I shrug, dipping close until I’m hovering above her ear. “I didn’t hear any complaints when you were screaming my name last night.” My voice drops into a low drawl.
Vivienne lets out a long, ragged breath. And I’m just about ready to throw this girl over my shoulder and carry her to our hotel room when an abrupt vibration goes off in my pocket.
I pull it out to find one missed call and a text message from the last man I ever thought would contact me again.
Everett Staines:Call me back as soon as you can.
Below is an email from my lawyer informing me that the presentation Carter gave at the conference has been officially deemed mine. And lo and behold, it was now his turn to get shredded in the news. With a quick Google search, words likecancelled,bankruptcy, andscrewedstand out to me, but I couldn’t care less about that right now.
“What is it?” Vivienne asks.
“TheCEOof SkyWay Airlines wants to talk to me.”
Vivienne gasps, looking up at me with hopeful eyes, but I want her to turn it down a notch. While things have been going well for the company lately, I haven’t heard from the guy in a long time. The last thing I need is an ounce of hope before it’s ripped away from me,again.
“Just give me a minute,” I say before putting some space between us. I really didn’t want to hear the scolding that was about to go down during this phone call.
The man picks up on the second ring.
“If it isn’t the one and only Nate Archer,” Staines opens with way too much enthusiasm.
He must sense the lingering confusion in my silence when he lets out a long sigh.
“I should first apologize for the way things ended between us. The headlines and allegations made about you were too heavy to ignore—for the sake of SkyWay Airlines, but also for those close to me who’d been in such a situation.”
Uneasiness settles deep in my stomach at his words.
The last time we talked, he mentioned his wife, who experienced a similar situation to the so-called Leonardo DiCaprio accusations. Now, having felt such deep care for another person, I see where he’s coming from.
On the business side, his choice to break ties with Archer Aviation was also completely understandable. This is a cutthroat industry—you wouldn’t want to hold on to someone who can jeopardize your profit margins.
Regardless, I keep my answer curt. “No worries, I understand.”
“The damage I’ve done may be irreversible, but in light of your great work at the Aviation Global Forum and the recent news that’s come out about Crawford Aerospace, I’d like toverbally extend the electric plane deal to you. Again, I completely understand if you wish to decline—”
“Everett.” I interrupt the man before he goes any further. “It would be an honor to work with your company.”
The line goes silent, and a surprised chuckle erupts. “I was nervous there for a second. Well, I’m glad to hear that. I’ll have my team send over the contract shortly.”
A large smile takes over the expanse of my face, and I turn over to Vivienne, whose furrowed eyebrows relax at the sight of me.
“Thank you for this opportunity,” I say.
“Thank you for accepting the deal despite the impression I must have made. You’ve always been the first choice, Nate—never doubt that.”
After our final goodbyes, I run to Vivienne, pick her up in my arms, and twirl her around from pure happiness. She giggles once in the air, and thankfully, there were no prying eyes in this part of the conference center that could hinder our professional integrity.
Well, aside from the hidden cameras, of course. But I’m sure the security guards have seen way worse.
“I got the deal,” I say when I finally set her down.
Her hands join as though she’s about to clap, but there’s a slight hesitation in the movement before she continues.
It all happens so quickly—the shift from her excitement to her shock—that I can’t help but wonder if she, too, doesn’t want to let us go. In some ways, we’d accomplished what our deal set out to do. I got the contract; she's close to finishing her PhD. There was no real reason for us to keep this going anymore.
Thunder booms in the distance, grabbing our attention. Our heads turn in shock to meet darkened skies from which a downpour quickly follows, wetting the once-dry cobblestone.
“Were we really so preoccupied that we had no idea it was going to rain today?” Vivienne asks as she approaches the large glass doors that lead to the exit.
