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7
The lifeI lead is unpredictable—every day, I meet different people, take meetings, travel—so when I’m home, I have aroutine.
I get up at six with my alarm and shift out of my king bed. I hit the well-stocked gym in my building, where I catch up on markets while I run. Then I shower and getdressed.
Sometimes I’ll make a cup of coffee with the espresso machine that was a gift from my brother when he joined the company. It has “Thanks for the nepotism!” etched into the stainless cover, which is a joke because Tris is eminently qualified, even if he is aprick.
My condo is chrome and glass, mid-century modern furniture a decorator picked out and I approved. It’s expensive enough to have the amenities and services I want. There are pictures of my family and friends. Some of my mom with Tris and me when we were little at parties in LA. There’s even one with my dad—but it serves as a cautionary tale, not a fondmemory.
The man took advantage of my mom, flitting in and out of her life, leeching off her and us. Making promises he couldn’t keep until he finally walked out for good when I wastwelve.
It took me two years to admit he wasn’t comingback.
When he finally did, I was in college. It wasn’t to see me, but to take up with my mom and leech off heragain.
My longest relationship is with my cleaner, a woman named Monica. She takes care of this place whether I’m in the city or not, and doesn’t have an opinion about my life. Or if she does, she keeps it to herself. What I know of her is mostly from overhearing her talking on the phone to her son, whom I helped find a job at Soar—a charity whose board I’m on. They help kids and teens with mental health challenges learn science and engineering skills and apply those skills concurrently with getting counseling and other support theyneed.
I know firsthand how much it helps to have something good to focus on when you’re struggling with the challenges life throws atyou.
Of the boards I sit on, Soar means themost.
Today I take the subway to work like every New Yorker, where I review my schedule. Two meetings with current holdings, a lunch with a prospect, and a dinner with another firm. After dinner, we’re all going out for my brother’sbirthday.
The box in my pocket is something I found at home for Tris. He took our father's abandonment harder than me, and in different ways. Like Mom, he still wishes Dad weredifferent.
I’m striding into our building when Holt accosts me at theelevator.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to fuck with me?” hedrawls.
“Paranoia. You should talk to someone about that.” I stare him down as the elevator doors close and I hit the button for our floor. “Heather’s going to quit unless you layoff.”
“Who’sHeather?”
“The new associate from Stanford who arrived lastmonth.”
His face scrunches up. “I’m still waiting on something I assigned her two daysago.”
“Her grandmother died. The funeral wasyesterday.”
Holt’s sharp gaze narrows. “Stay out of my business and I’ll stay out ofyours.”
“This company is our business. Both of ours. Don’t tell me you’re still sore Xavier’s leaning toward my recommendation.” I think of how Monday’s meeting went down, the decision our third partner decided to defer for the timebeing.
“That’s an exaggeration. He asked for more information. But the health care services company is a great fit. I don’t think you’ve even looked atthem.”
“We’re in for thirty million. Their valuation has doubled in the last six months on the basis of… what? They don’t have the skills to scale, and their estimated market demand is inflated. We got in, and now it’s time to getout.”
He frowns. “This is better than taking on new risks for no other reason than that you get off on calling theshots.”
I wait until the doors open and we step out. “I know it was Xavier’s idea to bring me on as a partner. Maybe that's why you're sore. Because he nominated me for this award too, even though I’ve only been with the firm twoyears.”
Holt's jaw clenches. “It doesn’t mean he’s going to vacate his seat foryou.”
"No. But it means he’s thinking aboutit."
Tris emerges from his office as we start down thehall.
“Watch your back,” Holt states before brushing past us with a nod to mybrother.
