Page 34 of Negotiating Tactics

“It looks like being married is agreeing with you,” I said to Dominic.

“Being married to Birdie agrees with me,” he said.

“It does. I can’t think of the last time you did something like this,” Beau said.

“Well, she insisted on quitting, so I don’t get to see her at the office. Meaning I don’t feel inclined to be there as much,” Dominic said.

We walked through the basketball courts of the exclusive gym that I suspected was Wilder family owned and went to the juice bar.

I couldn’t help but shake my head at that.

Juice bar?

Me in a fucking juice bar.

I’d made a name—and a fortune—for myself, but this kind of shit still threw me off sometimes.

But Dominic and Beau seemed relaxed, and I tried to mimic them, though I knew I would never fit in a place like this.

Not really.

“Thanks for letting me crash,” I said to Dominic after we got our green smoothies—another twilight zone moment for me.

“I told you, anytime. And I take it you and Alex were able to get along? I didn’t realize she would be there,” Dominic said.

I decided not to share just how well Alex and I had gotten along, mostly because I wasn’t sure that we had.

I’d been disappointed but not worried when she’d been gone. It had taken me hours to realize she wasn’t coming back.

And hours more to accept it.

“She was fine,” I finally said. “Did they fix her apartment?”

I took a sip of the smoothie, trying to hide my satisfaction at this unexpected opportunity to go fishing. I’d been desperate for more information about Alex, and the ferocity with which I wanted her was the only thing that had kept me from marching directly to her apartment and finishing what, to my mind, had only gotten started.

“Yeah. Birdie said she lit into their asses and got them to make the place at least habitable,” Dominic said.

“Why are you so interested in Alex?” Beau asked.

“I can’t ask a question?” I responded, though it wasn’t lost on me that both men realized that hadn’t been an answer.

Beau’s eyes were sharp, probing, even though he wore his usual relaxed, jovial expression. “I guess that’s better than the silent treatment or you glaring at everyone.”

I huffed. “Don’t be so fucking sensitive.”

“Yeah, Beau, don’t be so sensitive. I’m the one whose wedding he ditched,” Dominic said.

“Same goes for you, Dominic,” I said.

He laughed. “Aren’t you supposed to apologize for only halfway attending my wedding?”

“Nope,” I said, and we all laughed.

I appreciated it. I should have stuck around, but the wedding had been intense and more emotional than I’d expected, so I’d cut bait.

I was glad Dominic didn’t seem to be holding it against me.

We sat in silence for a few moments as I debated whether or not to ask the question that was at the top of my mind.

---