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“I hope to see you around,” she says as she walks down the stoop.
I lean against the doorjamb, watching her walk away. Then I see the photographer across the street, snapping photos of me.
“Fuck,” I groan, moving back to the couch with a raging hard-on. Now I’m frustrated as fuck with myself andsickof Billie Calloway.
The Calloway Curse is true. She’s ruining everything!
I walkinto work the next morning, whistling, but I’m in a shit mood. I’m trying to use reverse psychology on myself. Can’t believe I denied having incredible sex with a cute little blonde. Ican’t believe Billie’s name fell out of my mouth. I’m going insane—I have to be.
After I grab a cup of coffee from the break room, I enter my office.
Seconds later, Nicolas—my brother and partner—enters. He’s six years older than me, and he’s actually my half-brother, but I didn’t know what that meant, growing up. Nicolas Banks is my dad’s love child from an affair he had on my mother. It used to bother Nick when we were younger, but now he doesn’t give a shit.
“Good morning,” he says with his dress shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows. It’s barely past seven, and he looks like he’s put in a full day of work. “How is it thateverythingmagically works out in your favor? I swear you have a genie in a bottle or something. I was just catching up on the meeting notes from yesterday.”
“My intuition about a company is never wrong,” I state, smirking, excited about how successful the next quarter will be for the firm.
“IwishI had that skill,” he admits. “Might save me some heartache.”
“Oh, it doesn’t work with women. My superpower only extends to businesses that make over six figures.”
“Lame,” he tells me, glancing at the sign plastered thirty feet across my window. He points at it. “So, aboutthat.”
“Ah, you noticed.” I turn and look at it proudly. “Isn’t it great? A twenty-four-hour troll. I honestly should’ve thought of it sooner.”
“Bellamore isn’t on our quarterly agenda,” Nick says, repeating what Lauren said yesterday. “My stepsister says things didn’t go well during your meeting.”
“It’s gross when you call Harper your stepsister like that. You’re nearly forty.”
He laughs. “Her dad literally married my mom six months ago; she’s my stepsister. What happened when you spoke?”
“Billie doesn’t want my help,” I say. “That was to be expected.Why is everyone concerned that I might help Bellamore? Is there something more I should know about her company?”
“No. Bellamore is solid.” He meets my eyes. “It’s just that the board grows uncomfortable whenyougo off script. You can only handle so much.”
“Luckily, I don’t need the board’s approval when volunteering my time.”
“You’d give Billie Calloway a golden ticket to you?” He blinks at me like I’m an idiot. Maybe I am. “If you work with her, even on a volunteer basis, we can’t accept Lustre’s contract. We’d lose a three-billion-dollar contract, Ash. Have you lost your mind?”
“Don’t make me remind you again that this has never been about the money.”
He gives me a small smile. “I know. I apologize. Eden would be so damn proud of what you’ve built. This is what she always wanted, and you made her dream come true.”
“Thank you.”
Just hearing my older sister’s name makes me miss her so fucking much. She was four years older than me, and we were close. The only reason this firm exists is because of her.
“For the record, if I don’t work with Lustre, it won’t be because of the Ice Queen. I just haven’t fully decided if I can trust Josh yet. I’m having drinks with him soon. If it goes well, then I’ll move forward.” I point to the sign over my head. “And I’ll help him destroy her out of spite.”
“You say that without remorse.”
“Maybe it’s time I give her a real reason to hate me.” I pick up my lucky baseball that I keep on the corner of my desk and toss it in the air a few times.
“I look forward to watching this play out. One of them will be sacrificed. Which one do you like more?” He stretches his hand, catching it.
Nick tosses it a few times before giving it back.
“You’re asking me to compare two different-sized turds. They’reboth pieces of shit. They’re both horrible options. I’d rather not work with either. However, it’s a good opportunity for the firm. It could bridge a gap between fashion and advertising in a way that’s never been done before. I have some ideas, and whoever I choose will benefit the most,” I explain.