Chapter Twenty-Four
“You know you don’t have to come with me,” I told Frisco the next morning. “I can do this on my own.”
“Are you kidding? And miss the show?” Frisco cackled. “I’d pay good money to see their faces. I wish you could get to Webster, that pompous dick.”
We took a car toUltimate’s offices because Frisco insisted. “I am not taking the subway from Brooklyn. I did that once and had to stand next to a man who smelled like he hadn’t taken a bath since Obama was president. If that makes me a snob, so be it.”
“Oh, babe, I already knew you were. And that sounds…probable.”
Our Uber driver choked back a laugh. “I had someone try and get in my car like that the other night. I pulled away with the door still open.”
“See?”
“Anyway.” I glared at him. “I don’t want a scene. I just want to walk in there, tell Edward I’m exercising my right to cancel the contract, collect the few things in my office, and leave. It won’t be a big deal.”
Looking skeptical, Frisco gave an elegant shrug. “If you say so.”
When we arrived, Frisco spent time with Steph, catching up on her brother’s job, while I headed over to Edward’s office.
His secretary gave me her usual smile. “I’ll let him know you’re here.” She picked up her phone, and after speaking a few words, tipped her head toward his door. “Go ahead.”
When I entered Edward’s office, the genial expression he usually wore had disappeared, replaced by a troubled one. “I wasn’t sure you’d be coming back after yesterday.”
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure either.” I hesitated, then decided to hell with it. “I don’t appreciate being used, or having my business that I worked so hard to build up, shunted off to the side.” Where I got the balls to talk to him like this I had no idea, and I couldn’t tell if Edward was stunned or impressed.
“You’re new to us. You’re still an unknown quantity.”
“With all due respect, Edward, I disagree. You said yourself, you chose me because people read my blog. I thought we were being honest.” I drew in a deep breath. “I’m sorry to say, but I’m exercising my right to cancel the contract.”
A heavy sigh escaped him. “I had a feeling this would happen, but I wish you would reconsider and think about the future.”
“He is, Edward.” Frisco stood in the doorway. “That’s why he’s making the choice to walk away.”
“Did you have anything to do with this decision?”
Frisco sauntered in and stood by my side. “I did not. Torre is a big boy.” He paused. “He can handle himself, although I prefer to steer that ship now.”
“Jesus, Frisco,” I hissed between clenched teeth. “Could you be any more obvious?”
Edward ignored him, perhaps used to Frisco’s outrageous behavior. “I know Salvatore is more than capable of making his own choices. But I’m sure after what happened, you were more than happy to give him a nudge in that direction.”
“And if I did, why shouldn’t I? Ten years I worked here and did a damn good job, only to be tossed out—albeit with a nice dinner—because that prick of a publisher doesn’t like me. Torre is popular and an asset. He deserves more than being buried in the middle of the magazine behind some cruise ship ad.”
“I agree, but you know that these decisions aren’t left up to me.”
“I do know that.” Frisco leaned his long body against the conference table. “Which is why I’m going to be my own boss from now on. I don’t want to take orders from anyone. I like giving them.”
His eyes met mine, and a thrill of something dark and sensual rolled through me. I looked away.
“It sounds like you have something in mind.”
“I might.”
That surprised me, as we hadn’t spoken about the future past what we’d have for dinner. But from the gleam in Frisco’s eyes, I sensed a plan, and knowing him, it could be off-the-rails insanity.
“I’m sorry, Edward.Ultimateis not the right place for me. I know people will think I’m nuts turning it all down, but I have to be able to look at myself in the mirror and know I’m being true to who I am.”
“Salvatore, I admire you. If I were forty years younger, I’d tell people to go to hell too and walk away, but I have too many years invested and have to think about retirement.” He gazed at us thoughtfully. “And believe me, those thoughts are gaining momentum.”
