Page 2 of Worth the Risk

“No, not at all. And I’m not a toxic positivity person either. I was fired because I discovered that the firm was essentially skimming off the top of their biggest client.”

“And they firedyoufor that?” I’m fully invested in this stranger’s drama now, ignoring how odd it really is to just start confiding in someone on the train.

“Yup. Turns out, when you tell the client and show them proof instead of letting the higher-upshandle itas they promised to do when I sent them the information a few weeks ago, they don’t like that. So, here I am, unemployed with a fucking target on my back the size of the city.”

“You seem pretty upbeat for someone in your situation,” I say with a touch of sympathy. “Do you have a backup plan?”

“I guess you could call it that.” He turns his body so he’s facing me, his arm slung over the row of seats between us. “But the reality is I’ve always dreamed of opening my own firm. I mean, who doesn’t in the financial world, right? You have more freedom to take risks with your clients when you’re the boss, and then there’s the obvious financial gain—you actually get to keep your full commissions instead of splitting them with management. But for me it’s always been more than a want.” His eyes drift away from mine like he’s lost in thought. “It’s a craving, like I know I’m meant to do it.” He looks back at me. “You know what I mean?”

I swallow the lump in my throat that’s formed. It feels like he’s speaking directly to my soul. Like he’s heard every conversation I’ve had with myself about whether or not I should just take the easy way out and take this job if it’s offered to me. I get an overwhelming feeling like the universe or God or maybe a long gone relative sent him to me to hear this message. “Yeah, yeah, I really do, actually. So, you’re going to take the leap and start your own firm?”

“I am.” He nods his head like he just confirmed the decision right here and now. “That client I mentioned, he was so grateful he told me he would follow me wherever I end up next and I would be his new financial advisor. He also said he would bring over his friends. So while it’s become a backup plan, it has always been my plan A to start my own firm and work for myself. I guess I just took the longer way around.”

“Wow.” I let his words simmer for a few seconds, studying his demeanor while I try to figure out if he’s still in shock or just this self-assured with his life. “I don’t think I’d consider it the long way around. I mean, you look pretty young so I imagine you’re still ahead of the curve.”

He chuckles. “Thank you for the inadvertent compliment.”

“How are you going to start it, though? Isn’t it crazy expensive to do something like that?”

“Yes, but I planned ahead. What kind of financial advisor would I be if I didn’t manage my own funds first?” He winks at me. “I’ve had to invest in myself in this job”—he points to his wrist—“the watch, nice shoes, and a few nice suits, but otherwise, I’ve saved pretty much everything I’ve made outside of my bills… which I’ve kept well below my means over the last few years. It’s also why I take the train; it saves money. I have no kids, no wife, and no reason not to take this risk.”

Jealousy hits me right in the chest. I want to have that attitude. I want to take the risks.

“It sounds like you’ve got everything figured out for the next steps.”

“What about you?” he says, standing up and walking toward me. “The interview this morning, is it your dream job?” His arm extends and he rests his hand against the metal bar above my head so that he’s looking down at me. The other hand slides into his pants pocket. He looks effortlessly sexy, his hair hanging down slightly over one eye, a few buttons undone on his dress shirt. He looks just like those sexy BookTok guys I drool over whenever I’m feeling too overwhelmed in the real world and need to escape to social media.

“Dream job?” I snort. “I’m not sure I have one of those but it’s definitely a huge opportunity. Like aset you up for lifekind of opportunity. Ayou’d have to be a complete idiot not to take the jobkind of opportunity.” I add the last part as an audible reminder to myself. Maybe if I say it out loud to someone else, they’ll confirm that passing up a job like this would be the mistake of a lifetime and I am a moron for even considering something else.

“That sounds like a dream, then.” He smiles and it makes my stomach do a little flip the way he’s looking down at me. “What do you do for work?”

“I’m a lawyer—well, I’m licensed and passed the bar, but I’m an unemployed lawyer at the moment.”

He whistles. “Damn.” Then he steps back a few inches to look me up and down. “Yeah, I can see it,” he says with a lazy grin. “You’re lawyer material, for sure.”

“What’s that mean?” I feel my spine stiffen in defense and my shoulders square.

“Nothing bad.” He laughs, taking a seat next to me. “You just look very polished and put together, like you could walk into a courtroom right now and deliver the closing arguments in a high-profile case without missing a beat or breaking a nail.” The warmth spreading up my neck and cheeks tells me what I already know—I’m blushing. “And you’d win.”

“Is that a complimentary way of saying I look uptight?”

He laughs again. “You’re really funny, you know that?”

“Thanks.” I smile, letting him think that I actually am that funny and not that uptight about being…uptight.

“But I get the feeling you’re not excited about this huge opportunity you mentioned.” His gaze stays focused on mine like he’s reading me. Instead of the urge to lie to him and dismiss the conversation quickly so I can move on with my day, I find my usual uptight demeanor relaxing.

“You would be correct.”

“Any particular reason why?”

“Would you believe me if I repeated your same speech about doing your own thing back to you?”

“Ah.” He leans back in his seat. “So your dilemma is going to be following your heart.” He looks over at me. “Or following your head.” I nod. “I imagine for an intellectual like yourself that’shard?” I nod again. “When do you expect to hear back from them?”

“Tomorrow probably. What about you? When will you know if that client was serious?”

“Tomorrow probably.” He shrugs and laughs which in turn makes me laugh. “I’m Austin, by the way.” He leans over and extends his hand toward me. “Austin Blake.”

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