Page 317 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

“Like who was I?

“And I swear, his face was priceless.”

I shake my head, unable to believe it.

“Andrew, he got flustered!

“Just like you said.

“He thought I was gonna fold,

“and then—boom.”

I throw my hands up.

“I even said—Oh my God, what did I say? ‘I can’t let this go on any longer. The answer’s obviously no. I can’t approve this.’”

Andrew’s eyes light up in shock.

“God—I wish I was there to see you,” he says, eyes drinking me in, trying to figure out if this is the same girl who left the penthouse hours ago.

I don’t think I am.

Something’s taken possession of me.

And I’m still pacing, walking in circles,

trying to burn off the electric energy.

“I didn’t back down.

“I didn’t let him control the room.

“And Raymond?” I pause, turning back to face Andrew, eyes wide. “He looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die when they voted to pause it and open an internal investigation. Gahh, it was perfect.”

“Whoa—hold up—” he laughs, shaking his head. “You got the deal killed and had them open an investigation?”

I nod. “I did.”

Andrew’s eyes flare wide with awe,

and at that moment, I swear…

I can feel his soul move closer before he does. “Allison—You’re—You’re fuckin’ incredible, you know that?”

I stop in my tracks.

His words land in me like a slow explosion. There’s something in them, something honest… like he didn’t mean to say it in the way he did.

He wants to see me win, and that scares me. Aside from Celie, I’ve never had anyone want anything good for me before.

Never had anyone want to see me win.

I don’t even remember moving,

but one second I’m standing there,

and the next I’m burying my face in his chest, breathing him in, his arms coming around me, pulling me close.