Noreen didn''t see the message until six the next morning.


    The sheer length of the text spoke volumes about how furious ire had been.


    Worried that Felix would continue harassing ire in Northcrest, Noreen called Wilbur and asked for a favor.


    When ire woke up around noon, there was a knock at her door.


    It was Wilbur.


    He had even brought lunch.


    As he set the food out, he delivered his message. "My junior wants me to escort you


    to Rivercrest City. Your flight is at four. You have two hours to eat, pack, and get ready."


    ire immediately checked her phone.


    Her thousand-word rant had earned a grand total of four words from her Sugar Mommy.


    [Taking you out tonight.]


    ire grinned. [Hell yes!]


    Despite her insanely busy schedule, Noreen personally picked ire up at the airport.


    The second ire got into the car, she asked, "So, Sugar Mommy, where are we going?"


    "What do you want to do?"


    "I want ten hot guys to start," ire joked, adopting the tone of a seasoned yer. Noreen burst outughing.


    Her best friend talked a big game, but she was a total softie at heart.


    If she was really that wild, Felix wouldn''t have been able to break her heart so thoroughly.


    "Let''s eat first. You look too skinny," Noreen teased, pinching ire''s cheek.


    "Eating is boring." ire immediately lost interest.


    "Alright then," Noreen said, suppressing a smile. She turned to Sophia Cole in the passenger seat. "Sophia, go ahead and cancel our reservation at The Titan''s Table. She''s not interested."


    "Understood," Sophia replied smoothly.


    "Wait, wait, wait!" ire panicked, grabbing the seat. "What is The Titan''s Table?"


    Sophia supplied the details perfectly. "It''s the hottest new restaurant in Rivercrest City All the waiters are incredibly reuscr men with eight-pack abs."


    She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "And they only wear aprons." ire violently shook Noreen''s arm. "This! I want this! Let''s go here!"


    Noreen sighed in mock defeat. "Fine, fine, we''ll go."


    The Titan''s Table absolutely lived up to its name.


    ire''s eyes were practically glued to the staff.


    She looked like a kid in a candy store.


    While appreciating the view, shemented to Noreen, "My life has been a tragic wastnd. Honestly, I think we''ve both failed as women We''ve only ever slept with one man each. What a massive waste."


    Noreen paused. "Speak for yourself."


    ire''s head whipped around so fast her neck cracked. "What does that mean?!


    You hooked up with someone else?!"


    "Spill it! Now!"


    The half-naked men were entirely forgotten. She grabbed Noreen, demanding details.


    Noreen instantly regretted opening her mouth.


    "Stop shaking me, I''m getting dizzy!" Noreen finally admitted the truth about a


    chaotic night five years ago.


    "I think my drink was spiked.


    Everything was a blur. I don''t even


    the guy was. I couldn''t


    know who the


    press charges afterward either. I hadn''t founded Winrich yet, and the club was backed by the Rivercrest Chamber of Commerce couldn''t afford to make enemies. So, just treated it like I scored a free male entertainer."


    ire couldn''t have cared less about the legalities. Her eyes sparkled with gossip.


    "How was his technique? Was he a beast?"


    "He was... fine, I guess." Noreen muttered, taking a sip of water to hide her embarrassment. She really shouldn''t have brought this up.


    "Compared to jerk Seth?" ire pressed, using the only baseline she had.


    Noreen choked on her water. Under ire''s relentless interrogation, she finally gave


    a vague answer.


    "I think... they felt about the same."