Page 74 of Boss Level

“Yeah, I have.”

It was so weird to hear him admit it, even though I’d known it for ages. It was nice, though. Except in this case, “him or the job. Pick, or the board picks for you. Don’t take things that far.” The words came out with more pleading than I intended.

Elliot scrubbed his face. “I can’t. AcesPlayed is my baby as much as it is yours. This game… it’s my everything.”

“But it’s not.” This was something I knew. Because I wouldn’t be torn. I would pick the company. Again and again. “I’m not telling you to give up Link. If you have the perfect guy, that’s longer term than any game. No one could’ve pulled this off besides us. We breathed life into it.” And I was so proud of that. Of my team. Of his. “That will never change, regardless of what you choose next. What if…”

I lost the thought before I could grasp it.

“Yes?” Elliot asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know.” That had been my answer too often lately. It wasn’t right. I should always know.

“What if I moved into a consulting position? Like a contractor? Put someone else in charge, so I’m not the guy who determines Link’s future.” Elliot’s suggestion had a lot of merit. “Let me have a say still. Let me keep my stake in the company.”

I almost succeeded in hiding my smile. It was a simple suggestion. Elegant. “Could you do that?”

“I don’t know. But give Link my old job and that’ll make it easier.”

Bad idea. I promoted Link, and it made it look like he was being rewarded for breaking the rules. But Link had stepped into the role while Elliot was gone, and he knew this product better than anyone else.

Besides, if Elliot made this decision, we took that option away from the board. They couldn’t vote to push him out if he wasn’t in, and I could keep a fantastic part of the company, just with a little twist to how we approached things. “All right. Let’s do it,” I said.

Telling Link, seeing his disbelief, was incredible, and telling the rest of the team and seeing their reactions was just as good. But watching Elliot kiss Link in front of the room…

That hit me wrong. As happy as I was for them, the moment tasted bitter.

I needed to keep this ball in motion now that we’d started it rolling. Call Xander. Call the rest of the board. Tell them the issue was resolved.

Why did it feel like my feet dragged as I headed back to my office?

I wanted to tell Xander the great news, but his name made my brain stall.

No, the image of him pulling away from me yesterday in Dom’s SUV, overlapping with that kiss between Elliot and Link, that was what hung me up.

This was ridiculous. Not losing myself in a relationship included not projecting misplaced feelings on my best friend. I didn’t bow to anyone. I didn’t hesitate over emotional bullshit.

When I reached my office, I called Xander.

“Hey.” Was his tone off as he answered or was that me?

I was happy about this, and there was no reason to hide that. “Hey yourself. I have what I can only describe as fantastic news.”

“Yeah?” There was the lilt to his voice.

I told him about the conversation with Elliot. “So there’s no reason to hold the vote. Nothing to push him out for.”

“That’s a loophole Dom’s going to be proud of,” Xander said. “I’ll tell Wade and Grant?”

No. This was my news. My company. My job. “I’ll call Grant and Scott, and you can tell me if Oliver turns several shades of red when he finds out.” The longer we talked, the better I felt.

Xander chuckled. “I’ll definitely tell you that.”

This was fantastic. After days of stress and the unknown, things were going right and I simply hadn’t been prepared for that. Now that I’d processed, now that I’d shared the news with Xander, I felt good.

I needed to wrap things up before my traitor brain came in with more bullshit doubt. “Okay, I have to make a couple more calls. We’ll talk soon.”

“Definitely.” And there was that hitch in Xander’s voice again.

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