Page 50 of Manhattan State of Mind

Come on, throw me a bone here.

Remember, sweetheart, you need to remember.

She absently smooths her blouse. “Are you now based in New York? The guys mentioned you’ve been around a lot lately.”

I sigh and force a half-smile. “I’ve had more reasons to be in New York recently. So, yes, my time is divided between here and Vegas.”

Wherever you are, that’s where I need to be. Even if it’s Antarctica.

Her gaze meets mine, a whisper of curiosity showing through. But it vanishes as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a polite nod. Like she’s talking about the weather. She doesn’t care. She doesn’t remember.

Whatever I thought I saw before is gone.

A frustrated growl slips past my lips before I can cage it, and she visibly flinches.

I quickly regain my composure and take a deep breath, not wanting to scare her any further.

“JP, sir,” she says in an unnaturally formal tone. “Thank you for this meeting. Umm… is there anything else you need from me?”

Looking at her face, devoid of any trace of recognition or warmth, hits me like a sledgehammer. I never imagined a world where Lucy and I would be… what are we now? Superior and subordinate? It’s a bitter pill to swallow.

“How are you working on getting your damn memories back?” The words burst out, a cocktail of pent-up frustration and desperation making my voice harsher than I intended. I regret the words the moment they leave my lips.

She startles, blinking before gathering herself and squaring her shoulders. “With all due respect, sir, I’m getting really tired of being asked about that. I’m doing everything the doctors and therapists tell me. Counseling, coaching… I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.”

“You’re right, I apologize,” I say, attempting to take the edge off my gruff tone. I’m acting like a class-A jerk. “That was out of line.”

Now I need her to leave before I completely lose my shit. “We’re done here. You can leave.” If she stays, I might say or do something even more regrettable.

She nods, then rises and walks out.

Watching her leave feels like my heart is being put through a shredder.

I handled that like a jackass. A certified, bona fide jackass. Maggie would’ve torn me a new one.

I let my eyes drift to the liquor cabinet, its polished surface reflecting back my drained eyes. Is it too early for a stiff one? Or maybe something a little stronger. I’m sure there’s a bit of powder stashed somewhere in this office.

It’s tempting. I can almost taste it, the familiar burn in my nostrils.

But I’m a changed man, I kicked that habit, swore off that life. No, what I need isn’t in a bottle or a powdery line.

What I need is a plan. A damn good one, and fast.

???

A quarter-hour later, I stride out of my office onto the open floor plan.

“Taylor,” I say, my voice cutting through the office chatter. “Round everyone up and meet me in boardroom five.”

Startled, Taylor quickly recovers and gets the team moving.

One by one, they shuffle in, casting curious glances my way. As they settle into their seats, I position myself at the head of the table. Their low chatter dies down instantly, replaced by an anxious silence.

“I gave you all an extension,” I begin, my gaze surveying the room, “but time isn’t something we should waste.” My voice hardens, the tension in the room ratcheting up a notch. “You’ve gotten complacent since knocking Phase One out of the park. The ideas I’m seeing now are weak. They lack vision. Guts. We need to step it up.”

I pause, letting the weight of my words hang in the air before adding the kicker. “So, we’re going all in. No exceptions. We’re holding a one-week hackathon starting in two weeks. I know we usually hold these events in Vegas, but this time we’re switching it up.”

A sense of unrest ripples through the room. I ignore it, continuing, “We’ll be meeting at my vacation home near Bear Mountain State Park.”