Before I can respond, the elevator chimes again.
Elliot enters like a man stepping into a story he already half understands, coat draped neatly, expression alert but amused.
“So,” he says, scanning my face. “Did she counter, or did she crucify you?”
“She declined,” I repeat.
Elliot’s amusement fades. “Flat-out?”
“Yes.”
Theo grins. “Told you she was interesting.”
Elliot studies me now. “How did she say no?”
I consider that.
“Clearly,” I say. “Without hostility. Without apology.”
Elliot smiles but doesn't respond.
“Why did you bet that she would say no?” I ask.
“I am not sure exactly,” he says. “I watched her this morning. She wasn't intimidated to be in that room with us. She didn't question it. She did her job. She even handled Theo with care. She knew she was in a room with billionaires, and she treated us as if we were anyone else in that room.”
"And that made you think that she would say no?"
Elliott walks over to Theo and pours himself a drink. He drinks it back before topping himself off and turning to me.
"She is stunning, a classic beauty, but somehow so much more than that. She is warm and, as Theo so eloquently put it,soft, but in all the good ways. She has the looks and body to get her way out of the mess she is in; she could easily be a gold digger, growing jaded or hardened over time from what life has dealt her family. But Lucy has stayed true to herself."
I feel pressure in my gut. I take a sip of my scotch, hoping to burn the sensation away.
Theo watches me too closely. “You liked it.”
“I don’t...”
“You did,” he insists. “I saw you in that meeting this morning. You had this look on your face when she walked into the room. Same way you have now.”
“That’s not interest,” I say. “That’s assessment.”
“Sure,” Theo replies. “And you assess things you want to own.”
Elliot raises a brow. “Is that what this is?”
I don’t answer immediately.
“She’s the right fit,” I say instead. “The variables align. She should accept.”
Theo crosses his arms. “So what now? You go back to Dad’s folder? Pick someone easier?”
“No.”
The word is out before I even have time to think.
Elliot tilts his head. “You’re certain.”
“Yes.”
