Page 5 of Convenient Rivals

“Great, so you’ll fire him.”

“You know I can’t. Just tell Amanda to contact one of the search firms to get a new portfolio manager.”

“We don’t have the budget.”

“This is me you’re talking to.”

She snorted. “Fair. Did you want to see Barty?”

“Not today. I’ll end up saying something I regret. Can you ask Josh to come in?”

“Sure. You okay, boss?”

“Why are you calling me boss?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“It felt like a boss moment.”

He rolled his eyes, causing Claire to laugh.

“I’ll be fine, but I think I need a conversation with my mother.”

“Good luck with that,” she said as she stood up. “If I don’t see you before, have a good weekend. Try to have some fun.”

“What’s that?”

“You know, that thing you do with other men, usually when you’re both –”

“Let me stop you right there. We’re not having this conversation.”

She walked out laughing.

Oscar leant back in his chair, closing his eyes. He could feel a headache coming on. Thank fuck it was Friday. This week needed to be over with.

The sound of Josh clearing his throat startled him. He opened his eyes to see his immaculately dressed executive assistant, standing there poised, with his tablet and stylus. Oscar had definitely been born in the wrong generation. Pen and paper would always be superior for note taking.

“You asked to see me, sir.”

“We’ve had this conversation a million times, Josh. Please don’t call me sir. It makes me feel old.”

“I’m just being respectful of your position... sir... erm... Mr Montgomery.”

“And that is what my father’s called. Everyone else calls me Oscar. Now, have a seat. I need you to clear the afternoon for me. I’m going to head off after lunch. Is there anything I can’t move?”

“Your coffee date with Mr Gardiner.”

“Oh fuck, I forgot about that.”

Another well-bred man his mother had set him up with. She was determined to marry him off before he turned thirty, which was only a few months away. If he was still single when he hit the milestone, it would be a social faux pas, apparently. She was relentless, and if he cancelled the coffee date, he would never hear the end of it.

He loved his mother, she’d been incredibly supportive when he came out after university, but he’d never been close to his father. The man was away a lot on business, and when Oscar had said he didn’t want to join his firm, the distance between them had only gotten wider. But despite being cold and distant, he’d been nothing but supportive when Oscar had come out. Probably his mother’s doing, though he’d take it after hearing the horror stories that had befallen others, including Gregory Balfour. Oscar just wished his mother’s support didn’t spill over into wanting to pimp him out to as many well-connected families as she could.

“What time is the meeting?”

“You mean date.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Three o’clock.”

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