Page 12 of An Heir For Her Enemy

“I know. But the really juicy part is who was offering the job.” Delaney paused for effect, and, at that exact moment, a waitress appeared by their table.

“Good morning. Can I get you started with some drinks?”

“We’ll both have coffee,” Cora said. This wasn’t their first time at this particular restaurant. “And I think we’re ready to order.”

“Sure. What can I get you?”

“I’ll take the eggs Benedict,” Delaney requested.

“And chocolate-chip pancakes for me. Thank you!” Cora grinned and handed her menu back to the waitress. She departed, and Cora turned back to Delaney, eyes gleaming. “Okay, spill.”

“Do you remember how I met a guy at a gallery opening a few weeks back?”

“Logan Jerk-Face Banks?” Cora asked. “I’m vaguely familiar.”

Delaney grinned at her friend’s comment. She’d told Cora about meeting Logan, how he’d seemed different from the other rich guys, and how they’d spent the night together. She’d also told her about how Logan had ditched her the next morning. Cora was furious on Delaney’s behalf, which felt good.

“Well, he sent me an email last night.”

“Begging your forgiveness?”

“Not exactly. He’s the one that offered me a job. Apparently, he has his eye on some rare painting that’s surfaced in Rome and he needs an art consultant to authenticate it. He wants to go next week.”

“The nerve!”

“That’s what I thought! But the wild part is that I’m actually considering it. He’s offering an enormous amount for a few days’ work, enough that I could open my gallery now instead of working and saving for a few more years.”

“How much?” Cora asked with interest. Delaney showed her friend the number on her phone and Cora whistled. “Wow. He is loaded.”

“I know. That money would do me so much good. But I can’t stand the thought of spending anotherhourwith Logan Banks, much less a whole international trip. What do you think I should do?”

Cora paused thoughtfully and chewed the inside of her lip. The waitress reappeared with two steaming mugs of coffee, providing a helpful pause in the conversation. Both women sipped, then Cora reached for creamer and sugar.

“I think you should go.” She tapped a sugar packet against the side of her mug, then tore it open and poured it into her coffee.

“Really?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m still staunchly anti-Logan. He was very disrespectful to you. But the money is too good to pass up. You were born to own a gallery and I know you’ll be amazing at it. Plus, you’ll get a free trip to Italy, which is somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit. If you can stand being around such a jerk for a few days, I think it’s worth it.”

“You make some good points.” Delaney sighed, then took another sip of her black coffee. She didn’t much like the taste, but she’d need the energy. After this brunch, she had a long meeting with another client planned. Another client who cared about art only for its value and prestige. Maybe it would be worth it to get the money and say goodbye to private art consulting forever…

“But it’s up to you, of course. If you don’t think you can survive four days with Logan, you should turn it down.”

“I know I can survive it. I’m just worried that if I work for Logan, he’ll think what he did was okay. And it wasn’t.”

“Just because you’d be working for him doesn’t mean you’d need to be nice,” Cora pointed out. “He’d be paying you to authenticate the painting — that’s it.”

Delaney nodded slowly. “Okay. You’re right. I think I’m going to do it.”

“And then you can lie about the painting and sabotage his whole collection!” Cora continued enthusiastically.

Delaney laughed and patted the air with her palms in a “calm-down” gesture. “That’s going a little too far.”

“I know, I know. You’d never compromise your artistic morals and your professional dignity and all that. Just an idea.” Cora winked and Delaney laughed again. She felt lighter now that she’d talked to her friend. It always helped to have her perspective. And Cora was right. It was worth a few days of putting up with someone she didn’t like so that she could make her dreams come true.

“Anyway, enough about me,” Delaney said as the waitress returned again with steaming plates of food. “Tell me aboutyou. How’s work? How’s Andrew?”

“Oh, it’s Kyle now.” Cora waved a hand. “Andrew didn’t work out. Kyle, on the other hand…”

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