Chapter 344

Madison

I took a large sip of wine, buying time. “I don’t pay attention to gossip.”

“Smart. Though it must be interesting, seeing the reality behind the public image.”

“It has its moments,” I said vaguely, desperately wanting to change the subject. “How about you? How’s the new job going? Last time we met, you were just starting at Mercer Financial.”

Jackson brightened, setting down his fork. “It’s actually going really well. Better than I expected. The team is solid, and they’ve already put me on some interesting projects.”

“That’s great to hear.” I was genuinely happy for him. “Settling in okay?”

“Yeah, took some adjusting after London, but New York feels like home again.” He twirled the last bite of pasta. “The commute is brutal, though. Might need to move closer to the financial district.”

“The eternal New York dilemma: location versus rent.”

“Exactly. Speaking of which, how’d you score that apartment? The location is incred