Emma was struck silent. She said the only thing that came to mind. “I was too hurt. Too angry.”

 “Over Jock?” Riley demanded. She gave a short laugh. “You hadn’t even returned our calls in weeks! It’s so hard to believe your broken heart was serious enough to sustain such a grudge. We were best friends for ten years!”

 She shook her head. “I got over Jock in a few months. I let it go so long ago,” Emma said.

 “And it never once occurred to you to send a note or even a text saying let bygones be bygones?”

 “Riley, I... No, it never did. I figured we were best parting ways. That was one helluva fight.”

 “Yes,” Riley said softly. “And I begged. I groveled. I sent a dozen notes, left messages. You wouldn’t respond. You wouldn’t even hear my side of the story. And you lifted your nose in the air and walked away to a better life, better friends.”

 Emma shook her head. “Not for long,” she said. “Is that really what’s up your butt? That I didn’t say you’re forgiven? Didn’t listen to your story? Want to tell me now?”

 “Hah! Now I don’t even want to think about it, but it sure as hell had staying power!”

 Emma laughed hollowly. “We should’ve both been furious with Jock, not each other!”

 “I was. I still am some days, but he’s Maddie’s father and I’m stuck with him. You, I’m not stuck with.”

 “No, you’re not. I don’t need your charity. Well, I do, but I wouldn’t take it if I were starving. But are you still giving me a job?” Emma asked.

 “Yes, and by God you better not fuck up. I built this company and it means a lot to me. You mess up and I’ll fire you in a New York minute.”

 “I’ll do my job,” she said, turning to go. She turned back. “Really, I might not have said anything, I was a little busy, but I forgave you a long time ago.”

 “And until I saw you, I didn’t think it still mattered. I thought I’d learned never to let down my guard.”

 “What’s this about your brother? What did you mean by that?”

 Riley took a breath. “I’m happy to give you a job as long as you pull your weight and earn your paycheck. But I don’t think it makes any sense for us to try friendship again. Obviously irreparable damage was done. That being said, I don’t need to run into you at family gatherings.”

 “I see. I guess it could be problematic.”

 “Just don’t put me in an awkward position with my family.”

 “Of course,” Emma said. “We didn’t exactly kiss and make up, but can we lay this to rest now? Start over as employee and employer?”

 “Absolutely. Starting a week from Monday. Seven a.m.”

 Emma exited, softly closing the door behind her. But glutton for punishment that she was, she opened the door again. “You should probably thank me,” she said. “If you hadn’t been so pissed off at me and scared to death, you probably never would have built such a successful company.”

 “Don’t hang your hat on that idea,” Riley said. “I had a good start on it before Jock messed up my plans.”

 And that actually made Emma smile at her. “You were so much better off without me. Who knows? If we’d remained friends, I might’ve convinced you to let Richard help you invest your money.”

 Then she closed the door and left.

 * * *

 Riley sat at her desk for a long time, just still and quiet. The phone rang twice, she glanced at the caller ID that appeared on her computer monitor and let it go to voice mail.

 Well, that was dirty, she thought to herself. It took them about ten minutes to be thrown back in time and fight like a couple of junkyard dogs, just like they had when they were thirteen. Only when they were teenagers their fights would be high and hot and over in ten minutes. That wasn’t going to happen this time.

 Well, that had only been about ten minutes. And it felt remarkably over. In fact, she felt a little tired, like coming down off a good run. She folded her arms on her desk and put her head down. That was the hardest thing she’d ever done, and she’d done some hard things. It wasn’t fighting with Emma or giving her a job that was so difficult. It was seeing her, talking to her, taking her in, reconnecting with her, all the while knowing it could end up hurting her again.

 Their history was so convoluted, so complex. From treasured childhood friends to bitter enemies, through a maze of anger, guilt, envy, pity. For the longest time Riley only wanted Emma to forgive her or at least join her in blaming Jock. She went through periods of terrible emotional pain and sadness. Then periods of such anger—if Emma loved Jock so much, why hadn’t she even returned his calls in weeks? And when she saw a picture of Emma in her designer wedding gown in a carriage in Central Park, as beautiful and regal as any duchess while Riley was getting by scrubbing floors and balancing the books late at night, she wondered how Emma could still be mad that things didn’t work out with Jock. Emma seemed to always land on her feet.

 Then she witnessed, from afar, Emma’s monumental fall. And it ripped her to shreds. But she didn’t reach out. No, she had too much pride for that. Emma hadn’t reached out when Riley was struggling and feeling so alone.

 I was hurt at least as much! Can’t she see that? That it was all so hard?

 They had always been there for each other, until that first semester of college. You didn’t have to be so mean, she said to herself. But Riley wanted to be clear—this was her company, her business; it was a job, not an invitation to reconcile or renew the friendship. She would never beg again.

 But at long last, she’d gotten it out. She said her piece. She saw Emma’s surprise and remorse painted on her face. Emma said she was sorry and that she’d forgiven Riley long ago—it was done. It was really done. Neither of them would go back but maybe now they could really move forward.