“I know you wouldn’t.” I chuckle, giving her a playful shove.
Just then, my doorbell rings. That would be our pizza. The normalcy of it feels surreal after the kind of day I’ve had.
“I’ll get it. You put your feet up.” She’s already standing before I can answer.
I let her go and stare ahead at the boxes I have yet to unpack.
I’m worried about tomorrow. It’s all good and well to have this whole conversation, but what about tomorrow?
Levi and I didn’t exactly talk that much. But maybe that’s just the thing; what we said was enough. Saying anything more than we did may have gotten me in trouble.
Silence is safest. So is distance.
Chapter Seven
LEVI
Leaning back in my chair, I press the phone to my ear, listening with the patience of a saint. Arthur Lockwood is rattling on about some clause in the contract he needs clarification on.
I keep my gaze on the city beyond the glass walls of my office to ground me.
Beyond the sixty floors of glass and steel, sunlight flashing off neighboring towers. Usually, the view calms me. But it can’t do a goddamn thing for me now.
This bastard. He’s fucking with me again.Stalling.
Every time I call this man, he grates on my nerves in a way I can’t even express.
I thought I’d give him a quick call in between my meetings to see if he’d had a change of heart. That was an hour ago. While it’s provided a good distraction from the woman I’m still thinking about, I’m supposed to be meeting my brothers now, and I’m late.
Instead of agreeing to sign the fucking contract, Arthur did the usual rehash of the terms and conditions. As if I weren’t the one who created them.
He’s been a prospective client for over a month now, unheard of at Vale Global.
The whole thing is becoming a bruise to my ego. People fight for meetings with me. They don’t drag negotiations out for weeks like they’re doing me a favor.
I have this fucking problem because Arthur was meant to sign with Gio Demarco, the previous head of department. But then Gio retired.
Since I’m taking over next year, I inherited his client portfolio. All prospective clients, except Arthur, signed with me within a week of taking over.
“Everything’s in place,” I cut in, when he pauses for air. “You’ve seen the projections. There’s no reason to hold off, Arthur.”
A low chuckle rumbles down the line. “Now, son,” he begins in his rich Texan accent. “You know good and well I don’t move capital just because numbers look pretty on paper.” The man has a talent for sounding polite while wasting every second of my damn day.
My jaw tightens and I blow out a slow breath. God give me strength.
Here we go again. It’s the same fucking repertoire.
“They don’t just look good,” I inform him in a matter-of-fact tone. “They’re solid. We’ve gone over this multiple times, and I’ve even assured you that you’d be doubling your position within a year.”
“Mm.” He grunts, and a pause follows. I imagine him smoking one of his Cohibas and tipping his head back to blow out a ring of smoke; I shouldn’t know his damn habits.
“Arthur, we need to close this deal now. There is nothing stopping you from signing with me.”
Plan A was always to make him see sense. I only diverted to Plan B—the find a woman plan—when it became clear that Arthur was one of those extenuating circumstances that couldn’t be dealt with in simple terms.
“That’s where you’re wrong, young’un.”He clears his throat, deep and guttural. “I’ve told you before, and I won’t beat about the bush, my problem is you.”
I swivel the pen between my fingers hard enough that it nearly snaps.
