Page 103 of Return Billionaire to Sender

“It’s proprietary, that’s all,” she says.

Soren has no idea how maniacally Elle will hold on to what she knows—she’s like a little dog, teeth sunk in, refusing to give up her one sure patch of knowledge. I don’t enjoy when it’s turned on me, but it’s magnificent seeing it turned on Soren.

“Let’s just drop it,” Verlaina says.

“You’ve told me the technique itself,” Soren says to me, ignoring Verlaina. “Are you telling me that therationaleis proprietary?” This like it’s the stupidest thing he ever heard.

She does her chin-up thing that I’ve come to enjoy. “I’m sorry, that’s proprietary.”

“It’s not as if I’m going to steal the rationale,” he growls.

Elle can take care of herself; that’s definitely something I’ve learned, but I don’t like Soren’s bullying tone—I didn’t appreciate it aimed at the waitperson and I definitely don’t appreciate it aimed at Elle.

I turn to the man. Calmly, I say, “If it’s proprietary, it’s proprietary.”

“But it’s ridiculous to make such a thing proprietary.” Soren says. “It’s like making your method for tying shoelaces proprietary. There’s simply no reason for it.”

“Soren,” Verlaina says. “She doesn’t want to talk about it.”

“Fine. Say you don’t want to talk about it, then, but don’t claim it’s proprietary.” He finishes up his drink. “A letter carrier and amateur documentary footage. Not as if I’m going to steal it,” Soren grumbles. “I don’t do gimmicks.”

I give him a cool smile. “Maybe you should try it, Soren,” I say. “Anybody can take on the clients who want coaching, but it takes a real innovator to take on the uncooperative clients.”

“This is ridiculous.” Soren stands and grabs his phone. “You may need a bit more of her emotional intelligence dog and pony show, Malcolm, because those soft skills? Not in evidence.” He throws down a few bills and heads out.

Verlaina winces. “I’m sorry. He’s been under so much pressure with the new release and everything.” She looks from me to Elle. “Thanks for coming out. It really was nice to meet you, Elle.”

“You, too,” Elle says.

“Soft skills,” I growl as Verlaina rushes off to catch up to Soren. “I’ve got some soft skills I’d like to show him.”

When I look over, Elle’s beaming at me. “Thank you,” she gusts, as though she can’t believe how fiercely I took her side. Has nobody ever done that? I move closer to her. “I’ve got some soft skills that will lay him right out.”

Her grin grows even wider.

I say, “I’m sorry I brought you out to drinks with that jackass.”

“No, it was sweet,” she says. “It was a nice idea.”

“He was a jackass,” I growl.

She makes a sly face. “Dog and pony show? Do you think he was trying to insult me?”

“I should’ve laid him out,” I growl.

“And let you end up with another court-ordered emotional intelligence coach? No way,” she says. “Anyway, I’m sure I was insulting with my proprietary thing. But he made me nervous, like I might say the wrong thing.”

“I think he wanted to make you nervous.”

She frowns, not liking that.

“But you got the better of him.” I lean in closer to her. “It’s proprietary.”

She smiles her huge smile. “Well, Malcolm, they say that anybody can take on the clients who want coaching, but it takes a real coach to help the uncooperative ones.”

I grin, pleased that she enjoyed that.

She grabs my hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Those soft skills, Malcolm? Not in evidence!”

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