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“No, you really don’t,” Owen chimed in, rubbing the back of his neck. “Anyway, what were you saying before Olivia got here—something about Harlee Mendez?”
I wiped my runny nose on my sleeve like the truly classy girl I was. “Harlee Mendez? She’s seriously one of my favorite singers. Pure talent is what she is.”
“Yeah, anyway,” Owen brushed me off.
“Wait,” I stopped him, cutting in. “Where’s Katelyn? Why do you not bring your fiancée to brunch with you?”
Owen let out an annoyed sigh. “Because this is bro time.”
“But I’m here?”
“Because you’re basically a bro.” Owen shrugged as Eli made a strange face. “But you’ll get that privilege revoked if you keep cutting in like a woman.”
Sexist.
“Anyway, yeah,” Eli said, drumming his fingers on the laminate tabletop. “I don’t really know if the whole thing is going to go or not, but she’s really interested in using our company for her upcoming music video.”
“Really?” My eyebrows shot up. “That’s amazing! I have always wanted to shoot a music video at this kind of level. I have so many ideas for them and—”
“We have a pretty good team already put together for it, and something this big will need to be managed by myself. I don’t want to fuck up the opportunity to really launch the company.”
I pursed my lips at the way he talked right over me, fighting the urge to say something about it. Why was I even invited to brunch if they didn’t want me to talk? I reached into my bag, pulling out my phone to look busy—and uninterested.
“Olivia is really good with music videos,” Owen chimed in, taking me by surprise. “I think you should give her a shot. She did some for independent artists, and they’re amazing. I can pull them up on YouTube.”
I glanced over to Eli, waiting for his reaction, but he didn’t have one—at all. He just kind of shrugged.
“I don’t know who’s going to be on the team if we land it. I might hire in some outside help, to be honest. It’ll have to be the best of the best.”
Ouch.
“I was rising really quickly in the film world in Los Angeles,” I said, my voice quiet as the waitress brought out our plates. “I could at least pitch a few ideas.”
“Yeah, maybe, we’ll see.” He cleared his throat. “Still have to land the deal.” Eli glanced at me for just a second before turning his attention to the plate set down in front of him.
“Thank you,” I muttered as the waitress set my own in front of me. I stared at the French toast, the slices all in a row, sprinkled with powdered sugar. As appetizing as it should’ve been, I did not feel hungry in the moment.
I just felt out of place.
“Can I get a box?” I called to her as she turned to leave.
She looked over her shoulder at me, furrowing her brow. “Um, sure. I’ll grab you one, honey.”
“Thanks.” I ignored the stares of Owen and Eli, who were both in the middle of forking their own breakfast into their mouths like hungry pigs.
“Why’re you leaving?” Owen said, not even courteous enough to swallow his mouthful. “You seriously just got here.”
“Yeah, I forgot that I had this thing,” I replied, my voice trailing off as I racked my brain for some kind of excuse. “I don’t want to be late.”
“Where are you going?” Owen narrowed his eyes at me.
“Um...” My voice trailed off as both of them sat there, all eyes on me, waiting for me to answer. “I have this singles’ thing.”
“Singles’ thing?” Owen echoed me, his face unchanging. “Since when do you go to singles’ things?”
“Since I moved to a big city, and I know literally no one here.”
“You know me.”
