Page 111 of The Renter

“Is this for Geoff?”

“Yes. He needs to know how serious my partners and I are for him to run for governor.”

Looking at the row of dresses in my closet, I point to a draping cream-colored midi dress, and Adam nods in approval.

“Do you want to take one of the cars or have a driver?” He changes the subject smoothly.

“Driver, so you can have a few drinks.”

“Good call. I’m going to spend most of the dinner speaking with Geoff. We’ve been flirting with the idea for months, and I need him to get on board.”

“What’s so bad about the current governor?”

“He’s trying to bankrupt me … And Declan.”

Declan.Will he be at this dinner tonight? I don’t want to see him. Imagine what he would have to say about this fucking ring. I don’t need that energy tonight. Adam continues, hopefully not noticing my distraction.

“Mr. Sperm Lottery has changed his tune on crypto,” Adam says, his body tense from the stress.

I decide not to probe further. Clearly, this is a sensitive topic, and his posture alone tells me it’s best left unexplored for now. He checks his phone, announcing the car will be here in ten minutes, and gives me a moment to myself.

Selecting an understated purse, I concede to Adam’s preference for subtlety and request for something that can hold the hard drive. This isn’t a date, I reframe; this is a business dinner. At least I’ll have Geoff’s daughter to talk with.

“How many times have you been to One?” I ask as we settle into the car, making the short journey from Adam’s to the restaurant.

“More than twenty,” he answers after a thoughtful pause. It amazes me that he’s a regular at one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world and that tonight already marks my second time dining there with him.

“You never told me the final guest list. Who will be there tonight?”

“Geoff, his daughter—who you should speak with. She’s involved with a lot of foundations and nonprofits.” He squeezes my knee. “When we get married, you can focus on anything you want. You know, when money doesn’t matter.”

“When we’re married,” I say back to him, masking how bold of a statement that was. It’s nice that he remembers me sharing how I would like to be more involved in cause-based work ifmoney didn’t matter though. I’m excited to speak with Geoff’s daughter about this more.

“Greg will be there. Maybe Geoff will bring a date.”

“Greg’s not bringing anyone?”

“His wife hates business dinners. She stopped coming to them years ago.”

I get why she would skip them. I feel second-hand stress already. As the car pulls up to the restaurant, I brace myself for the evening ahead.

“Geoff,” Adam greets, shaking his hand in the private dining room. “You remember Dani.”

Geoff checks me out, and his eyes land on my ring. “Congratulations!” He pats Adam on the back.

“We’re keeping it private for a while,” Adam responds without missing a beat.

I feel like an idiot. Of course, this ring makes sense to Adam and me, but wearing it out in public on my left finger. It only says one thing: that we’re engaged.

Geoff introduces us to what seems to be his date, Autumn. She looks a few years older than me, and I smirk at Adam’s reputation note.

Adam squeezes my hand under the table as he and Geoff launch into details about a potential governorship.

“Think of this as a seed investment,” Adam says, grabbing my bag from the back of the chair and taking out the hard drive. “Once your campaign officially launches, I’ll make a very public and very splashy donation, followed by Kent Dubois and other strategic partners. You have the business community’s full support.”

I sense the hesitation in Geoff’s eyes as they look at the hard drive.

“Your partners have provided me with great consulting over the summer,” he says, sliding the hard drive into his interiorjacket pocket. “I always forget Declan isn’t an Ivy guy. He’s scary smart.”