Page 4 of Power Play Daddies
“Neither am I,” he says, gesturing to his equally boring office attire. “But who cares? It’s Friday. Let’s hit Finnegan’s. They don’t give a damn what we’re wearing.”
I hesitate for a second, but honestly, he’s got a point. “Fine. One drink.”
“Two,” he counters, standing up and grabbing his bag.
“Don’t push it,” I warn, but I’m already following him out the door.
Finnegan’s is exactly what I need tonight—dim lighting, sticky floors, and a jukebox in the corner that hasn’t been updated since the early 2000s. The crowd’s a mix of locals and office workers like us, all looking for an escape.
We grab seats at the bar, and Logan orders us two beers.
“Cheers to surviving another week in hell,” he says, clinking his bottle against mine.
“Barely,” I say before taking a sip. The cold beer is a welcome distraction, if only for a minute.
“So,” Logan starts, leaning on the bar, “what’s the plan? How are you gonna pull off this Icemen miracle?”
“I’ve got no idea,” I admit, setting my bottle down. “But I’ve been thinking… what if we’re going about this all wrong? Like, what if the problem isn’t just the content but the format?”
He raises an eyebrow. “Go on.”
“Okay, hear me out,” I say, warming up to the idea. “What if we switch from print to digital? Scrap the print edition altogether and go fully online. We could cut costs, reach a bigger audience, and?—”
“Hold up.” Logan raises a hand. “You wanna take a magazine that’s been in print for, what, fifty years, and just… ditch it? You’re nuts.”
“Maybe,” I admit, “but think about it. Who even buys paper copies anymore? Everyone’s online. Take the sports section, for example. We could do live game updates, interactive articles, video content—stuff you can’t do in print.”
Logan takes a sip of his beer, considering. “You know, that’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard. But convincing the old farts upstairs? Good luck with that.”
“Yeah, I know. They’re stuck in the Stone Age.” I take another sip, feeling a little more hopeful now that I’ve said it out loud. “But if we don’t do something drastic, we’re screwed. This might be our only shot.”
Logan’s phone buzzes on the bar, and he glances at the screen. “Hold that thought. It’s Henry.”
“Tell him I say hi.” I wave him off.
Logan steps away to take the call, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the noise of the bar. I sip my beer, staring at the neon sign above the bar that flickers every few seconds.
Slim would probably disapprove of my life choices right now, I think with a smirk. But at least I’ve got one ally in this mess. Logan has always stood by me, even when I didn’t deserve his loyalty.
Logan slides back onto his stool, practically glowing. “Henry’s here!”
I blink at him. “What?”
“He’s in town! The sneaky bastard flew in to surprise me. He’s waiting at the hotel right now.”
“That’s amazing!” I grin at him, genuinely happy.
“I hate to bail on you, though.” He frowns, shoving his phone in his pocket. “I mean, we haven’t even finished a drink.”
“Logan, seriously, go!” I wave him off. “Your husband flew in to surprise you. I’m not about to stand in the way of that.”
“You’re the best.” He leans over and gives me a quick hug. “I owe you big time.”
“I’ll collect. Go.”
With one last grin, he rushes out, leaving me alone at the bar. I take a sip of my beer, relaxing into the buzz of the room.
Then the karaoke machine starts up.
