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We meet halfway and share a warm hug.
“I know we haven’t had time for lunch or dinner in weeks, but you could have called me,” Martin says conspiratorially. “Wait till I tell Scott!” He’s referring to his husband who runs a coffee shop in town.
“Where is he tonight?”
“You know that hip pain from when he fell last winter? It’s bothering him again. Plus, the person who was supposed to open the café first thing tomorrow called in sick.”
“Hopefully they’ll start the presentation so we can get out of here,” I mumble for his ears only. “I’m sure you’d rather be home.”
“Not as much as you’d rather be home, I think.” With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, Martin tilts his head over my shoulder. “Where in the world did you find a man with the face of an angel and the body of a hulk?”
“At the gym,” I say wryly.
He blinks twice before we burst out laughing. The gym to me is like that shitty relative you see once a year whose passive aggressive jabs make you want to eat more pie. Gyms and body shaming are to be avoided at all costs, as far as I’m concerned.
“Hi, I’m Bryce,” I hear from over my shoulder. He’s offered his hand to Martin.
“Ana told me so much about you, Martin,” Bryce says, surprising me. “You’re head engineer for the ballast-free fleet, right?”
“I am. I wish Ana told me more about you,” Martin retorts. “We should get together soon. On a double date.”
“Absolutely,” Bryce agrees warmly. “Since Ana is too busy to travel my way, I’m working remotely for a while. I’ll be around when you’re free.”
“It’s Ana you need to pry from her desk,” Martin says with a raised brow and a scolding look my way.
“Yes, there will definitely be prying in her future,” Bryce comments jokingly. Except the way his grip tightens around my waist is no joke.
“Where is home for you, when you’re not here with Ana?” Martin asks.
“Phoenix and Los Angeles mostly. I own a security system business.”
“Like installation and monitoring?”
“Exactly,” Bryce says.
Sergei has mentioned various divisions under Bryce’s business. The home security distribution is the most innocuous, unlike the AI stalking technology he readily deploys on unsuspecting private citizens like me.
A screeching mic alerts us to the opening words of the charity’s campaign chairperson. I let the drone of fundraising goals waft over me. I almost miss it when he mentions Petrov Shipping and my name. Martin has to nudge me so I can wave when everyone looks my way.
Including Bryce, who is staring at me with even more scrutiny. Isn’t he supposed to watch other people around me? My fake boyfriend is so close, I hear the vibration of his incoming call.
“I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” he says to me before stepping back, phone in hand.
“Take your time, sweetheart.”
I hold my chin up even when the cold that descends in his absence makes me shiver a little.
“Follow him. Public surveillance hasn’t been able to track the Camry to a final destination. Do not engage until you report back to me.” I give Louis my instructions curtly, eager to find my way back to Ana.
She’s moved farther from the stage and stands in the midst of a circle of important-looking people, all of them at least twenty years older. In fact, the only guests Ana’s age are the trophy dates with blank stares and fake tits.
Although she’s the only woman not in a dress, Anastasia Petrov is the most striking figure of feminine beauty in this banquet hall. Of course, I’m biased. She could be wearing a sack and I’d think the same thing.
I watch the body language and facial tells of people surrounding her. They are all clearly attentive to whatever she’s saying. However, when she turns her head, two older men glance at each other and roll their eyes like they’re middle schoolers instead of literal senior citizens. This must be the old boys’ club Ana mentioned in the car.
Martin, who I’ve gathered is her closest confidant in Petrov Shipping, narrows his eyes disapprovingly at the assholes’ shitty behavior. I like the head engineer even more.
It’s nice to finally meet him in person. I’ve conducted a deep dive into the people Ana spends the most time with. It would be negligent not to. He and his husband have been together for almost two decades, making a nice life for themselves with a posh house and lavish vacations twice a year. The husband’s café is somewhat underwater financially, but that’s the case for a lot of small businesses. Martin makes plenty to keep their lifestyle going.
