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But this isn't a negotiation.
This is a goddamn cosmic joke.
“I wasn't expecting to see her there.”
“No shit, Sherlock. I don’t think either of us thought you’d see your festival dalliance in Robert Carmichael's boardroom. As his daughter and COO.” He lets out a low whistle. “That's... one hell of a coincidence.”
I look at him sharply. “You think?”
“You already know what I think.”
“She claims she didn't know. About me. About the deal.” I watch his face. “What are the odds?”
Caleb studies me too long. “Well, bullet dodged, then. Lucky you never tried calling.”
My jaw tics. “Exactly.”
“Except now you've got to work with the girl you ghosted.”
“For a few weeks. Once the board votes, we'll bring in our team.” I shrug. “She becomes redundant.”
“Institutional knowledge like hers doesn't grow on trees.”
“We'll evaluate her value like any other asset.”
“Right,” he says evenly. “Nothing personal.”
I shoot him a look. “Don't.”
“Just observing that your laser focus seems slightly... shattered today.”
“My focus is perfect.”
“If you say so.” He scrolls through his phone. “You know what? We should celebrate the Carmichael win. That new rooftop bar on Michigan just opened.”
“Tokyo deal closes this weekend.”
“You can spare two hours.” He glances up. “Unless you're avoiding public spaces for some reason?”
“Subtle.”
“I don't do subtle,” he says. “I do damage control.”
“She's not in my head.”
The lie burns my tongue.
Because she is in my head. With those defiant hazel eyes, the way she stood her ground while her father crumbled. That pencil skirt showcasing curves I haven't been able to erase from my mental hard drive.
Caleb watches my face. “Look, we've known each other too long for games. Just tell me. Is this going to be a problem?”
“What 'this'?”
He gives me his courtroom stare. “The woman you were clearly interested in—don't deny it—turns out to be the daughter of the company we're acquiring. Whose job you're about to eliminate.”
I turn back to the window. “It's not a problem.”
“Bennett—”