seeing that reaction.

And once again, my thighs clench.