Page 82

“I don’t know,” I mutter.

“Think of it this way.” She lets go of my hand to tap her fingers on the top of the table. “Every big reward started with a risk. You’ll never know what the future could look like with William if you don’t take the leap.”

50

William

“What the fuckdid I do to deserve this?” I stare at the face of the man standing in front of me. “Move. Now.”

Percy Haines stands his ground.

We’re just outside of a bodega. I stopped in to grab a bottle of water. Just as I exited the store, he was in a cab speeding past when it suddenly pulled over so he could lunge out. He ran across the crowded street as though he was going to rip my head off, so I did what any man who has ever thrown a punch or two would do.

I drank half the water, stood the bottle on the sidewalk at my feet, and loosened my tie.

What I imagined would be an all-out brawl in the midday sun has turned into a staring match. I should be grateful for that since it’s been nearly twenty-five years since I threw those punches. I blame that on Susan McGregor and the crush I had on her. Needless to say, some other kid named Billy or Bobby felt the same way about Susan, so we took it to the playground after school.

I landed two punches. B landed one, and we both went home with sand in our shoes and hair, only to discover the next day that Susan was already planning her eventual wedding with some kid a year older than us.

“I need you to help me,” Percy whines as he skims a hand over his sweaty forehead. “I can’t live without Opal.”

That makes two of us, and since I know I’m the better choice for her, I shake my head. “It’s not happening.”

“I messed up,” he admits. “I needed to fuck, and since Opal and I weren’t there yet, I thought … I thought that … that server would want to have another go at me.”

“Do you not remember her name?” I stick a finger in the middle of his chest. “Jesus Christ, Percy, you fucked her, and you don’t have the goddamn decency to remember her name?”

He shrugs.

“It’s Sarah.” I shake my head. “Her name is Sarah.”

“How the fuck would you know her name?” he spits out. “Did you circle back to get some?”

Closing my eyes, I plant a hand on my forehead. “Why is this happening?”

“Why is what happening?” he asks as if he doesn’t know he’s the most annoying man in Manhattan.

“She had a nametag on,” I point out. “Her name is Sarah.”

“Did you see that when you were looking at her tits?” he questions. The grin on his face is sickening. “I don’t blame you. That shirt she was wearing was low cut, so it didn’t take a lot to imagine…”

“Shut up,” I snap, interrupting him. “Shut the hell up.”

He ignores that and keeps talking, “I don’t want to talk about Sarah. I want to talk about Opal. I’ll double your fee if you can get us together.”

No amount of money on this earth would convince me to help him get any woman. Opal is forever off-limits to him because she’s mine. At least for now, she is. “No.”

“No?”

“No,” I repeat, reaching down for the water bottle. I loosen the cap and swallow what’s left of the cool liquid. “That’s not happening.”

“Why the fuck not?” he asks, as if I need a reason to refuse to help him. “She’s single. I’m single. Make it happen.”

“She’s not single,” I blurt out. “She’s involved with someone. It’s someone who cares deeply for her. Besides, you have a hell of a lot of work to do on yourself before you approach another woman. You’re fucking rude. You have zero respect for women, and you need to trim your nose hairs.”

His hand jumps to his nose. “Fuck you.”

I step around him. “Forget Opal.”