Page 37 of The Nerds and the CEO

“What do you think?” Justin was referring to the email he just sent.

“It’s going to be expensive.”

Justin knew it. But Emily was right about a lot of things last night, including the need to break out PP from APPropriate Designs’ payroll. “I don’t expect you to foot any of the bill if you’re not comfortable with it. This is my obsession. If you’re still helping with the work, that’s better than I can hope for.”

“I’m in.” Antonio didn’t hesitate. “Do you have someone in mind?”

Same person he’d had on his mind for almost a week and shouldn’t. “Take a guess.”

“This is me assuming your choice is strictly for professional reasons. She’s going to balk.”

“Maybe. We won’t know unless we ask.” Justin had a valid list of why Emily was the best person to make this offer to, and Antonio could probably guess most of them. Besides, he was already on board. Justin would save the hard sell for Emily. “Ask her if she’s free to join us for lunch. Wrap it in a pretty bow if you’d like. Ano hard feelingskind of thing.”

“No.”

That caught Justin by surprise. “Why not?”

“If I do it, she’s going to think I talked you into this,” Antonio said.

“Who cares whose idea it was?”

“She does. Or rather, I would. I’d want to know whatever happened physically isn’t the driving force for this decision, and that you aren’t being coerced into asking for something that’s questionable on this many levels. After everything she said last night, assume that she’ll react in a similar way.”

A foreign surge of jealousy gnawed at Justin’s thoughts. How did Antonio already knew Emily well enough to say what he was with such certainty? “Point taken.”

He hung up and dialed Emily without pause. Had to keep the momentum going.

“This is Emily.” Hesitation lined her greeting.

“It’s Justin. Do you have a moment?” Not that he expected her to sayno. It was a perk of being the boss. Most people made time for him when he asked.

“I do.”

“Are you free for lunch? I have a proposal I’d like to run by you.” He winced. There were a lot of ways that could be interpreted, and as much fun as it might be to talk her into screwing in the coat closet of the restaurant, it wasn’t on the agenda. “Rather, we do. Antonio and I. A business proposal.”

Hesitation stretched over the line. “Can you give me a hint what it’s about?” she said.

“I’d prefer we talk about it on our own time.” With any luck, that would give her a hint, and if not, at least he was complying with her insistence from yesterday that they not conduct PP business on Grant’s dime. It was partly stubbornness, but largely because she wasn’t going to agree to anything unless the lines between the two aspects of the business stayed distinct.

“Do I have a choice?” she asked.

The question ground against his nerves and knocked him off the track. “Always.” The reply held an edge he didn’t intend.

“That came out wrong.” Her voice dropped in volume. “I only meant... Boss asks for your time, it’s unprofessional to sayno. Not that I think you would... You know what? I’m going to stop talking now. Yes. I can make it.”

“Great. Twelve thirty? We’ll meet in the lobby.”

“I’ll be there.” The line clicked off.

He placed the receiver back in its cradle and tried to make sense of the uneasiness left by the conversation. And then it hit him. He was bothered she had reservations about taking him at face value. That she didn’t trust him. He didn’t know which was worse—trying to decipher why it ate at him this deeply or not knowing how to change her perception.

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