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“Fine.Shecan’t makeit.”
He laughs silently. “Listen. I’m not saying I don’t believe you. But something strange is going on. If you are really dating Daisy, you won’t let an excuse to show her off goby.”
The smug prick could beright.
Holt strides in, nodding to me and clapping Xavier on theback.
“Now that you’re both here, I wanted to congratulate you on your nominations,” Xavierbegins.
I frown. “Nominations?”
Holt grins at me. “You didn’t think you were the only one from the firm up for thisaward?”
Yeah, I fuckingdid.
“I can only give my reference to one of you,” Xavier goes on. “Fortunately, I don't have to write it for three more weeks. So don't fuck up in themeantime."
It's not a joke, and the fact that Holt’s being considered for the same award tells me the coming month is even moreimportant.
“Good. Well, if we’re ready to get to business, I’ve got a lead on something in services that will fit beautifully,” Holtsays.
“Better than Ben’s proposal?” Xavierasks.
He snorts. “Their balance sheet is amess.”
“But the tech is exquisite. Someone stands to make a fortune on them. I’d like it to be us.” I rise from my seat, fastening my jacket and preparing forbattle.
But as I launch into my pitch, half of my brain’s stuck on the fact that my competition just got harder. Which means the importance and urgency of convincing Xavier—and everyone else—I’m dating Daisy just dialedup.
* * *
After work,I take my car to the Parkwood Rehabilitation Center. It’s a low building in New Jersey with sweeping green lawns. It’s meant to feel like freedom, but it’s anything butthat.
The woman at the desk is in her twenties and wearing scrubs. She looks at me appraisingly, her gaze lingering on mybody.
I don’t walk around assuming every woman is attracted to me, but I’m smart enough it doesn’t surprise me when ithappens.
I co-run a VC. I’m the perfect combination of exciting and safe. The guy a woman can bring home to her parents who’ll still sneak up to her childhood bedroom and fuck her after dessert. If I ever got serious enough for a woman to let her make me meet herparents.
“I’m here for RamonaDouglas.”
“We have no one under thatname.”
I drum my fingers on the counter. “TryGable.”
I hold outID.
After lingering look at me, she turns to type on her computer, then sighs. “Followme.”
She leads me down a hall, casting a look over one shoulder to see if I’m following or maybe if I’m checking herout.
I’m not. Not that I can’t appreciate women, because I do. But love fucks you up, and I’m not into that. I’ve seen it happen enough, including when my dad jerked my mom around for years before eventually leavingher.
Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t convinced her so completely he loved her, hadn’t doted on her while leeching her money, while planning hisescape.
The door to a room at the end of the hall opens and I step inside. Mom’s lying on a bed, wearing a tidy blue tailored pantsuit, legs crossed, shoulder-length gray hairstyled.
I start to shut the door after the attendant, and she balks. “We’d prefer they be left open when people arevisiting.”
