Page 64 of Elevator Pitch

“Grateful, huh?” She looks at me as if she’s reading my mind.

I head over to the sink and wash my hands as she gathers small plates. Each time I’ve met her, she’s brought an odd sense of ease. I imagine she makes Selah feel the same.

I glance up as I’m drying my hands, and she rips off a piece of the cinnamon bun and places it into her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut in satisfaction.

Audrey likes sweets. Noted.

“By the way, I see you strolling down memory lane. All I ask is you keep yourself covered,” she says, pointing at my pants. “I know those gray sweats were meant for different eyes to see.”

“Ah. Sorry.”

She hums her response, visibly enjoying the cinnamon bun and coffee.

I’m starting to get the allure of Audrey. She is an interesting character.

“How’d you get into wedding planning?” I ask.

“Good question. I don’t just plan weddings. I guess some of it is in my blood, but events? My family wasn’t doing enough in that market beyond the hotels, so I took it upon myself to create something there.”

“Hotels?”

“Oh, honey, I thought you were just being charming. The venue of the engagement party, I own the place.”

“No, the greenhouse was at the hotel. TheWoodwardHotel.”

She waves her hand, urging me to keep thinking. “You’re getting warmer.”

“You owntheWoodward Hotel in Manhattan?”

“Well, not just one. I own them all.”

My eyes widen with the revelation, and she nods.

Holy shit.

We proceed with the conversation, and I learn that the woman standing before me isn’t just anybody—she’s Audrey fucking Wood. No wonder she’s so tough; she is the only woman running the Wood empire. Of course, she’s firm and fearless.

“You know, I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I haven’t heard from her since we—you know. That’s why I stopped by.”

“Interesting.” She pulls out her phone and begins typing.

“Now, Grey, before I start meddling, I should probably ask if you shared that with me because you wanted my helporif you needed to get that off your chest?”

“I would like your help with her. I know you don’t know me well, and your loyalty lies with her, but was she okay after the other day?”

“Oh. She was more than okay.” She cackles. “I’m so glad you asked for my help. Now I don’t have to feel bad about doing this.” She rounds the island, holding up her phone in a selfie stance.

“Doing what?”

“We’re going to take a picture for Selah and I’m going to send it to her. Once she sees you’re here, she’ll remember to use your number. How’s that sound, Big Sexy?”

“I’m down,” I agree.

Posing for the selfie, she insists we take three. Two with a smile and another with a silly face. I oblige, and she shows me the results as we choose the perfect one to send her.

Audrey grills me, as I expected, but nothing I don’t feel comfortable answering. She asks about my marriage to Aileen and why it ended, and I answer truthfully hoping that doesn’t change her opinion of me. She listens intently and seems understanding. She assures me that we were young and that everybody makes mistakes. She tells me that she’s never married and has been in a long-term relationship with a man named Romefor the past five years. When I ask if marriage was in the plans, our phones ding at the same time. She smiles wide before retrieving her phone to glance at it.

“I told you it would work!”

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