Page 65 of Power Move

“I’d like to be here for at least a few more months,” I sighed. “Don’t go into labor over this.”

“For real. How will you plug the well without me covering your ass?”

“I will grow up,” I answered. “That’s all I can promise you.”

20.TAKING LUMPS

Davey

“I need answers and explanations,”Daphne said. “And I need them from you, asshole.”

We sat in my father’s old office, piecing together a strategy to deal with this.

“Do you want me to begin at the start and explain the nitty-gritty or?—”

“I want to know how you impregnated my employee, yes. What the fuck, Davey? The timelinedoes notwork. And you were such an asshole to her?—”

“Fine, you asked for it,” I said. “I met Eva at a bar. She was overseeing her best friend’s bachelorette party. I sort of ran into her, found her cute, and… we hooked up.”

“So, you just willy-nilly think it’s cool to have unprotected sex? That’s so stupid, Davey!”

I didnotneed a lesson from my baby sister on wrapping it up right now.

“Daph, the condom broke. I went out and bought her Plan B. It didn’t work. Then, she decided to block my number. She sorta freaked out. It upset me. That’s why I was an ass.”

“So, she’s a conquest?”

I balled my fists. “Can you stop it with the fucking accusations, Daph? No. She’s not. I care a lot about her. I am obsessed with her, in fact. She’s gorgeous. I find her addictive. Is that what you want to hear? That I’m completely wrapped up in a woman I have no business with—one who probably doesn’t want me? That we’ve been hiding it because she’s terrified of you firing her?”

“I should fireyou. I have the votes and everyone is here!”

“Fine, try it,” I sighed. “Daphne, I’m so tired. So fucking tired.”

“You’re tired? I’m cleaning up your fucking mess right now while about to pop! I’m worried about your ability to manage the company?—”

“I can manage the company,” I assured. “I did it before you. I’ll do it for a few months without you, damn it! And you should be relieved. I wanted to IPO. This will kill those chances the minute my philandering gets out.”

“You wanted to IPO? You wanted to take Dad’s companypublic?”

I winced. “I told you I was being honest.”

“No. I won’t permit it. That’s a hornet’s nest. Why would you want that?”

“I’d rather take my chances with shareholders?—”

“Why?”

“Daphne, I hate this job. Honestly, you’re better at it,” I said. “I fought you tooth and nail for it. I wanted to be good at it, but even Dad knew better.”

Face sympathetic, Daphne sat on the desk’s edge, defeated.

“What? You don’t want to be CEO now? You wanted my head on a spit a year ago, sister.”

“I… I like to win a fair fight. And anyway, that’s not what I need right now. I need to be able to sleep?—”

“I can hold the well. You’ve done a great job. This acquisition with the sustainable building firm will wrap up in a couple ofweeks. But I don’t know what I want to do. Everything is up in the air, Daphne.”

“Yes. We’re both having babies. Are you planning to parent or just cut a check?”