Page 4 of Just The Way You Aren't

Me:What do you want? It’s Monday evening.

Alfred the Asshole:Get back 2 the office. Emergency board mtg!

I frown at my phone. As I recall, I’m the CEO of the company and, since my father’s death, the Chairman of the Board. But somehow, Alfred Rothchild has taken it upon himself to call board meetings and drum up votes to his side. And he seems to take particular delight in calling unscheduled board meetings just to piss me off.

He and his cronies hate me. Which is why I absolutely need to be at this board meeting. “Sorry, guys. I’ve got to go.”

Finn rolls his eyes. “Alfred the Asshole?”

“Got it in one.” I stand.

“Aren’t you going to cash out your chips?” Brad asks.

I shrug. “Keep them. Add them to the pot. Fifty-thousand won’t hurt me, and I was losing, anyway.”

“You were at that.” Finn chuckles, raking my chips to the middle of the table.

“Give ’em hell,” Wyatt says, raising his glass to me. “Don’t let them walk all over you.”

“That’ll be the day,” I mutter. I’m the CEO of Langley Enterprises, I tell myself sternly as I walk out of the Retreat.Me.

And there is not one good goddamn thing Alfred Rothchild can do about it.

CHAPTER 2

WILLOW

Iswerve to avoid hitting Roberto, who is trailing along behind his walker down the middle of the street in Washington Heights, looking at the ground and not where he is going. Not that Roberto knows where he is going most of the time.

“Oh dear.” I stop the food van quickly two blocks shy of his and Juana’s house, then hop out and run to the old man’s side. “Roberto, how are you doing?”

He turns his head my way, his watery eyes not recognizing me for a moment. But then he smiles. “Willow! Oh, I’m fine, just fine. But… where is my house?” he asks anxiously.

“You’re almost there,” I reply, gently turning him around and pointing at his house.

Poor Juana, apron full of cornmeal dust from grinding corn—because she has never eaten a store-bought tortilla in her life and isn’t about to start now—comes running down the middle of the street herself. “Ah, Willow! Thank God for you. Roberto, my love, I thought you were watching the game?”

He looks confused. “Was I?”

“Yes, darling, you were.” Juana puffs as she stops next to us, leaning over to catch her breath before taking Roberto’s arm and slowly shuffling down the street with him.

They’re the most adorable little couple and aren’t on my route today, since I’m filling in for a sick volunteer with the food van and not meeting with people about their landlord issues, but I can tell they need my help. There are strain lines on Juana’s face again.

I decide the food will keep. “Let me drop off Mrs. Baumgartner’s food real quick and I’ll be right back, okay, Juana? I can tell something’s wrong.”

“Thank you, angel. But you finish the meals first. No one should ever go hungry,” she says firmly. “Silver Hearts is lucky to have you.”

I give her my sunniest smile. “I’ll get the meals done quickly and then we can talk about… Mr. Powers?”

Juana shakes her head. “Roberto Jr. this time.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Ah yes. The son who wants to put them in a home. “You leave it to me, Juana. I’ll be back right after I finish these deliveries.”

She gives me an indulgent smile. “I know you will get here when you can.” She gives me a big, floury hug. “And don’t forget about the fundraiser!”

I hug her back with all my might, then give them both a wave as I hop back into the van. I’m really supposed to be having a meeting about said fundraiser in a few hours, but they’ll wait for me. Juana’s situation, in my opinion, is the fire burning within my reach, and I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t know how to pivot.

Mr. Katz sticks his head out of his door as Juana and Roberto pass, then looks at me. I roll down my window.

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