AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With a nod, he exited.
I leaned back in my chair and answered the phone. “Hi, Noah. Thanks for calling back. I think I have it figured out, and it was staring me in the face the whole time.”
“Lay it on me.”
“Alexa Borelli. She’s perfect.
He laughed for ten seconds straight. “Perfect except that she hates your guts. I think you’re better off getting back together with Hungarian model.”
“Natalia?”
“Yeah. You won’t have to pretend to be banging her, the papers will eat her up. They like second chance stories, and her motivation is super simple.”
“Yeah, money.”
I’d dated Natalia Pataki a few months ago. She was gorgeous, there was no denying that. The papers had loved her. And the paparazzi wouldn’t bother her.
After a second, I was back to Alexa. “Natalia is too flashy, I’m still thinking Alexa would be better.
You’ll never even get to first base with her.“Well, I may have my work cut out for me there. But she fits the non-bimbo category, and that’s the key.”
“Yeah, I’ll admit Alexa’s a nice girl. What did your consultant say you needed—the take-to-dinner-with-Mom type? Only problem is she’s likely to cut your balls off while you sleep. There’s no way she’d date you even once, much less for months.”
I smiled to myself. “I’ve got that covered.”
“Drugging her is not allowed.”
“She’ll date me willingly.”
He laughed again. “That dip in the fountain is messing with your brain. When is this happening? I want to be able to expect your call when she turns you down. We’ll go out and drink to how stupid this plan was.”
“I’m having dinner with her tonight at DiMaggio’s.” I would enter this negotiation with exactly the same mindset as any other, and I’d win.
“Did I tell you about this Croatian girl I asked out? I mean, she has a set—”
“Noah, I gotta go.” I didn’t have time for one of his stories.
“Okay. Another time. I bet you a bottle of Macallan Twenty-five you crash and burn.”
“You’re on. Catch you later.”
“Yeah, you gotta go order my bottle of Macallan.”
“You wish.” I hung up and pivoted to the door. “Martin?”
He poked his head back in.
I waved him forward. “The instrument division, huh?”
* * *
Alexa
The subway ridehad been long, mostly because I was not looking forward to meeting with Evan. The way I figured, I had only one reason to not turn around and head back to the safety of my office.
I was doing this for Chelsea. I owed her a debt I could never repay, and this was the first time she’d ever asked for anything. Besides, it was just one meeting, and after that I could walk away a free woman. I’d tried for lunch, but he’d insisted on dinner. Like Sliphorn said, give up small to win big.
The sign outside had the right name, DiMaggio’s, but two guys in suits came out, followed by two more. It was Thursday, and the Yankees were playing this afternoon, so that was odd, even for a Manhattan sports bar.
