Page 24 of Finance Bros

He nods. “Mr. Estrada is on line one. Make him happy, and I’ll buy you lunch.”

Long story short, I have to pay for my own lunch today.

6

MALCOLM

Kaylin is sketchy about the idea of taking a break. She’s going on a trip to Europe for three weeks with some of her college girlfriends in a few days, so I thought it’d be good timing for her, which is why I don’t get why she’s pushing back. I thought she’d be relieved.

But maybe it’s the “date” I went on with Isla that’s got her looking at me funny. Admittedly, I’m not proud of caving to Isla’s relentless flirting either. I wanted to prove something to myself, I guess, but I only ended up making a bigger mess.

When I tell Kaylin about it, she stares at me like I just struck her. “Your mentor? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I told you—nothing happened.”

Kaylin crosses her arms and breathes heavily, facing off with me in the kitchen. “I’m not the one asking for a break all of a sudden.”

Is it all of a sudden, though? She’s gotta feel this relationship malaise, too. Right? Is it just me? “I’m not the one going to Europe for three weeks,” I mumble.

Her gaze narrows, but with a little less heat, she asks, “Nothing happened? Really?”

I sigh, remembering Isla’s hands all over me at happy hour. I’d tolerated it, tried not care about the fact that I was putting myself in a compromising situation, but the second she started sliding her hand down my abs, I’d balked, asked for the tab, backed away from her, and left the bar. I didn’t even jerk off when I got home, which is as much a part of my routine as brushing my teeth.

“Really,” I assure her. “But I feel like the fact that I even considered it is enough reason to take a step back here. I’m obviously a fucking mess right now.”

Her lips press together as she studies my face. “Why is that?”

“The internship I guess. This stupid challenge,” I say.Ryan.

She drops her arms and sighs before taking a look around the kitchen. “Right. Well, if they’re on their way, we should…” She gestures at the cluttered kitchen like she’s run out of words for how much of a disaster I am.

“You don’t have to help,” I tell her. “I’d understand if you want to go.”

She inhales deeply through her nose and gives her head a small shake, her disappointment in me evident. “No. I’m okay. I wanna see Ryan anyway.”

Ouch.

He and Bailey are going to be here soon, and my apartment is a mess from a chaotic weekend spent ordering takeout, letting dishes pile up, and leaving things wherever.

Kaylin grabs a sponge and some cleaning spray from under the sink, getting to work on the kitchen island.

As I do the dishes, I let her go on about what a screw-up I am.

“Did you decide to take this break before or after you reached out to Ryan?” she asks.

“Before. Why?”

“Because you’re right. You’ve been a hot mess since you started that internship.”

“It’s fucking hard,” I say.

“Being around him?” she asks leadingly.

The question makes me clench my jaw.What is she implying?“No,” I say, annoyed. “The internship. I’m not sure finance is for me.”

“Oh my God.Mal.”

“What?” I snap, already knowing what she’s going to say.

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