Page 1 of The Hang Up

CHAPTER1

Joshua

“I usedto make hardened board members wet themselves with that look.” I rolled my neck to relieve the rising stress and motioned for the server to bring me another drink.

“First of all, you did that yesterday, so you can still play the badass CEO just fine.” My assistant finished his wine and placed his napkin beside his plate. He seemed distracted, but every move he made was intentional. Mitch had been with me for the last ten years, and his favorite pastime was calling me out on my bullshit.

“And?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. There was no rushing Mitch when he was making a point, but I wanted to be done with this conversation and back to the business at hand. The server arrived with my scotch on the rocks. I nodded my head at Mitch. “He’ll have another as well.”

“I don’t need you to order for me. I’m quite capable of figuring out when I’m thirsty. And,” he said, his voice rising at the end as he tapped on the table, “what I want to eat.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You were going to order the cheapest thing on the menu.”

“There isn’t anything cheap on the menu,” he said, waving the dessert menu for emphasis. “I mean, I assume since they forgot to add the prices.”

“We both know you researched the place as soon as I suggested—”

“Suggested. Nice word.”

“—eating here. And since I’m paying for dinner, there’s no need to starve yourself. You ate every bite of your linguini, so why are we arguing?”

“It’s not about the food or the menu.”

“And…?”

He crossed his arms and sat back. “And you know it.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head and resisting the overwhelming urge to shake my assistant. “Earlier, you said ‘first of all,’ implying there is a second part to that statement.”

His features softened. “Josh—”

“No.” I pointed at him. “Do not call me that.”

He titled his head as he studied me, and I wondered what he’d do if I just left. But wouldn’t I be proving his point? “Do you want me to go back to calling you Mr. Miller? How about Boss Man? Grumpy Bear?” When I didn’t respond, he leaned closer.

I’d faced down many powerful people…angry investors, hungry competitors, backstabbing board members, and an ex-wife who was scarier than them all put together, yet one soft look from Mitch had me reconsidering all my life choices.

But wasn’t that why we were here?

“Stop giving me that look,” I said. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t need the second part.”

His smile had depth. Amusement layered over fondness and—the one I hated the most—sympathy. Things I never would have tolerated as CEO of Miller Technologies. But now—now—I was trying not to squirm because of the other things that smile and the matching look in his dark eyes were saying.Rememberingmy life falling apart, my wife leaving me, my daughter following in my footsteps and not having time for me. My son hating me—pretending I was dead. The heart attack that almost accomplished that feat and having no one in my life—other than my assistant—who cared. Almost no one—but I couldn’t think about him. Another person I’d disappointed. I shook my head.

“You’re being too hard on yourself—”

“I’m really not.”

“Okay, let’s put a pin in that,” Mitch said, making an actual pinning motion in the air between us. “You’re minimizing the amount of good you’ve done in the last few years. This imaginary scale in your head is disproportionately tipped with the things you’ve done wrong—”

“The people I’ve hurt.”

“And yes, the people you’ve hurt. But others made mistakes. Hurt you—don’t shake your head—” His sharp tone stopped me from responding. Mitch never let anything get to him. “You want to make amends. Reinvent yourself. And I’m here for that. I love that journey for you. But to get there, you have to acknowledge that you were, at times, the victim. It doesn’t make you weak—”

“I don’t think that.”

“Fine. Just, for the love of God, relax a little. Have fun. You’re retired. Act like it. Maybe,” he said with a shrug, but I could see the teasing in his eyes, “go on a date.”

“Not interested.”

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