It's a dismissal. Cold and final. They both recognize it, their smiles faltering.
"Of course. We'll catch up later." The blonde touches his shoulder, familiar. "Call me."
They leave, and I watch them go. Watch the way other people in the restaurant watch them. Beautiful people going back to their beautiful lives.
"Acquaintances?" I ask.
Phoenix sets down his fork. "Women I've slept with."
The honesty catches me off guard. "Both of them?"
"Not at the same time, if that's what you're asking."
I don't know what I'm asking. Don't know what answer I want.
"You want to know if you're just another woman I'm trying to add to the collection," Phoenix says, reading my mind. "You're not."
"How do I know that?"
"Because if you were, I wouldn't have spent $387,000 to get you here. I would've just asked you out." He picks up his wine glass. "You're different, Jade."
"How?"
"They were convenient. You're not."
I don't know if that's romantic or insulting.
After lunch,Phoenix drives us to a private marina. His yacht is docked there, white and sleek and obscenely large.
"Of course you have a yacht," I mutter as we board.
"Would you prefer I didn't?"
"I'd prefer you weren't so much of a cliché."
He laughs. Actually laughs. "Fair enough. But since I am a cliché, we might as well enjoy it."
There are three men already on the yacht waiting for us. They're older, dressed in expensive casual wear, and they look at me with barely concealed curiosity.
"Gentlemen," Phoenix says. "Give us a few minutes."
They disappear below deck, and I turn to Phoenix.
"What was that about?"
"Business associates. This won't take long." He guides me to a chair on the upper deck. "Wait here. Make yourself comfortable."
He leaves, and I'm alone with the ocean and the sound of voices drifting up from below.
I can't hear everything. But I hear enough.
"—Singapore deal needs to close by Friday?—"
"—leverage the board, threaten the lawsuit if necessary?—"
"—shell company in the Caymans will handle the transfer?—"
"—if they don't comply, we bury them?—"
