Page 43 of The Main Event

“They think there’s hidden money in the hotel,” Jesse said. “That’s what you’re basically not saying.”

I sighed. “That’s it in a nutshell,” I agreed.

“So, they want you to sell your grandfather’s hotel and split money that’s not even there with them?”

“They haven’t come right out and said it, but that’s definitely what they’re pushing for.”

“What a bunch of jerks.”

“I don’t disagree.” I reached for my water bottle. It felt good to get that off my chest. I felt freer. Then I looked at the door as it opened for incoming gym goers, and almost crushed my water bottle to death when I realized the new guests were Daisy and Lux.

“Unclench there,” Jesse said after a beat as he carefully pried my fingers from the plastic bottle. “We don’t need a Hulk situation.”

I shot him a dubious look. “I’m not doing anything,” I lied. “It’s just a fragile bottle.”

“As all water bottles are,” Jesse agreed. “You really should get yourself a reusable one. Then you won’t have to worry about crushing it and can save the planet at the same time.”

“Thanks for the tip,” I said dryly.

“As for not doing anything, you clearly reacted to seeing Daisy.”

My stomach clenched tighter, which shouldn’t have been possible. “I’ve already told you that there’s nothing going on between Daisy and me.”

“And I believe you.”

“You do?” Now I was the suspicious one.

“Of course I do. You said it, so I believe it.”

I stared at him. Hard. “I might want something to happen with her.” The words gushed out of me like a water main break.

His smirk told me he already knew that.

“Nothing can happen between us, though,” I insisted. “I’m her boss…and she’s difficult.”

“The best ones are.”

“How would you know?”

“Do you think getting together with Lux was easy?” he asked. He waved at Lux from across the gym, but I was relieved when she and Daisy headed toward the treadmills. As for the latter, she merely darted a glare in my direction before joining her friend.

“Were you her boss?” I challenged.

“No. When Lux and I met, we both had food trucks over on the bay. I spent weeks coming up with my menu—it was perfect and extravagant—and she outsold me by sitting in the window of her truck and eating hot dogs in a sexually suggestive manner. That’s all she served. Hot dogs.”

I was understandably confused. “I think I’m going to need more context.”

He chuckled. “She was in financial trouble. She’d lost her job as a tour guide because of that mouth of hers. Her boyfriend had also dumped her for the woman who took her job.”

“Well, that sucks.”

“She wasn’t in the best place, and even though I never want things to be hard for her, I’m not sorry she was in that place because that’s how we got together.”

“Did she get you to start eating hotdogs in a pornographic manner, too?” I was amused despite myself.

“No. It did have us examining our strengths, though. I spent so much time learning to be the best chef in the world that I forgot about branding. Lux could sell beef to a vegan. She’s that good. We joined forces because we wanted the prime food truck location. We figured, if we could get it, that it would solve all our problems. Do you know what happened?”

“It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happened,” I replied. “She turned you on with the hotdogs, and you hit the sheets.”

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