Page 94 of Just Not That Into Billionaires

“You’re not the one who has to work in somebody else’s lab for a year,” I say. “I’m no longer willing to do that.”

“Is it the price? Are you looking to get more money?” he asks.

“I’ve been reevaluating things. What I really want, when I really think about it, is the freedom to pursue the ventures that I want to pursue.”

“And with the money that you’ll get, you’ll be able to do that!” Aaron insists. “Arcana Protech is the only game in town.”

“It’s not the same,” I say.

“Have you been negotiating with someone else?”

“I’m just rethinking a lot of things,” I say.

“Does this have to do with Francine?” he asks. “She’s a gold digger—”

“Which just goes to show that you know nothing.”

“She’s the most dangerous kind of gold digger there is—the kind that convinces you she’s not.”

“I don’t owe you explanations, Aaron. I’m nixing the sale. I’m going to exercise my option to buy you out.”

“Hold on here,” he says. “Can we think this through? We need to think this through.”

“I don’t need to think this through,” I say. “I know you were counting on a payday. You’re still going to get an enormous amount of money relative to the hours that you’ve put in.”

He’s got a lot of legal arguments for me, but I’ve done my research. There’s nothing he can do if this is my decision.

“Let’s discuss this. Before you make any moves, can we just discuss it? Think through all of the options?”

“I’ve made up my mind. There’s no world in which this sale to Juliana and her people happens, so there’s nothing really to discuss.”

“Just humor me?” Aaron pleads. “Have you had lunch? Let’s meet at Brandenburger. You haven’t had lunch yet, right?”

I roll my eyes. He thinks he can change my mind. He thinks he can tempt me with zeros and spreadsheets. Maybe he’ll even sweeten the deal for me. It’s not going to happen.

“For old times’ sake,” he says. “James would hear me out.”

I groan inwardly. I hate that he’s invoking James. Jameswouldhear him out—it’s true. James was all for being diplomatic.

I sigh. I’m in love with Francine and she’s in love with me. I can afford to be generous.

I agree to meet him at three. I can give him an hour more of my time, and then we’re nixing this deal and I’m buying him out.

It’s dizzying.

“Can we make it three forty?” he asks.

I don’t know what the difference is, but I agree.

Brandenburger is a neighborhood restaurant down two blocks and over. Burgers, chili, that kind of thing. There’s a ton of construction out front that’s been hurting their business and I’m always trying to take meetings there, to support them.

I’m texting, walking under the massive scaffolding shed on the block before the restaurant when I see Aaron up ahead, waving.

“Hey!” he says.

I walk up to him. “Is everything okay? Were there no tables or something?”

“No, it’s fine, I just wanted to have a quick word before the restaurant. I wanted to show you something.” He’s noodling on his phone.

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