Page 68 of Power Move

“Well, I must speak with you,” Danna said.

“No. Not until I speak with Eva and leadership. Then, you can let me have it,” Davey said.

They exchanged the steeliest of glances before she reluctantly disappeared, closing the door. Davey approached, rubbing my shoulders.

“Eva, I am sorry if she said something?—”

“We were talking about happy old memories,” I said. “It’s okay. She wasn’t rude.”

Davey kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry. For all of this, let me just apologize.”

“What is happening?”

“I am about to beg for mercy in front of everyone,” Davey said. “And I wanted to explain to you what will happen. Itwillaffect you.”

“Okay, so how?”

“I have to make up a story about how much I’m in love with you. It needs to look much more innocent than it began.”

“Oh,” I said. “Well, I’m sorry you have to pretend to like me.”

“Eva, I don’t have to pretend to like you. I do. I like you a lot. Iadoreyou.” Davey pulled my chin towards his gaze. “It won’t be hard to make it believable, but, I don’t want to freak you out. I will smooth everything over on your behalf. I am taking all of this on the chin. Don’t panic. Focus on you.”

“This is a disaster. Claire is?—”

“If Claire says boo, I will fire her,” Davey said. “But she won’t. She likes you more than she likes me.”

I snickered.

“Are you okay with the ruse?”

I shrugged. “It probably would make the medicine go down better. Whatever we must do.”

Davey

“So, given the events of today, I must explain my situation,” Davey said. “This matter that will be… uncomfortable. All I ask is that you consider that it involves someone else in this room.”

How did anyone say with credibility that they knocked up their sister’s direct report but didn’t know who she was? On top of that, I had to lie that I was in love with her all while I felt her internal cringe from across the room.

“Miss Pavlak was rushed off this morning for her wrist but also out of an abundance of caution for her well-being,” I explained. “And I’ve had some questions about whyIwent with her and rescheduled the strategy session. Well, I am going to answer all of that.”

“Obviously, you two are in a relationship,” Norm said. “I knew that from when you brought her to dinner.”

“Wait, how?” I asked.

“You left with her,” Norm said.

“I… I brought her home. I can assure you that was all very innocent.”

Norm crossed his arms.

“Are you in a relationship with my direct report, David?” Claire demanded with a frightening glare.

“Yes, but it wasn’t my intent to date your direct report. See, a funny thing happened.”

“Funny?” Our head general counsel wanted to kill me.

“He didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know he was Daphne’s brother.” Eva valiantly bailed me out. “He was a guy I met while out with friends. It was all very Shakespearean and innocent like he said.”