Page 73 of Due Diligence

“Sure,” he said. “Lots of people dream of moving to New York. Alex and I obviously picked it over Silicon Valley.”

“You moved to New York because you wanted to be closer to the financial industry, which made a ton of sense in your line of work,” I acknowledged. “I moved to New York for a guy.”

Marcus flinched, but he didn’t say a word. He swallowed hard once and he nodded encouragingly. “Got it. So, you moved here for a guy.”

“I met him when I was a senior in college. He was…not what my parents wanted for me.”

“How so?”

“Tons of tattoos. Played in a band. Never went to college. You get the picture.”

He nodded again, his jaw clenching. “Yep. Got it.”

“I kept him a secret, but of course my parents found out. One of their friends’ daughters sent them a picture of us—something shitty like that. They were livid, and they gave me an ultimatum: Break up with him or you’re cut off.”

“And it sounds like you didn’t break up with him,” he reasoned.

“My parents were even angrier after that,” I went on. “I think they just assumed I would never, ever give up all the privilege and perks that came from being the daughter of one of the most successful lawyers in San Francisco. So when I picked him over them, they decided they were done with me. I wasn’t their daughter anymore. My father emailed me an invoice for the costof the three months of law school that he paid for and wished me the best of luck.”

“Shit,” he murmured, shaking his head. “That’s really messed up, Cass.”

“Trust me, I know,” I responded. “But I wasn’t going to fight it. I moved in with my boyfriend, scrounged up every dollar I could from selling my old furniture, dropped out of law school, and paid back the invoice. I really don’t think they were expecting that either. And I don’t think I expected to feel so good after paying that debt.”

“So, you decided you were going to pay for your entire life, even though they didn’t ask?”

“Nailed it.”

His eyes widened. “But Cass, that’s atonof money to owe someone. The average American in our age range only owes around twenty-five thousand in debt.”

“Only, millionaire?”

He shrugged. “Fair point. But seriously—you want to pay your parents 900k?”

“I want to and I will.”

“And they want you to pay it? They accept your money?”

“No. I just deposit it into a checking account I don’t touch.”

Marcus was shaking his head as he listened to me. “Jesus, Cass.” He let out a quick whistle and he started to walk again. “Are you hurt?” he inquired as he turned around suddenly to face me. “That’s the important thing. Are you doing okay?”

“I’m fine.”

This time, he was the one to tuck a flyaway lock of hair behind my ear. When he lowered his hand, he let it linger on my shoulder. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. My life is on track. It took me a while to find a good job, but they love me at Davenport-Ridgeway. After I wentback to school for my MBA, D-R rehired me with a humongous signing bonus and a salary increase—”

“Which all goes into your untouchable account,” he interjected, frowning. “How much do you have left to pay?”

“I need to put away another five hundred and fifty thousand.”

As soon as I said that number, I saw Marcus’s lips part. My stomach surged and I held up my hand.

“Cass—” he began.

“Marcus—”

“That’s nothing to me. I could—”

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