It was the phone call that changed their lives forever, but Jacky Ryan had no idea when she picked up the receiver. She listened attentively and barely let the woman on the other end finish before she rushed to the boardroom to tell her bosses the exciting news.

She threw the door open without bothering to knock. They were busy with a strategy meeting but she knew them better than that—they went back more than 15 years after all. Their version of corporate meetings was always far from conventional.

Nick Thomas looked up first, putting down the ping pong ball he was aiming at the red beer cups on the table. He pushed a strand of his perfect blonde hair from his bright blue gaze to quizzically smile at the dark-haired beauty in the doorway. They’d known each other since they were teenagers, but she still brought a grin to his face whenever her radiant character entered his vicinity.

“Why do you look like you’re about to start squealing? What’s up, Jax?” Adam Mason asked from the opposite side of the table. There were significantly fewer beer cups standing on his side. Nick had always been better at beer pong than his best friend with the compassionate brown eyes and wavy hair of the same color. He couldn’t help but smile at the shapely woman standing excitedly in the doorway.

“Guys! Guys… guess what?”

“Tell us already, stop keeping us in suspense,” Nick insisted in his usual direct manner.

“So, I just got this phone call…”

“Jax!” Nick insisted.

“Guess who’s going to the 2017 App Design Awards?”

“As guests?” Adam hesitantly queried, always the more cautious of ‘The Dream Team’ they liked to call themselves.

“No, silly! As in like nominees for those new financial apps you guys designed last year!”

“Yes!” Nick threw the ball onto the table, meeting Adam halfway for a high-five before grabbing Jacky for an elated hug, spinning her around in his muscular arms.

“Congrats!” She smiled at Adam when Nick put her down, and she hugged the more reserved of the men behind the apps that would “change the financial world forever” according to an article in The Financial Mail. The article was framed in the reception area of their expensive offices on the 20^th floor with a view of the whole Valley.

“I can’t believe this is real!” Adam said.

“That’s what you said six months ago when they bought our first app!” Garret laughed, patting his friend on the back and walking to the fridge in the corner.

“Has it really been that long?” Adam asked.

“You’ve been a billionaire for half a year, my friend, and you still dress like a scruffy frat boy—I’ll never understand.” Nick grinned, grabbing a bottle of Bollinger champagne from the fridge. “I’ve been waiting for an excuse to open this baby!”

“To the big leagues, kids!” he exclaimed as he shook the bottle and popped the cork out dramatically, expensive champagne pouring over his hands and onto the floor. He hurriedly put his mouth to the bottle to try and stop the fizz, with little success.

Adam laughed and took the bottle from him, tilting his head back as he swallowed down the bubbling liquid before passing the bottle to Jacky.

“When is the event?” Nick asked.

“On Friday. You guys better get some tuxedos. Speaking of wardrobes, I’ll call in the tailor tomorrow. I mean, that is what you pay me for after all.”

“You know we pay you for more than that,” Nick said as he put his arm around her waist, taking the bottle from her and having another swig. “You know you’re going with us to that event, right? We can’t show up without a lovely lady on our side—what would those other nerds think?”

“Oh, so now I’m your hired escort too? Cute.” She uncoupled from him in mock anger.

Jacky’s wit had always been razor sharp—that’s how they knew her. Since she first joined their class when they were all 14. At 27 she was still as beautiful as she was then, if not more so.

“Well, it’s better than that waitressing BS you were doing back home,” Nick said.

“Don’t forget the dog-walking,” Adam added.

“Oh yes, and the dog-walking.”

“Fuck off, guys.”

“We’re just teasing, Jax. You know we’d be lost without you. You keep the ship running while we’re hard at work coming up with new ideas.”

“Define ‘work’.” She raised her eyebrow and they all burst out laughing.

“Still, don’t tell me you regret packing up and moving to the city? It’s been so much fun!” Nick said.

“It was a timing thing and you know it,” she said, taking another swig from the bottle. “If that cheating asshole didn’t decide to get sloppy a week before then I’d probably still be at home playing the domestic girlfriend.”

“Things work out for a reason,” Adam said, smiling. “Besides, he was never going to let you study like you want to.”

“True,” she admitted, handing the bottle over. “Eventually. When I have the money.”

“I’ll never understand why you won’t just let us give you the money,” Adam said.

“We’ve been over this a million times! I want to earn my own way. I don’t need any handouts,” she insisted.

“Put on the music already and stop talking about the past. Our future is here, kids!” Nick exclaimed, taking another bottle from the fridge. “Today we celebrate!”

“Famous last words.”

Adam smiled as the very drunk Nick lay passed out on the leather couch in the corner of the massive boardroom. The room was cluttered with empty bottles of champagne and tequila, a few beer bottles in between. Jacky always kept the fridge stocked to the brim.

“I always thought he was better at holding his alcohol,” Jacky said.

“We started early,” Adam said, shrugging. They were all way past tipsy and the mood was still jovial.

“I should get back. There’s a lot to do tomorrow,” Jacky said, heading to the door.

“I’ll walk you,” Adam said, grabbing his jacket and following her out.

“You don’t have to,” she said, locking the door behind them. Nick would be fine, he often passed out in the office. That’s why there was a fully kitted out bathroom on site as well. Not to mention the wardrobe full of those brightly-colored collared shirts he was so fond of.

“It’s a nice night for it,” Adam answered as he took her hand, walking down the street merrily.

“I can’t believe this is our life now.” Jacky smiled as they walked down the street, swinging their hands like school kids and swaying over the pavement in uncoordinated drunkenness.

“This is what we always wanted.”

“I don’t think I ever thanked you guys for convincing me to come to the city. It’s been so magical! You really are good at being rich.”

“You mean we spend money so frivolously?”

“Hey, hedonism is a fine art.”

“I’m glad you decided to come to the city too. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

They stopped outside her flat. It wasn’t far from the office, Adam and Nick had made sure of it when they organized her a new life in the city.

Adam stared deeply into her eyes as they paused for a moment. He’d always liked her so much, but she’d always belonged to someone else…

She smiled at him.

Without even thinking about it, Adam suddenly pulled her close, cupping her face as he passionately kissed her—something he’d been fantasizing about for the better part of 15 years.

For an instant they lost themselves in the moment before she hurriedly pushed him away, mumbling something as she ran towards her door without turning back.

Adam remained standing in the street for a while longer.

Jacky didn’t notice as she flung herself on her bed, clothes and all, trying not to think about what just happened.

Tomorrow was going to be weird at work.