by E. L. Todd
“Rome.”
I stilled at the name. Rome. That was an unusual name, too unusual to be a coincidence. “Rome?”
“I know it’s weird, but I like it.”
I was caught off guard. This must be the new secretary. She was gorgeous and sweet. There was no other possibility. “It’s a beautiful name.” I extended my hand to shake hers.
“And yours?”
“Thomas.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Thomas.”
I wanted to ask her out, but now I didn’t think it was a good idea. We worked together, and I didn’t date people I worked with. It was a shame since she was so cool. Why did I have the worst luck when it came to stuff like this? “You too.”
She flashed me one more smile before she walked away. “Take care.”
“You too.”
Chapter Fourteen
Theo
When Alex came home, she wasn’t in a good mood.
“I’m never going to find a job.” She slammed the door and tossed her purse on the table. Then she kicked off her heels. She was wearing a skirt and blouse, her curves highlighted in the tight clothing. “I’m just going to starve and live on the streets again.”
I circled my arms around her waist and pulled her into my chest. “Baby, it’ll be okay.”
“No, it won’t! We need to pay rent.”
“I have plenty of money.” I realized how that sounded after I said it.
“Good for you,” she said sarcastically.
“Alex, you know what I mean. Don’t stress out. I have enough in savings to last us a year. We’ll be fine.”
“I can’t just not work,” she said. “I have to pay for my phone, my car insurance, and my health insurance.”
I tried to keep her calm. “Baby, I got it.”
“No, you already pay all the rent.”
“And I don’t mind.”
She pushed me away then marched around the room. “What am I going to do…?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and watched her. “Baby, you’re overreacting.”
“Am not!”
I grabbed her as she walked by then pulled her to me. “Look, we’re going to be alright. We got each other and that’s all that matters.”
“You know who says that? Homeless people.”
“I have plenty in savings, and if worse came to worse, my dad would loan me some money.”
“I don’t want his money!”
“Baby, just chill.”
“You chill!” she moved me away again. “The only person I have to rely on is myself, okay? I don’t have a parent to turn to for help. I don’t have anything like that.”
I grabbed her arm. “You got me.”
She twisted away. “Why won’t anyone hire me?”
“We’ll figure it out, okay? Just be positive.”
She sat down and sighed.
I kneeled in front of the chair. “Would it make you feel better if I had a job?”
“What?” she asked.
“I can get a job if I really need one. It won’t be in martial arts, but it’ll pay the bills. If you feel more comfortable, I can do something else until I find what I want.”
“No…” She shook her head. “It’s okay. Where would you work anyway?”
“For my dad.”
“Oh.”
“I can ask him to give you a job.”
“No.” She said it quickly.
“Skye would give you a job if you really needed one.”
“I don’t want anyone’s help.”
“You just said you wished you did.”
“Yeah, I wished I did. But I don’t. I don’t have any family.” She growled in frustration.
“I’m your family,” I said. “I will take care of you. Just relax.”
She heaved a sigh.
“Baby, I will take care of us. We will always have somewhere to live and have food on the table. Okay? I promise.”
“Theo, it’s not your job to take care of me. That’s the problem.”
“It’s okay to ask for help,” I whispered. “There’s no shame in that.”
“Maybe for you…”
“Look, just give it more time looking for a job. If you don’t get something, it’s not the end of the world. No matter what happens, we have everything we need. Just keep that in mind.”
“I hate having to rely on you.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I guess…I’ve never done it before.”
“You think I’m going to leave?” I asked. Just like her parents left her.
She shrugged.
“Alex, I’m never going anywhere. We’re a team.”
She growled then left the chair. “I’m going to shower.”
“Can I—”
“No.” She slammed the bathroom door.
***
“Where were you all weekend?” I asked.
Conrad smiled and tried to eat his fries at the same time. “Beatrice’s place.”
“Okay...” Why was he smiling about? He’d stayed with her before.
“We did some dirty stuff.” He winked at me.
“Why did you just wink at me?” I demanded.
He did it again. “Because.”
I sidestepped the odd gesture. “How dirty are we talking?”
He spoke like he was going to burst in excitement. “Slutty lingerie…no slutty lingerie…down below for both…and she swallowed.” His eyes sparkled with glee and he looked like he was high.
“Shit, it’s about time.”
“I know. I’m so glad it finally happened. If I didn’t come soon, I was going to be seriously worried for my health.”
“You don’t jerk off?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Damn, she’s got you hooked.”
“Have you jerked off since Alex has been around?”
“No,” I said. “But she’s been pleasing me from the beginning. You know, that’s the whole point in having a girlfriend.”
“Beatrice is slow,” he argued. “Get off her case.”
I finished my burger then crinkled up three napkins. Then I started to juggle. “Alex has been stressed out since she can’t find work.”
“Why?” he asked. “The rent isn’t too expensive. It’s not like you guys are barely getting by.”
“It still makes her uneasy. Since she’s been taking care of herself for so long, it’s hard for her to rely on someone else.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
I wouldn’t share Alex’s secrets. “She just didn’t have the greatest childhood.”
“Beatrice is the same way. Anytime I try to pay for anything, it’s like I slapped her in the face.”
“I like that Alex is independent and strong, but I also wish she would chill out.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Conrad said.
I lathered my fries with ketchup and kept eating.
Conrad eyed my food. “How’s the ketchup with the side of fries?”
I didn’t rise to his taunts. “Awesome.”
“Gross,” he said. “I can’t believe Alex kisses you.”
“And let’s me do other stuff with my mouth.”
“TMI, bro.”
I finished my fries then felt my stomach stretch in fullness. I missed eating Mega Shake every day, but I’d been abusing it since I moved back.
Conrad rapped his knuckles on the table. “Any luck finding a job?”
“Nope. It seems like most places are full. I’ll probably have to find a gig doing something else until I can find an opening. What about you?”
“Honestly, I haven’t looked.”
“What do you want to do with your life?”
He shrugged. “Nothing, honestly.”
“I doubt Beatrice would be impressed with that.”
“No, probably not,” he said. “But I’m sure I’ll find something.”
“You can always work for the company.”
“And work w
ith Skye every day?” he asked incredulously. “No, thanks.”
“Hey, it’s a big company,” I argued. “You could work on a different floor and never have to interact with her. You could be an analyst or an accountant.”
“I guess,” he said with a shrug. “If worse comes to worse, I’ll keep that in mind.” He turned to me then his eyes narrowed. He was clearly thinking something that is brain was having a hard time processing. “What if you open up your own studio? You and Alex could work there. And if it’s a business, you’ll make way more money than you would as employees.”
I never considered the idea before.
“You can make it into a superficial, physical perfection type of studio. You know, train guys in street fighting and mixed martial arts. People are really into that right now. And most guys get tired of lifting weights at the gym.”
I picked up a fry and spun it in my fingers. “Hmm…”
Conrad continued to stare at me. “What do you think?”
“I’m thinking…” I tried to think of where to begin. It was a huge project, and I’d never opened a business before. Was it feasible?
“I think it’s a great idea,” Conrad said. “It’s perfect for both of you.”
“But, opening a business requires a lot of cash. I doubt I would qualify for a loan. The only credit I have is from buying my car. I doubt Alex’s is much better.”
“Um, your dad is rich,” Conrad said. “Remember?”
“I don’t want to ask him for anything. I doubt Alex would like that.”
“Well, that’s the only way to make it happen,” he said. “What if you and I became partners? I’ll handle the business side of things, and you just run it? We get half the money each, and then we go from there?”
“You want to run a business?”
“Why not?” he asked. “At least I get to call the shots.”
“You could do that working for Pixel…”
“But that company is way too big. Too stressful.”
I contemplated the idea. “But that still brings up the issue of money.”
“I get half from my dad and—”
“I can’t.”
“Let me finish,” he hissed. “We get the money from them as a loan without interest. And we pay them back. We aren’t asking for a freebie.”
“What if the business fails?”
He shrugged. “Life is about risk, right? And, we’re fortunate enough that a failed business won’t ruin our lives. But with our brains and experience, I think we’d be fine. Besides, my dad and Sean could give us a lot of advice. I think we should go for it.”
The more I thought about it, the more intrigued I became. “It would be fun…”
“So much fun.”
“I think I like it.”
“Yes!” He gave me a high-five. “I’ll talk to my dad and you talk to yours.”
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s do it.”
***
Since my dad already paid for my education, I felt guilty asking him for more money. I knew my degree wasn’t cheap. In addition to my living expenses and other things, it added up. My dad was wealthy, but that didn’t mean I was entitled to his money.
My brother never asked me dad for money. He chose to take out loans for everything and work in college. I admired him for it, but he also had a high-paying job. I didn’t think I’d ever land a gig like that, so taking out a huge loan was a lot different for me.
I decided to stop by his apartment. He had a nice place in Manhattan that overlooked Central Park. It was spacious and clean, and obviously, pricey. He never flaunted his money or success, but I knew wealth was important to him.
I reached his door and knocked. Then I waved at the camera in the corner, knowing Thomas was watching me if he was home. The door opened a second later. “Hello, Theo.” He stepped back with his hands in his pockets. He didn’t look happy to see me but he didn’t look put-out either. “What do I owe the pleasure?”
“Just wanted to stop by.”
He had a disbelieving look on his face. He wore his slacks, a buttoned up shirt, and tie. Judging his attire, he just got off work. “Well, I am heading to the gym before dinner. If you wanted to hang, I prefer a different time.” My brother never said what he meant. He was always cryptic. What he didn’t say was more important than what he did say. I could tell he didn’t want to hang out at all, and he just wanted me to cut to the chase. His detachment never made sense to me. I wasn’t sure what I did to offend him or push him away. Every time I asked, he said I making things up.
“I came by to ask for a favor.”
His eyes didn’t flash in surprise. It was like he was expecting this. “Let me hear it.”
“I’m considering opening up my own martial arts studio in Manhattan. Conrad wants to be a partner in it.”
He nodded slightly but didn’t say anything.
“I’m looking for a loan. I was wondering if you’d be willing to front me the money.”
“Why aren’t you getting a traditional loan?”
“I know no one will give it to me,” I said. “I don’t have any credit history and I don’t even have a job. Conrad is the same way.”
He leaned against the arm of the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, how much?”
“A hundred grand.”
He didn’t blink an eye at the number. I knew it was nothing to him. “That seems low for a new business.”
“Conrad is getting the other half from Mike.”
He nodded his head in understanding.
“So, would you be willing?”
He stared at the park outside his window while he mulled my offer over in his head. His eyes were blank and his thoughts indecipherable.
“I’ll pay you back,” I said. “Every penny.”
“Unless your business fails, of course.” He said it in a bored voice.
“It won’t,” I said. “We aren’t going to jump into anything until we’re certain.”
He smirked slightly. “Nothing in business is certain.”
I waited for a definitive answer.
“This is what I’ll offer you,” he said. “I will give you the loan without interest. I expect to be paid back in full.”
“That’s what I’m asking for.”
“However…”
I didn’t like the sound of that.
“After you finish paying me back, I want five percent of your business indefinitely.”
“You want to make money off of it?”
“You think I’m going to risk a hundred grand for no reason?”
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Do you accept my offer?” he asked.
I pondered it in my mind.
“You didn’t ask dad for a reason. That means I’m your only option. I suggest you take it before I change my mind.”
“The only reason why I’m not asking him is because he paid my tuition. I feel bad asking for more money.”
“You should,” he said simply. “So?”
I rubbed the back of my neck then dropped my hand. “You got yourself a deal.”
“Excellent.” He shook my hand. “Let me know when you have all the details.”
“I will.” I returned my hands to my pockets. “You want to go get a beer or something?”
He turned away. “I’m busy tonight. Maybe some other time.”
Every time I tried to make an effort with him, he turned me down. He was my flesh and blood, but he was practically a stranger to me. “How about on Wednesday?” I was going to push him until he caved.
“That’s no good,” he said. “I have a lot of meetings.”
“Thursday?”
“Boxing.”
“Friday?”
“You know that’s the night I spend with the guys.”
“Well, I’m a guy,” I said. “I can fit in.”
“No.” He removed his tie and tossed it on the back of his chair.
“Brunch on Sunday.”
“I’ll pick you up at nine.” I walked out before he could turn me down again.
Chapter Fifteen
Skye
“Is this number right?” I squinted my eyes and stared at the last number on the spreadsheet.
Ward leaned over my desk and looked at it. “It is.”
“That seems low to me…” I adjusted my glasses like it would change the number.
“Last year we had a lot of people working overtime,” he explained. “And we had an unusual number of women on maternity leave. In addition to that, Arcadian Software released their new prototype. We took a hit for a few months.” He turned in his chair then adjusted his tie. He wore a gray suit with a black tie. His shoulders were broad and the chair could barely contain him.
“This business reminds me of the food web,” I said as I scanned through the numbers.
“What’s your meaning, darling?”
I would never get tired of his British accent. It was soft on the ears. “Everything depends on everything else, and not in a linear way. Different factors affect the company in all sorts of different ways. I learned a lot in college, but theory can never compare to real life experience.”
He nodded. “I agree. I learned more in my first year of working than all my years of education combined.”
“Did you go to school in London?”
He nodded. “I have a Ph.D. in Business.”
“A Ph.D.?” I asked in surprise. “How is that possible?”
“Our education system is different than the states,” he explained.
“Where did you attend?”
“Cambridge.”
“I don’t mean this is in an offensive way, but I’m surprised my father hired you at such a young age.”
“I worked there all through college as an intern. All my superiors gave me great evaluations. And when I actually crossed paths with your father we just…how would you say it…we clicked.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” I said. “My father and uncle are very fond of you.”
“They are great guys,” he said. “And good golfers.”
I chuckled. “You play?”
“It’s no polo, but I love it. Do you play, darling?”
I laughed. “Maybe putt-putt golf.”
