Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“Fine,” I said, and even before he had closed the door, I jumped into work mode as well.
Chris appeared half an hour later and we exchanged pleasantries.
“I keep forgetting to bring your invitation to our wedding,” he said. “I have it though, and I promise I’ll drop it off tomorrow. You won’t know many people at the wedding and Max will be busy, so bring a friend to keep you company, eh?”
I laughed. “That’s very kind of you, but you don’t have to, you know.”
“Jennifer and I are looking forward to getting to know you better.”
I liked Chris and warmth spread through my body. I didn’t want to overthink it, but if your lover’s best friend and his bride wanted to know you better, it had to be good, right? Because eventually, we’d be going for a meal together, or something like that.
Chapter 44
Max
“Well, that’s all of it then,” Chris said loudly to make sure the surveillance equipment picked him up clearly. “I’m just about to crunch the last numbers before we move in. And we have to be fast because I think there are other interested parties. The price we’ve been quoted makes it a bigger steal than I realized. I am one hundred percent sure we can turn this company around in less than a year and double its value.”
“In that case, don’t waste any more time. We’ve lost the La Zaire account because you were dithering, we need this one,” I said sternly.
Chris grinned but kept his voice serious. “On it, boss. I’ll get it done by this week.”
“Good. This is urgent. Give me a report by the end of the week.”
Had to be careful not to overdo it. I felt we had thrown enough breadcrumbs over the last week for whoever was listening, so I made a hand gesture to Chris to indicate we should end the conversation.
Chris nodded. “You up for a drink before my bachelor party?”
“Sure, let’s go.”
We walked to the door together and passed Lillian’s empty desk and chair. I always felt a strange sense of loss when I saw that. Soon it might become a permanent feature. Once we discovered who my competitor was, my little romance might be dead in the water.
My stomach felt like a tense knot in my body as we waited for the lift. Only once we were inside, did Chris speak.
“You think they’ll go for it?”
“I hope so, the paranoia caused by those bugs is fucking killing me. My office feels like enemy territory. I have to check myself the whole time,” I ground out.
“They’ll put their foot wrong soon enough. As you said, they’re amateurs and they won’t see us coming. The net is set and waiting.”
“Good.”
The lift doors opened and we stepped out. “Shall we just go around the corner to the Bear Trap?” Chris asked.
“Sure, why not?” I muttered unenthusiastically.
Chris’s hand shot out to grasp my elbow suddenly. “What’s the matter, Max?”
I stopped walking and turned towards him. “Nothing. It’s just this situation. It’s got to me.”
“No, it’s not,” he insisted. “It’s something else, isn’t it?”
I said nothing and he frowned. “It’s not a woman…” He stared at me. “Oh my God!” Then he began to laugh uproariously. “It’s a fucking woman. I can’t believe it, the great Max Frost has fallen in love.”
I shook my arm off. “Go to hell,” I snarled and strode away fast.
He caught up. “Relax, man. It’s something to be celebrated, not be mad about.”
We got out of the building into the noise of the traffic.
“Do I know her?” he asked.
“It’s Lillian, okay.”
His jaw dropped with shock. “What?”
“See. Nothing to be celebrated,” I said bitterly.
“She’s not even your type.”
“I don’t have a type,” I corrected wryly.
“Yes, you do. Jennifer calls them girls with sad fridges.”
“What the hell does that even mean?”
“Skinny girls. Evolutionary freaks who have managed to overcome the basic instinct to eat and turned it into a fashion statement. Have you seen the inside of their fridges? Always almost empty.”
He might have a point, but I was not in the mood. I shook my head in disgust and left him standing in front of the building as I headed towards the Bear Trap. A few seconds later he fell into step beside me. He was no longer laughing. In fact, he looked so somber I almost wanted to laugh.
He looked sideways at me. “We still think she’s the mole, right?”
I sighed. “Yes, we do.”
“Right.” He was silent for a while. “What are you going to do, Max?”
“Nothing. The ball is in their court. We carry on as before.”
“I mean with Lillian. Are you… er… sleeping with her.”
“Yes.”
“Jesus, what a mess?”
Yeah, a fucking mess. We came to a stop at the crosswalk with tens of other people.
“Um… you know, I invited her to the wedding, right?”
“Yes. Nothing has changed. She’s arranging the bachelor party for you so it would be quite appropriate for you to invite her. We play the game exactly as we discussed. We don’t do anything that could alert them to the fact that we are aware of their existence.”