If the Sun Never Sets - Ana Huang Page 0,69

the crowd toward her.

She scrambled to her feet. “Jane! What are you doing here?”

“Same as you. I can’t resist me some Swayze, though it appears I missed half the movie. I just got here and saw you, figured I’d say hi. It’s been a while.” Jane surveyed Farrah. “How are you doing? Where are you working these days?”

Jane couldn’t know about Kelly blackballing Farrah. Kelly was subtle about her sabotage. She planted her rumors in a few key ears and let them spread the gossip for her. Plus, Jane viewed Kelly the same way Farrah used to: as a sometimes-ruthless industry icon whose talent outweighed her shortcomings.

There was also zero chance Jane knew about Kelly and Matt’s relationship, or she wouldn’t be so calm. If there was one thing Jane despised, it was office romances, especially between a higher-up and their subordinate.

“I’m giving the consultant route a try,” Farrah said. There was no point in spilling Kelly’s dirty secrets. Even if Jane believed her, it wouldn’t do anything except stir up drama.

“Oh.” Jane’s brow creased. “Any chance you’ll come back to KBI? We miss you and you were—are—an excellent designer.”

Yeah, if I want Kelly or Matt to poison my coffee on my first day back.

“I don’t think so. I appreciate the offer though.” Farrah smiled. Jane had been a mentor to her since she was an intern, and she missed the other woman’s advice and humor. “We should get coffee one day. No work talk.”

Jane beamed. “I’d love to.”

Farrah introduced her to Olivia, and they chatted for another minute before Jane returned to her friends, and Farrah sank back onto the ground. Good thing she and Olivia were sitting at the back of the crowd, or she would’ve gotten pelted with popcorn for blocking other moviegoers’ view of Johnny and Baby’s final dance.

“She seems nice,” Olivia said. “Too bad she’s not the top dog at KBI.”

“Yeah.” Farrah fiddled with her skirt.

When she first quit KBI, she’d been intent on joining another firm. She liked having a stable paycheck, and she still had so much to learn about the industry. But after Blake’s and Yuliya’s projects, she realized how nice it felt to set her own hours and have full creative control over her vision (except for the client’s input). Sure, the business side of things gave her a major headache—taxes and bookkeeping were the work of the devil—but she was doing pretty well for herself, all things considering. Yuliya had even recommended her to one of her magazine editor friends, and Farrah was in the midst of closing the deal.

So why didn’t she go all-in on the independent route? What was she afraid of?

Whatever your fear is, or however far you fall—you’ll survive. And I’ll be there to catch you.

Here was the crazy part: Farrah believed Blake.

Even though he hadn’t contacted her in a week. Even if her brain swarmed with conspiracy theories about his absence.

She didn’t know how or when it happened, but she trusted him. Not only about what she was capable of, but about…everything. Blake was dangerous, as any person who had the power to break you was, but he was also her safety net. The person she turned to when she needed comfort and support.

Maybe it was the sincerity in his eyes when he promised he’d do anything to help her after they ran into Kelly and Matt. Maybe it was the way he pushed her to be a better, stronger version of herself. Or maybe it was just him—the way he filled her soul and made her believe in love, in fate, and in destiny, not only as abstract concepts but as something real. Tangible.

Whatever it was, Blake had, once again, breached her defenses. She should’ve known it was only a matter of time—once Blake Ryan set his sights on something, he didn’t stop until he got it.

And he got her.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Farrah went to see Blake the next day.

She was tired of waiting for him to reach out, and she needed clarity before her paranoia drove her crazy. It didn’t help that she was still reeling from her revelation of how easily he’d burrowed himself inside her heart a second time.

Then again, he’d never left.

But when Blake swung open his door, Farrah wondered if she’d made the wrong decision.

Because the man standing in front of her? She didn’t recognize him.

He had the same golden hair, crystal eyes, and sculpted muscles, but his playful, cocky smile was missing in action, and he surveyed