“What time is your meeting at the university?” he asks as we sit down.
“Ten-thirty,” I mutter, not looking at them. I don’t want to think about my academic career going up in flames. Only a few days ago, I was sitting on top of the world. I had two perfect guys, they were supportive of me going off to Argentina for six months, and my pool game had improved by leaps and bounds. Now, it feels like a guillotine hangs over my head.
The table is crowded with dishes - scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, fruit and more. I raise an eyebrow at the spread. “Hungry this morning?” I ask as I reach for some toast.
“I thought you liked variety, Bailey,” Sebastian winks. He’s the most relaxed person in the room. He fills his plate with scrambled eggs and adds two slices of bacon.
Daniel’s more like me - he can’t eat either. He’s just pretending to munch on a piece of toast. “I haven’t forgotten about your meeting,” he says. “I’m going to call the president on my way into work. I promise you, it’ll work out.”
“Thank you.” I lace my fingers in his. “I know you have other things on your mind.”
“There’s nothing more important than you, Bailey,” he says lightly. “You should know that by now.” He puts down the toast onto the plate and rises to his feet. “I have to go,” he says. He leans down and presses a kiss against my lips. “I’ll be in a board meeting the same time you have your review, so I won’t be able to call you. Text me as soon as you know something?”
I put my arm around his neck and draw him into a deeper kiss. “You too,” I say when I let him go. “I’m almost as nervous about your board meeting as I am about my job.” That’s a lie - I’m far more nervous about Daniel than I am about the university.
Sebastian rises to his feet and the two of them exchange a hug. No words are spoken between them - they’ve been friends long enough that no words are necessary.
“Are you nervous?” I ask Sebastian once Daniel has left.
“I’m terrified,” he says. “All last night, I kept dreaming about Daniel’s stupid board meeting. This is my fault, you know. Juliette works for me.”
“You didn’t make her give Cyrus that photo,” I tell him. “And I didn’t plagiarize from Valentin Perez. Other people did. The situation sucks, that’s all.”
“True.” He finishes the rest of the food on his plate. “Want me to walk you to NYU and lend you moral support?”
I beam at him. “Would you do that? What about the restaurant?”
“My meeting with the insurers is not till one,” he replies. “I can do both.”
“Thank you,” I say again.
Yes, this is a pretty grim day, but my heart lightens as I realize something. I don’t have to face it on my own.
43
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Daniel:
Never bring a knife to a gunfight, they say. Unless Stone Bradley’s come through with evidence that Cyrus has been selling me out to the tabloids for years, I’m about to do just that.
“Mr. Bradley’s waiting for you in your office, Mr. Hartman,” Sophie says to me as I walk in. “And Ms. Kincaid is there as well.”
I close my eyes to conceal my relief. Though I didn’t tell Bailey last night because I didn’t want to worry her, there’s always been the possibility that Juliette wouldn’t show. Thankfully, she’s here, keeping up her end of the bargain.
“Thanks, Sophie.”
She smiles up. “You’ll beat this, Mr. Hartman,” she says. “I have complete faith in you. And there’s coffee in your office, and I ordered bagels and cream cheese.”
“Don’t worry, Sophie, I’m not going anywhere.” As I open the door to my office, I hope I’m not lying. If there’s ever a time for Bradley to earn the exorbitant fees he charges, it’s now.
Juliette’s looking out of the window with a coffee cup in her hand. Stone’s pretending to be engrossed in reading his newspaper, but he’s subtly checking out her ass. I roll my eyes, and he grimaces, abashed at being caught.