Page 9 of Embrace Me Forever

I silently praise this woman’s boldness. She has guts. I give her that.

“I don’t see a company here,” I comment. The letterhead looks professional but only lists her name and address. The content is mainly an in-depth description of the product she’s offering, quite different from the typical proposals overflowing with corporate jargon and inflated promises, followed by tables full of dollar signs as if written by Richie Rich.

“She doesn’t have a company,” Rob says evenly.

The fact clearly piques his interest. It catches mine, too, though not with the same enthusiasm as my boss. I flip through the proposal, eager to reach the last page for some kind of summary or call to action. “Is she trying to get Hartley Marine to invest in her startup or something?” I mutter as I skim through the paragraphs.

“I don’t think so,” Clayton chimes in. “She simply wants to sell her product to us. Reading between the lines, she needs some quick money.”

I read her profile out loud. “A math lecturer at the University of Colombia, and she has been working as a contractor for Obsidian Moon Interactive.”

Rob fills me in. “An interactive simulation and gaming solutions provider in Silicon Valley. Medium-sized, only a handful of people have heard about it.”

I read the printout more thoroughly. She explains her proposal matter-of-factly, using bullet points instead of paragraphs. Everything is in order, representing her methodical thinking. There’s no boasting about her capabilities, just the logic and promise of her product.

Rob continues, “If it works as advertised, it could be a game-changer for us. Regardless of her motive, I’m eager to meet her. We rarely received a proposal from an individual engineer, let alone a female one. Not to sound sexist, but it’s refreshing and about time.”

Clayton agrees with his brother. “It’s been scientifically proven. Women have up to fifty percent more neuronal and non-neuronal cells.”

Obviously, I’ve been mingling with the wrong kind of women, or maybe I’m the problem. Right now, though, I feel like I’m running on half a brain cell trying to figure out what Ms. Williams is selling. High-tech navigation, sure, but the details? They’re as elusive as my last vacation. Clearly, Rob and Clayton are on board, but I might need a few extra neurons just to keep up with their excitement.

Clayton points at me, chuckling. “Look at Mr. Skeptical!”

“Well, it’s my job to be skeptical, Clay,” I respond. “I think, on all probabilities, everyone is capable of making dumb decisions in any given situation regardless of how many neuronal cells they have.”

“Still, Blake, if I was a statistician, I’d calculate that men make exponentially more dumb decisions compared to women,” Clayton argues. “If it weren’t for my wife, my dumb decisions would’ve multiplied like errors in a faulty avionics system.”

As their PI, I know the ins and outs of Rob and Clayton’s personal lives. I see firsthand how much they love and respect their wives. Their admiration shines through in every story they share, every praise they utter. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want what they have—a relationship built on mutual respect and unwavering support. But for now, I just have to keep my chin up and focus on my work.

“A woman can turn even the most guarded man into an open book,” Rob adds.

I clear my throat, declaring, “No woman can read me. I guess that’s why I’m still here.”

Sometimes, being around my married bosses makes me feel like a fish out of water. Stability and love are foreign concepts to me. I stick to meaningless trysts with strangers, forgetting them as easily as I remember the day I was born. It’s the price I pay and will keep paying for the rest of my life, for one regret. A decision that shattered my world. It’s been over a decade, but the memory of my wife taking a bullet for me will never fade.

“There’s more to this than meets the eye,” I caution, my PI instincts kicking in. “A lot about this proposal just doesn’t add up. It’s out of the blue, submitted by an individual, and even though I don’t fully grasp the technical details, it sounds too good to be true. We need to make sure she’s not a pawn in someone else’s game.”

“Of course, that’s a possibility,” Rob agrees, his tone devoid of surprise.

“If her software is legitimate, we owe it to ourselves to explore this fully,” Clayton adds, leaning forward.

Rob swivels his chair, fingers tapping as he steeples his hands in front of him. “I’d like to meet her. We need to stay cautious but open-minded. No biases. Think of it as being inShark Tank, listening to pitches from complete strangers.”

Clayton tilts his head thoughtfully before saying, “Let’s lock in a meeting, then. Seeing her in person might give us a better read on her intentions and capabilities.”

“Hold on. You’re asking me not to investigate her?” I ask.

“For now,” Rob answers, giving me a knowing gaze. “Think you can manage that without going into withdrawal?”

I understand their approach, although I’m not entirely convinced. I might be overprotective, but I’d do anything for them. Rob and Clayton have given me more than just a job; they’ve given me a second chance at life. So, while I gettheir need to be open-minded and unbiased, I also have a responsibility to keep them in check. It’s my job to ensure their safety and success, even if it means stepping on a few toes along the way.

“All right, I’ll keep my nose out of it,” I decide. “But if anything else feels off—and to be honest, this already feels off—if there’s even one more red flag, I’m jumping in.”

Rob slaps the armrests as he stands. “That’s settled, then. She’s flying in from Denver. How about you pick her up from LAX? Could be a bonding trip,” he suggests with a grin.

“Can I throw in an element of surprise?” I bargain.

“If it adds a dash of excitement, be my guest. I’d rather you do that than munch on cushions,” Rob says. “Just remember, we’re aiming for stellar service.”

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