Page 45 of Tributary

“Did you have something to do with the larger settlement?”

He shakes his head. “It’s not larger. Epi-D isn’t going to have future profits now that Wexler Holdings pulled out their investment. I estimate they’ll go belly up within a few months. Get absorbed by one of the larger pharm companies.”

I chew on my bottom lip. “Does that mean people won’t have access to the medication? I don’t want that at all…”

He shakes his head. “No, it just means Jay Buford won’t be the one selling it to them.” Asa pats my leg. “You earned that payout, Diana. Don’t you ever believe you didn’t earn every cent of that.”

This is all new, and it’s really big and my instincts are screaming at me to punch him or go running, or possibly fuck him. Instead, I say, “Thank you. For your part in the settlement.”

We’re quiet for a bit until he asks, “What got you interested in cannabis to begin with? Why that of all plants?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” I tell him. “It was really the first time a plant was making a splash in the scientific community as medicine for, well maybe for a century. When I started graduate school, everyone was talking about medical marijuana relieving pain for cancer patients, and the buzz was just starting about—am I rambling?”

He smiles and slides closer to me. “I love your animated ramblings. Please. Tell me.”

I get distracted when his thumb starts circling my wrist again, but eventually I find my words. “People were just getting excited about using marijuana to treat seizures. It occurred to me that I could maybe isolate the most effective parts of the plant and, oh. That feels really good, Asa.”

I didn’t come over here to sleep with him, and I don’t want to just end every argument by throwing him down on the floor and riding his cock until we both can’t walk. I notice a pile of suitcases in the hall and find the energy to ask, “Are you planning to stay awhile?”

He nods. “I quit my job today.”

“Wait, what?”

Asa pulls me into his arms, and I let him embrace me, resting my head against his chest while he sniffs my hair. “I still think you’re a witch,” he says.

“Ok, but why did you quit your job?”

“Because there’s another job I want more. I came to Oak Creek today to ask you to hire me.”

“Me hire you?” He nods again and runs his fingers through my hair, pulling it loose from the messy bun on top of my head. “As what?”

“Well,” he says, rubbing my arms now, “we can maybe discuss my title another time, but I think I have the skills and experience in business to help you expand your small robot weed farm.”

A laugh escapes my throat, taking me by surprise. “Robot weed farm?”

“We can discuss branding, too. But think about it. You’re a brilliant scientist. You have brilliant partners and you have the funds to get your license. You also know nothing about marketing, you’re lousy at details like proper insurance, and you don’t have time to worry about the complex accounting involved in a business that’s sill not legal at the federal level.”

“Mmm tell me more about what I don’t know.”

Asa turns me around to face him. “I’m serious, Diana. Let me work for you. Your company. Your intellectual property. Your name. My strategic advice.”

When I close my eyes, I can see it. Me spending long hours developing perfect conditions to cultivate perfect plants. Him handling the rest. It’s a dream I hadn’t even dared to dream, not even in my quietest inner mind.

“Ok,” I whisper. “But you have to call me ‘boss’ when we’re at work.”

“And then I’ll call you Dr. Crawford in the bedroom,” he says, slapping my rump and causing me to yelp.

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