Page 48 of The Dating Contract

“I like this location,” Liam said.

And it was ready for a party. The chaos they’d seen before while the two of them had been organizing in different capacities had fallen away to reveal the best of what an event space could be. The high ceilings, Grecian columns, and the gorgeous floors were decked out in the colors of the organization, even before they stepped inside the ballroom where the gala was being held.

Just outside the ballroom itself, their logo appeared in large banners, the largest he’d ever seen his work displayed.

“It is nice,” he said.

“You better get used to this kind of praise,” Liam said laughing. “You’re impressing everybody, including some execs. Pencil some space for me in the next few days, hm?”

He was already over the place but at the same time, he could barely decipher what Liam said. “What?”

“You’re catching everybody’s attention,” Liam said. “Everybody in the art and print world at least. Apparently you’retheketubah writer for comic art people.”

“Which is news to me,” he managed, knowing that a conversation thanking his brother for separating him from knowledge of his ketubah and mezuzah clients specifically would absolutely need to be forthcoming. But Liam didn’t need to know that. “I think you could have knocked me over with a feather when Isaac told me.”

“And you impressed Evan Lefkowitz, and Bryce Emerson is collaborating with you. All you needed was confidence,” Liam said. “And maybe a direction.”

“And a good mentor,” he said to Liam.

“Who,” Liam replied, “now believes you’re ready for the next phase of your career, and you need to pencil some time for me in your schedule either the end of this week or anytime next, for me to guide you into it.”

There were very few words he could think of, things he wanted to say but didn’t have the words for, standing in his suit and tie. But thank you worked no matter what. “Thank you,” he managed.

Liam nodded. “You’re welcome,” he said. “Now let’s go.”

And as they headed inside, he wasn’t sure whether it was anticipation or dread that filled him more.

*

The valet parkingwas the perfect option for Shayna’s purposes. “Last thing I want to worry about tonight, with,” her sister-in-law said as she pointed to the excited little girl who wanted to get out of her car seat, “is where I put my car.”

Which made a lot of sense. “And the parking ticket?”

“Goes right into the bag with everything else I don’t have to worry about until it’s necessary.”

Which also made a lot of sense. But more importantly, her sister-in-law looked fantastic, as did little Ramona, who’d probably incorporated more than a little bit of glitter into her nail polish, and her dress.

Yep, she thought as she grinned at her niece. Adorable.

This was going to be a good night.

But when she looked up, she could see the Tzedakah Exchange banners and the logos hanging from the top of the building.

“Unicorn!” Ramona said as she pointed up at the banners.

And yes. The banners had unicorn hoofprints, and the letters themselves, if you looked close enough, were microcalligraphy, except the foundations of the letters were…unicorn horns.

This was what Samuel had been working on at Carly’s with Bryce, what he’d come up with after going to practice.

Genius.

“You there?”

Leah nodded. “Yeah. Just admiring the art.” And thinking about the artist, but she wasn’t telling her sister-in-law that.

“Tell him,” Shayna said before she turned sharply toward Ramona who had started to make her way toward one of the larger banners. “You will hold my hand or we will go home. You will stay with me. Is that understood?”

Ramona, suitably chastened, nodded her head. “Yes, Ima. I’ll stay.”

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