“Oh God.” I groaned. “Are you about to make my day better or worse?”
“I suppose that entirely depends on your point of view, but I imagine it’s worse.”
That was another thing about Clara. She didn’t have time to bullshit—or the inclination. We were alike in that way.
“I wanted you to hear it from me. Or, at least, I didn’t want you to find out from the internet.”
“What’s that?”
“Lloyd Exeter bought Please-U Inc.”
When she’d said she was going to make my day worse, I didn’t think it was actually possible. My best guesses were likeOur silicone supplier went bustorAdd some new, ridiculous feature to The Fantasy prototype.
I’d never, not in a million years, thought the name Lloyd Exeter would get thrown around like a punch straight to my jaw.
The strength in my knees took a vacation. I dropped into the nearest chair.
“Oh,” I said, for lack of anything intelligent to say. Gears in my head turned until they clicked. “That must have been who Mr. Ose was talking about.”
“I’ve been hearing rumors for a few months now, but Lloyd made the official statement publicly this morning.”
Please-U Inc. was one of our biggest competitors in the space. Unlike LoveHoney, which seemed to be a very “basics” brand, and unlike Bellessa, which was explicitly for women, and unlike us, who embraced the fact that sex was and should be pleasurable and exciting for everyone, Please-U Inc. had an industry-wide reputation as the man’s sex toy company—and not in a fun Pride Month way. In that toxically alpha male, bro-y, pickup artist,making love is for pussies, I only fuckway.
In short, a very fitting portfolio acquisition for my former boyfriend.
No, not boyfriend.
He was….
Well, Lloyd Exeter and I had…
To me, Lloyd was…
A mistake.
Yeah. Please-U Inc. and my worst mistake would be a match made in hell. Or whatever was below that.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course,” Clara replied.
“How in the world could you even imagine that news would make my day better?”
“Look at it this way: He’s enteringyourworld now. This isn’t like working at GalacticSolutions, when you were under his thumb. This is a chance to best him. To show him that you’re on top, and he can’t touch you—not ever again. Literally or metaphorically.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. “You don’t think this is about me, do you? Like, you don’t think he bought a sex toy company because of me?”
“What? No.” She paused and visibly reconsidered. “Well, even if it is, you know that I’m in your corner. I won’t let Lloyd Exeter do anything to harm you.”
“You’re just saying that because you know you won’t be able to get The Fantasy out without me,” I grumbled, only half joking.
“And because my days would besoboring without your quick little remarks.”
We both laughed, but I had to force the sound out. My chest was still tight.
“Are you okay?” she asked after a moment.
WasI okay? I mean, I’d always known that Lloyd Exeter didn’t disappear from the earth when he disappeared from my side. It wasn’t being reminded of him that bothered me.
