Page 19 of The Disasters of Dating (Love Connections #6)

KEATON

Determination is the key to success in all aspects of your life.

Learn Chinese: 请 — Qǐng — Please

Maybe I shouldn’t have texted Poppy during the break in my meeting with the attorneys because now I’m having difficulty paying attention.

My mind keeps drifting to her and what she is planning for tonight.

Are we just going to dinner? Or will she plan something else, too?

It feels like maybe it’s a date. But I’m pretty sure she isn’t thinking of it like that.

I think she looks at it as more of paying a debt.

I frown. I don’t like being a debt. But maybe a debt is better than nothing?

“Mr. Lincoln?” A throat clears, and I look up, realizing I’ve zoned out again.

I sit up straighter in my chair, feeling like I’ve been reprimanded by a teacher. It feels weird to be called Mr. Lincoln. The managers here rarely add the “Mr.” to my business name. It’s usually Linc or Keaton.

And I feel like I should have a stovepipe hat sitting on the table next to me.

That hat Lincoln wore is called a stovepipe hat, right?

Or was that just Frosty the Snowman? I shake my head.

“I’m sorry. I got in late last night.” I stand up and move over to the mini-fridge in the conference room.

Grabbing a Cherry Dr. Pepper, I twist my head from side to side.

I would like to blame my inattentiveness on sleep deprivation—and I still might if I’m questioned later—but I know what, or rather who, is the culprit.

I pop the top on the can and chug about half of it, then give myself a mental shaking. “Okay, what were you saying?”

Mr. Grubber raises a brow. “You do pay us by the hour, Mr. Lincoln.” I’m wishing I had gone by Barrington at work. This Mr. Lincoln stuff is getting on my nerves. “You realize that, right?”

I quirk a half smile. Couldn’t Evan have found attorneys with a modicum of personality? “Yeah, I know. I need to get a little caffeine in me. I appear to have hit the mid-morning wall.” I roll my hand in the air. “Please, carry on. I’m better now.”

“How many companies are you wishing to set up? And do you want them all done at once or more of a staggered set up?”

I lean forward. “I think three initially. But over the next few weeks, if we can set up two more every four or five days. To avoid suspicion, we’re going to have to set up nine or ten companies that can buy the stocks in low amounts.

By the time the last companies are set up and buying the stock, we should be able to start a proxy fight.

We are working on a list of potential board members who will be friendly toward the takeover. ”

Mr. Welsby sits back in his chair, taking notes on his laptop.

It’s interesting he’s in the note-taking position.

After all, the law firm is called Harking, Welsby, and Cray.

There is no Grubber in there. And yet, Grubber is the one doing all the talking.

I’ve heard nary a word from Welsby. Nary.

Now there’s an underused word these days.

“Will you be the one signing the contracts, Mr. Lincoln?” Mr. Grubber asks.

I shake my head. “No. We have a few executive officers who will sign the contracts.” I lift a brow. “Officers which will take some research to link back to Noveani Technologies or to the original owner of GridWolf.”

Both men nod and simultaneously close their laptops. “Okay. I think we have what we need to get started. I’ll keep you updated as we create the corporations. We’ll need the names of the CEOs before we file, so if you could get that sorted out as soon as possible.”

I nod. “As soon as you know the first three company names, let me know and I’ll send you all the pertinent information.”

Mr. Grubber sticks out his hand for me to shake. “We look forward to working with you, Mr. Lincoln.”

I smile and shake his hand. “We’ve heard good things about your firm. As our business expands, we look forward to a long partnership.”

I can see the gleam in the man’s eyes as he starts to see dollar signs.

I hope Evan understands what he’s doing.

Going after GridWolf will not be cheap. And it’s as likely to fail as it is to succeed.

But it was his first company. It’s what made him the man that he is.

So I guess I can understand his desire to save the company—his baby—even if it’s at a great cost.

Mr. Welsby smiles and shakes my hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lincoln.”

“And you, Mr. Welsby. Let me know what else you need.”

Mr. Grubber casts a lazy eye over his shoulder at me as they move toward the conference room doors. “Do you have an assistant that I should work through?”

I shake my head. “Not yet. We’re in the process of hiring our staff right now.

I’ll send that information when it happens.

” I’m guessing they researched Evan and, most importantly, his net worth.

Otherwise, I know this meeting would never have taken place considering how small and new Noveani Technologies are.

Most big-name law firms would not have given us the time of day.

But Evan is not without his clout—even if that only comes because of his hundreds of millions of dollars.

The men move through the door, and I watch through the glass walls as they wait at the bank of elevators.

An assistant. I probably should have one of those. But we are limited on all staff right now. I add it to my mental list of things I need to speak with Evan about. If I’m going to be spearheading multiple projects for him, I’m going to need some help. Even if it’s just organizing my schedule.

Dan pops his head into my office. “Hey, I’m going to dinner with a group of friends. I wondered if you wanted to come along? Maybe meet some new people? With as much time as you’re spending here, it might be nice if you had some friends outside of work.”

It’s nice of him to offer, but I’m not sure I agree with him.

New Hampshire is my home and where most of my friends are.

I have a few others spread across the country that I met through college.

But all in all, I think I’m pretty set on the whole friends thing.

I smile. “I appreciate the offer, but I have plans tonight.”

He gives me a skeptical look. Yes, I may have told him that before, when my plans entailed going to the hotel and binge-watching Parks and Rec .

He can judge me if he wants. My life feels a little crazy right now.

I’m living out of a suitcase more than I’m not.

And sometimes I want a dark, quiet room over a loud and busy restaurant or bar.

I should probably tell him I have a date tonight, but it’s none of his business.

He gives me a pitying look. “Okay. Well, if you change your mind, we’re going to Madigan’s. We’ll make sure to save a space for you on the off chance you decide to come.”

I smile and release a slight chuckle. “Thanks, Dan. I appreciate you trying to socialize me.”

“I think you might enjoy your time here better if you had some friends.”

I nod. “You may be right. And if it makes you feel better, I have plans with a friend tonight.”

His brows go up. “Really? You can bring him along.”

I pretend like I’m considering his offer, which I’m not.

I don’t know Poppy well enough to subject her to people who are only acquaintances of mine.

I mean, I know I invited her to come hang out with them last week.

But let’s be honest, I was only using them as an excuse to invite her into a non-universe doomed dinner.

But now that she doesn’t seem convinced that the universe is trying to keep us apart, I see no need to bring the co-workers into the date…

or not date. I need to quit thinking of it that way.

“They’re deciding on the restaurant.” Yes, I’m keeping it purposely vague and perhaps leading Dan to believe it is a guy that I’m meeting.

I saw what happened last time when I mentioned Poppy was a woman.

We don’t need to go there again. “I still don’t know the area very well.

My guess is we’ll end up at a sports bar or something so we can watch the game.

I’ll mention your offer, but we may need to take a raincheck. ”

Is it bad I’m hoping she picks someplace outside of the greater Lehi area? The last thing I need is for us to see these guys while I’m out with Poppy.

My phone vibrates, and I glance over at it. It’s a text, but I’ll take the diversion. I give Dan a chin lift. “I’ve got to take this. But thanks again for the offer.”

He returns my chin thrust and disappears down the hall.

Well, well. It’s a better text than I imagined.

Poppy

Okay. I’m thinking maybe we meet halfway between the two of us? There is a place called La Vie en Fromage. It’s in Draper. Is 6 too early to meet?

I close the texting app and open the search engine, typing in the name of the restaurant to find out how long it will take me to get there.

The pictures on the website look delicious, and my stomach growls at the thought of eating there.

And maybe a little because I haven’t had lunch yet.

It looks like it’s only about twenty minutes away.

Nope! I should be able to wrap things up in plenty of time to meet you there.

I let out a breath, relieved that we will be far enough away that I don’t worry about bumping into Dan and his friends.

Poppy

Great! I’ll meet you there! And remember, I’m paying this time.

I grin. While I’m kind of old-fashioned in thinking the guy should pay for a date, this one isn’t a date, so I’m going to chill out about it.

See you at 6!

Man, suddenly my stomach is all twisty-turvy.

Like, I’m nervous…but I’m not nervous, am I?

I mean, why should I be? I smirk to myself.

Maybe because the last time I went to dinner with Poppy, I nearly maimed her and made her look like she’d been in a rather serious car accident.

But surely that won’t happen again, right?