“I guess yes.”
“What about money?”
“Well, we need more of it.”
“No shit. That last truck only had a couple of boxes to unload.”
“Yeah. That big donor backing out really screwed us. But my best friend had this idea for a way to fundraise some more.”
“Yeah, how’s that?” he asked, reaching for his beer and chugging two-thirds of it.
I didnotwatch the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. Nor did I find that weirdly attractive.
“Well, her girlfriend is a lawyer at a really swanky firm.”
“Lotta money in that.”
“Yeah. And apparently, several of the law firms are getting together to have this big holiday party. She suggested it might be a good way to get larger chunks of money from people who have a lot of it.”
“She’s probably right.”
“Yeah. But the thing is, apparently the firm is really into partners.”
“Partners?” he asked, finishing off his slice.
“Yeah, like, um, romantic partners. It’s a very old-school firm, I guess. So, well, the thing is… I can’t just show up alone. But I really want to give it a try. And, uh, I was wondering—”
“You asking me to go with you?” he cut me off from humiliating myself any further.
“I guess I am,” I admitted, forcing myself to make eye contact with him. “I mean, totally no pressure. It’s fine if it’s not your cup of tea. It’s going to be fancy. Apparently, I have to wear a floor-length dress. But, yeah. If that’s not your thing, I can ask Craig if—”
“Don’t fucking ask Craig,” he cut me off, tone brooking no argument. “I’ll take you.”
“Really, no pressure. I don’t want you to feel like I’m cornering you or anything.”
“Babe, I’m a grown-ass man. You can’t corner me into doing shit,” he said. “I’ll take you to the party.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Do you have a suit?”
“No. But I can get one.”
“I can pay for—”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not.”
He actually sounded offended that I’d offered.
“I’m the one asking you to—”
“Steph, you’re not paying for shit.”
He said that the same way that the stockbroker bro I’d dated once spoke about money. Like it was nothing. Which implied he had more than enough of it.
Was that Venezio’s thing?
