Page 113 of Skins Game

Jericho’s spreadsheets rattled as he sorted through them. “We didn’t account for a mass-market productandan elite-level product going from dev to commercialization. The start-up costs fortwoproduct lines are going to be astronomical.”

“If those Rattler clubs need any modifications for mass manufacturing—” Kingston said to Nicole.

“Oh, they will. Theydefinitelywill.”

“And if there are changes needed for the Legendary line as we’re commercializing them?—”

“I’ll say it again.Those designs aren’t ready.”

“—youneedto be here to work on those changes. Six months. Please, Nicole. Sidewinder can’t live without you.”

His voice choked in the last part of his sentence.

Nicole looked up at him.

Kingston was staring at her, his blue eyes wider, vulnerable, and he was half-leaning on the table. “It will be a challenge like no other. You’ll probably never see anything like it again in your professional life.”

“Yeah,” she said, frowning at her fingers knotted together. “It would be.”

“I will personally buy you any sword you want in the whole damn world if we pull this off. I will ask the King of England if he will sell us the knighting sword he uses at investitures, King George the Sixth’s Curtana, and I will buy it for you.”

“You don’t know the King of England,” Nicole said, her tone hopefully conveying her obvious dubiousness.

“I know people who do,” Kingston said.

“Who?” Jericho asked him.

“That alumnus who teaches that one-credit pragmatic world politics seminar in the summer every other year,” Kingston told him. “Arthur Finch-Hatten.”

“Oh, yeah,” Jericho said. “That guy. There’s a rumor that therealreason he?—”

“But Nicole,” Kingston turned back to her. “I need you to stay.”

“Seriously, George the Sixth’s Curtana,” she said.

“I willtry,but I will get youanythingyou want.”

Six months of passing him in the hallways, sitting in meetings at this conference table, and trying to figure out whether she should take the elevator or the stairs to avoid him were going to be torture. “Okay, I’ll stay for six months, with acontractfor zero layoffs until the end of the year.”

Jericho spoke up, tapping a printed-out spreadsheet covered with green and red flowing numbers. “With the caveat that the Rattler line must bedeliveredto retailers by Halloween, and the Legendary series beginning delivery to pre-orders by Thanksgiving. Otherwise, the numbers don’t work at all. The math doesn’t math, and we need to close Sidewinderimmediatelywithout notice.” He glared at Kingston. “Because we need to stop throwing good money after bad, bet or no bet.”

Bet?

“But it’s a chance,” Kingston said, looking straight at Nicole. “If we pull together, we can save Sidewinder.”

Selma was staring over her phone at Nicole and nodded.

“Yes,” Nicole said. “It’s a chance. We agree.”

46

Boy Cooties

KINGSTON MOORE

Kingston took over Joe Flanagan’s old office at Sidewinder Golf and signed a short-term lease on an apartment through the end of the year.

Drudgery filled his days, a far cry from when his heart had lifted at walking into the glass-fronted building.