Page 4 of The Plus-One Deal

“I’m not a coder,” I told Conrad, on our way to the venue. “Or a graphic designer, so ignore how it looks. It’s just an idea, so?—”

Conrad set my phone down and laid his hand over mine. “Don’t do that,” he said.

I swallowed. “Do what?”

“Don’t apologize for anything when you pitch to investors. As far as they’re concerned, your app isawesome.”

“It crashes.”

“It’s awesome.”

“When you tap the shop menu, your screen flashes pink.”

“Are you kidding? I love when my screen flashes pink.” Conrad squeezed my hand so hard it hurt. “Listen, I have an idea.”

I fought my panic back. “What?”

“I’ll talk up your app. You talk up my business plan. We’ll wingman each other through the whole thing.”

The feeling that washed over me was more than relief. It seemed so obvious when he said it, but it hadn’t crossed my mind. What I needed was an advocate. Someone in my corner. Someone who’d say the things I couldn’t say myself, how brilliant I was, how inspired, how smart. How investing inmyapp was the way to go. And doing the same for Conrad, that would be easy. He had a great head for business, dazzling instincts. He made my head spin sometimes, with how fast he could pivot.

“You’re on,” I said.

“Great. It’s a deal.”

Our taxi pulled up and we spilled out. We strode into the venue and the night passed in a blur — pitches and meet-and-greets, handshakes, champagne. I left with a buzz on and three maybe-investors, half-leaning on Conrad, wobbly on my heels. He guided me to a quiet spot to wait for our ride.

“That was amazing,” he said. “I think I might actually have found my next step.”

“Me too.” I swayed on my feet. The evening was perfect, late-spring balmy, pale pinkish almond petals floating on the breeze. Like a scene from a movie, the kind where they kiss. The kind where the man sweeps the woman into his arms, and he says something likeit’s always been you. The music swells up and the credits roll by, happily ever after, love conquers all.

I held my breath. My pulse roared in my ears and I was ready, and Conrad leaned in, and?—

“We should always do this.”

I stared, thrown off. He hadn’t kissed me?

“We should always be each other’s plus-one like this. Be there for each other through these big moments. You know my strengths and I know yours. We’ll have each other’s backs. It’s a perfect?—”

“Yeah. Let’s.” I laughed, partly tipsy, partly embarrassed. Relieved, as well, because my head was clearing. Happily ever after? I was barely starting! What I needed from Conrad wasn’t romance. It was what we’d done right here tonight. We might’ve just kickstarted both our careers, both in one night, like some kind of magic.

I grabbed both his hands. “Plus-ones forever.”

CHAPTER 2

CONRAD

TWELVE YEARS LATER

The new Constel campus was everything I’d dreamed of. Everything I’d dreamed of, and I’d made it real — a slim, mirrored tower soaring over New York. Its great, glassed-in atrium housed a green indoor garden, opening out the east to my real pride and joy, an actual lawn in the heart of Manhattan, where workers could sit and eat lunch in the sun. Walls shielded this space from the noise of the city, from its smells and its bustle, the honking of cars. You could be in the city and feel like you weren’t. Like you’d stepped into a sun-dappled country escape.

“It’s stunning,” breathed Claire, stepping out of our limo. The sunset had turned the tower all shades of burning, rose-gold and orange and deep, angry red.

I wanted to grin, but I composed my face. She hadn’t seen the half of it. Hadn’t seen the best part. Cameras flashed as I took her arm, and I nodded to the reporters, inviting their questions.

“Mr. Farley!” A microphone jutted in my face. “Mr. Farley, when most other tech companies are tightening their belts, how do you justify this lavish new campus?”

I drew the mic closer, pleased with the question. “Well,” I said, “most of those companies are being short-sighted. They’re focused on growth they can show their investors. On short-term profits that can’t be sustained. They’re making cuts, making layoffs, stripping back benefits — in short, any incentive anyone might have to work there. Here at Constel, I want the best minds. I want the most brilliant innovators working for me. So I’ve built them this campus, and I’ll treat them as I see them: my most valuable asset. The bones of my business.”

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