I snort into my coffee.
“So, we’re doing this, then?” he says, watching me.
“What? No.” I snap out of it, realizing I’ve just been talking and negotiating like Iamdoing this.
“Name your price.”
I choke, “W-what?”
“You heard me. We’re negotiating.”
“Benedict, no! It’s not about the money.”
He scoffs, “Everything is about money.”
“According to you.”
“According to my experiences,” he says, not bothered at all by my accusing tone. “You have reservations, let me add enough zeros that the reservations go away.”
“Do you realize how you sound?”
He looks at the ceiling and sighs, “Are you going to call me gross again?”
“I mean…” I take a deep breath and sigh as well, “Sorry. I’m not trying to be intentionally rude, I just don’t get it. We swiped through so many women who would love this. The glitz, the money. Like, not to bethat girlwho asks this, but, why me?”
“Your charming disposition,” he deadpans back. I start to groan but he straightens. “Because you’re honest. You’re strong enough to ignore the press. You know my world well enough, you’ll keep me in line and most of all, youactually needthe money, Janelle.”
I stand and my voice rises with me, “Ugh, will you stop calling me that?”
“No.”
“I’m adding it to the contract.”
At that, he laughs. “Fine. Add it in. What else do you want to add?”
I put a hand on my hip and see how far he’s willing to go, “One night out every week is too much.”
“Fine, half the outings can be during the day. What else?”
I think through the reality of my situation. Gran’s decaying house. I haven’t itemized the expenses yet but it probably has mold, asbestos. Remaining legal fees and…my mess. What his investigator would’ve found if he dug deeper.
“Two million and I need some right now up front.” I quickly add a white lie, “to get started on Gran’s place.”
“Done.”
“Shit. Should’ve gone for three.”
He laughs again, “Yes, you should have.”
“Okay,” I say quickly.
“Three million?”
“No, sorry, I was just—”
“Fine, three it is,” he says casually while looking at his giant, fancy watch. “Look, I’ve got to spend the day withFather Dearest.I’ll send the digital file over just now, you send it to your lawyer today, okay?”
“Okay.”
