Page 65

“Is he always like this?” Joel whispers loudly to Vargas.
“Yeah.”
“He can work even after someone threatened him?”
“Yup.”
I pretend not to have heard and focus on the contract.
Being the head of an M&A firm means I make the hard decisions. I’m the face of severed connections, rejections, and change.
I’m not going to win any popularity contests.
As long as my family still believes in me, as long as Regan and Abe are safe, I really don’t give a damn what people think.
The ride back to my building is quiet.
Vargas takes Joel through the private elevator that leads to my penthouse.
Not long after, he returns downstairs.
I see him watching me expectantly, as if he’s waiting for me to bring up the topic of the ice cream incident. Or ask about how Joel is settling in.
It’s like he doesn’t even know me.
“Did you prepare the files for the law team? I have a meeting at five.” I walk purposefully past him, rolling up my sleeves.
“On it,” Vargas mumbles.
I lose myself in work for the next few hours. It’s not until my belly growls that I come up for air.
Vargas knocks on the door and walks in with a greasy paper bag that smells amazing.
“Yes, I fed the kid. Three hours earlier than you because he’s not a machine like his foster dad.” My assistant plunks the food on my desk. “The pictures we took have been published. We’re boosting it in all the headlines. Your name is trending again, but for a good reason.”
“I didn’t doubt you for a second.” I rip the paper covering the burger and dig into it, using my free hand to scroll through my computer.
Vargas stares at me.
I pretend not to notice.
He sighs pointedly.
I ignore that too.
“Are you really going to do this?” he asks.
“Do what?” I shove the rest of the burger into my mouth, dust my hands on my slacks and continue typing.
“The three of us know he’s a publicity stunt, but he’s still a human being. Shouldn’t you,” he waves in the general direction of the penthouse, “get to know him?”
I snort. “You think he wants to get to know me?”
“He definitely won’t if you act like you’re not interested.”
“He’s annoying.”
“Because he has a crush on Clarissa? If anything, that just proves that you two have more in common than you think.”