Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Uh, I thought I would secure the funding first.” It was kind of how this went. There was no real public project until the money was in place. Once the initial money was in place, hopefully more money would follow, and we would eventually get loans from a bank that would pay for our Hot Pockets and fuel all our anxieties that filled up when Dodd-Frank left the building.
“I know it’s not usual, but I think you should announce as soon as possible,” Benjamin urges, his fingers playing with the glass. “I was taking some meetings in Silicon Valley, and I heard some concerning rumors. Who have you talked to about this project?”
“You two and Teresa Fleishman are the only ones who know the specifics. She’s solid. I told Heath we only talked about the AI innovations to everyone else,” I reply. I’m getting antsy because Benjamin sounds worried. He’s normally calm, cool, and collected. And I’m surprised that there would be rumors concerning the project since the project didn’t really exist on anyone’s radar until a few weeks ago.
“She’s almost certainly talked with her friends,” CeCe corrects.
“Well, yes, but Ani and Harper don’t have a bunch of contacts in the tech world.” I was pretty sure they both fought to stay awake when I try to explain technical stuff to them. “They would be talking more about me and Heath than what we’re working on.”
“Well, someone’s been talking. One of the banks on the West Coast just approved a rather large investment in a start-up that claims to have the most advanced matchmaking AI in the industry,” Benjamin says.
“Bullshit.” I’ve heard nothing about a new AI. The dating apps all use similar engines. What Heath is building is brand new. There’s nothing like Emma on the market, and it will take a while for other companies to catch us.
“I have contacts out there. Ones I trust very much.” His eyes meet mine, and I realize he hasn’t gotten to the bad part yet. “They’re excited about a new AI matchmaker, and it’s not yours.”
There’s always competition, but that’s not what would put that grim look in Benjamin’s eyes. He’s been in the business for a very long time. He watched the tech industry grow from computers that filled buildings just to do basic computations, to ones we hold in our hands that contain a universe of knowledge in them. In that time, he and CeCe have made more deals than I can imagine, and never once did he look like this. Even when a project was failing spectacularly. This isn’t about business. This is personal.
“Nick Stafford is planning on announcing his collaboration with a celebrity matchmaker. Sherry Carrigan. She’s got her own reality show. It’s very popular,” he says, his tone grim.
The room goes cold on me, and I sit there, allowing my brain to process the fact that Nick is screwing me over once again.
And it can’t be a coincidence. It’s been a month since Heath and I made our bargain. There’s zero chance Nick was working on a project to rival ours before that. Nick doesn’t put together deals. Nick is a slick talker in an expensive suit, but he doesn’t do what I do. “I thought he took a C-level job somewhere.”
“He’s working at Golden Tech. I believe he’s describing this as a side project,” Benjamin explains. “I don’t know, exactly. I haven’t read the article yet. It’s coming out next week. I’ll see if I can get an early copy.”
It gets worse? “There’s an article?”
If there’s an article about Nick, I have to assume they’ll ask him about Jensen Medical. It’s not like Nick’s going to own up to his mistakes. If I’m lucky, he’ll be demure about it. If he’s an ass, he’ll blame it all on me.
CeCe puts her martini down. “Can we quash it?”
“I don’t think so,” Benjamin says. “It’s being written by one of Nick’s fraternity brothers for a magazine published by his family. We have no real leverage.”
I try desperately to find the bright side. “So Nick heard I’m working on something and is trying to fuck with me. If you haven’t read the article, then this could all be speculation. Even if he does announce that he’s backing a similar project to ours, I assure you he hasn’t done the kind of work Heath has.”
“You know he doesn’t have to.” CeCe sits back, and her expression has gone tight. “All he has to do is toss some glitter on the right investor and he’ll be able to pay someone brilliant through the nose to do the work he needs. I’ve heard of the woman he’s working with. She’s known as the matchmaker to the stars. Mostly she pairs up ridiculously wealthy men with trophies.”
“I assure you she’s not as good as Lydia Marino.” Sherry Carrigan is on one of those reality shows that spends as much time on her employees’ relationship drama as it does her actual work. Because the show is likely what makes her money, not the matchmaking.