Page 40 of Famous Last Words
Breathe, Fran.
“This is a tremendous opportunity,” Tony adds.
Before I can get a word in, Tadd continues. “We can work out a fair and reasonable commission split, and you can leverage the use of my team.”
I can’t help but glare at him. Here he is, acting like he’s doing me this selfless favor, when in actuality it’s nothing of the sort. This is his way of getting close to me again, controlling me. I have so many responses on the tip of my tongue, although none are appropriate considering Tony is sitting right there.
“Okay, well I think that settles it,” Tony says, clapping his hands together. “Put together a marketing plan, and we can start straight away.”
Too shocked to move, I remain seated as Tony and Tadd stand, their conversation shifting to a game of golf or some other irrelevant shit. I swallow hard, forcing myself to stand just as Tadd turns to me again, hand held out.
“Welcome aboard, partner.” His smile is almost taunting.
I stare at his hand a moment before reluctantly shaking it, making sure my nails dig into his too-soft-for-a-man hands. He tries to conceal his wince, letting go of me quickly before tucking the hand in his pocket and staring down at me, eyes flaring.
And without saying a word, I spin on my heel and hurry out of the office while the two of them continue chatting about fucking golf.
After a day like today, I am absolutely not in the mood to be dealing with this shit tonight. But since escrow doesn’t close until Monday, and because Carlton Myers’ ridiculous policy states that all escrow funds are to be held for twenty-one days after close, unfortunately I’m at the mercy of working for tips. So, with my tablet in hand, I walk out of the back room and into The Exchange, the bar thrumming with a typical Friday night energy, full of Wall Street d-bags.
I’m stopped the second I step out of the back room, Vera all up in my grill, hip popped, hand on her waist, looking down at me with one brow arched high.
“Hey?” I pose my greeting as more of a question, because what is happening?
“So, you know my boyfriend, Tyler?” she starts.
My brows pinch together because no, I don’t. We haven’t yet met. “I knowofhim.”
“Well, aside from being the love of my life, and a really awesome DJ who is going to make it big one of these days,” she says this with a flick of her hair, “do you know what else he is?”
I blink at her, totally lost. “Um, a vegan?”
She folds her arms across her chest. “Tyler’s a huge hockey fan.”
Oh, great.
“And not just any hockey fan, but a Thunder fan, like, since birth.”
I purse my lips.
Vera’s eyes go comically wide as she leans in even closer. “When were you planning on telling me that you’re dating?—”
“Shhhh!” I hiss, looking around and noticing just how busy this place is.
Thankfully she lowers her voice as she says, “Robbie Mason!”
I throw my hands up in a shrug. “It’s—it’s new.”
“Well, I would hope so, since you hadn’t toldyours trulyyet,” she says indignantly, holding a hand against her chest.
I roll my eyes. “We went to high school together. He just moved here, and we crossed paths. And here we are. No big deal.” That’s our story, and I’m sticking to it. Believable, to the point, and not a complete and utter lie. I make a mental note to relay this back to Robbie so we can at least keep our stories straight.
“Okay, but you do realize Tyler is now harassing me to set up a double date so he can meet and possibly become besties with your guy.”
I laugh out loud, unable to stop myself because the thought of Robbie on a double date is absurd, but I try not to give away my doubt. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Thankfully, before Vera can question me any further, we’re interrupted by Peter, tonight’s bartender, impatiently ringing the bell for service, and we both scurry off to earn our tips.
CHAPTER 18
