28
LOGAN
The momentI step off the elevator inside BetMasters Headquarters, all eyes are on me. More specifically the black eye I’m sporting, courtesy of our VP of Acquisitions. There’s a lot of chatter, but I’m halfway to my office before anyone has the nerve to speak up.
“Damn, bossman.” Pete, our CFO’s assistant whistles. “That’s quite the shiner.”
I take a sip of my coffee. “You should see the other guy.”
Sara, an intern, snickers. “A friendly disagreement over March Madness, or…?”
“Sure, that sounds plausible,” I say dryly, brushing past them toward my office.
Fucking hell. I really should’ve listened to Rosie and iced the damn thing.
She picked up a tube of arnica for me last night, but it can only do so much at this point. I brush my employees’ looks aside, knowing the state of my face is the least of my concerns right now. I have exactly two weeks to lock in the Olympus deal, and we have a lot to do between now and then.
I step into my office, setting my coffee down as I boot up mycomputer. Before I can settle in, my EA, Barry, walks in, clutching his tablet.
“Morning, boss. Did you hear the news? You’re trending. On the interwebs and the thirtieth floor.”
I groan. “Lucky me.”
“Someone clearly had a go at your face. Did you ice that eye at all, or just fancy the swollen look?”
I sigh. “Why don’t you ask what you really want to know, Barron?”
“Ooh, he’s pulling out the legal name.” He smirks, like the shit-stirring savant he is. “I daresay the gossip train’s well and truly left the station. The office’ll be buzzing by lunch, so go on then. What’s the story behind the bruiser? Let me guess…this has to do with the woman you were seen kissing? Does she have a name?”
“Yes, she has a name,” I shoot back without blinking. “Rosalie Morales.”
Might as well get it out there since it’s bound to be public information anytime now. Quite frankly, I’m shocked the paps didn’t figure it out over the weekend.
Barry arches his brows. “As in your best mate’s little sister?ThatRosalie Morales? Bloody hell, no wonder. I’m assuming Ryan’s the one who put the mark on your pretty mug?” He twirls a finger in my direction for emphasis.
Barry may be a shameless gossip, but I trust he knows when to keep his mouth shut. He understands Ryan and I had a personal relationship long before a working one, and the two do not coincide.
“Yep.” I point to him. “But that stays between us.”
“Like a royal vault, me.” He uses his thumb and forefinger to mimic pulling a zipper across his mouth.
I shake my head, sipping my coffee. “Just run through my schedule please.”
Barry chuckles, then launches into his rapid-fire breakdown of my day.
“Right then. First up, internal check-ins on the PPA integration,followed by a meeting with Gretchen’s team to finalize the contingency budget. Lunch is scheduled for delivery at noon. Since your body is your temple and all that, I took the liberty of selecting a quinoa, spinach, and lentil salad topped with grilled chicken, avocado, and sweet potatoes with a lemon-tahini dressing.”
“That sounds good. Thanks.”
He nods. “At two, you have a call with Imani from the Vegas satellite. She only needs about ten minutes to review upcoming license renewals. Other than that, you’ll be free to float around checking on each individual team’s progress for the Olympus deal. I’ll be sorting travel arrangements today for Vegas, so if you’ve any preferences for accommodation, make sure they’re sent my way.”
I dip my chin. “Sounds good.
“Anything else you’re needing from me, then?” Barry asks, tapping his digital pen against the edge of his iPad.
“Check with Jared to ensure the dev team’s data has been updated before we finalize the presentation decks.”
“Already on it,” Barry confirms.