Page 114 of Return Billionaire to Sender

He nods unhappily. Is he the mole, fishing to see what I suspect? Or is he an employee, worried that I’m disappointed with his performance—to the point that I cut him out?

“It’s quite an offer,” Walt adds, trying for a smile. “Should you be wearing a red suit and beard? Or am I missing something?” He wants to know if it’s the gift it looks like. Nisha is there, now, and Lawrence. They’ve been hovering. They want to understand, too—enough to defy tradition and actually group around me during a break.

“Maybe I just want any other interested party buried,” I say.

“Usually you use a shovel,” Coralee says. “When you want to bury somebody.”

“Instead of a delicious candy treat,” Nisha puts in humorously.

“There are intangibles,” I say. “If that’s what you’re wondering.”

They all seem to relax at this. Inside knowledge. An angle. That’s more like me.

“I know you wouldn’t put together a bad deal,” one of my West Coast lawyers says, showing he’s on the team. Everybody’s agreeing that they’re sure I know what I’m doing. I wouldn’t put together a bad deal.

People break for the bathroom and snacks. Only Elle is left.

“Do you see how people fall all over themselves to show they believe in you?” she says. As usual, she’s trying to look at the upside.

“If they didn’t believe in me, it would show that they’re idiots,” I say. “And I’d have to fire their asses.”

“So full of shit,” she breathes.

I look down, wishing I could touch her. She comes off as a shrinking violet, but she’s got grit.

If our mole is going to make a move, they’ll do it now. We’re both really conscious now of who has gone into the restroom, who has gone to the street to vape or talk on the phone. Nisha wanders up with a sparkling water for Elle and they break off to chat about whatever those two chat about.

I do things on my phone until we reconvene.

Gerrold seems excited about the deal.

I like the other party excited about a deal, but it’s usually my goal for them to be excited about a deal that gives me exactly what I want. And it typically takes a good deal of work to get them there. Instead, I’ve plopped his fondest desire right down on the table in front of him.

In exchange for intangibles.

Yes, good PR has monetary value, but still, it’s not me. I’ve left my comfort zone in the dust to head for the unknown.

Then I feel fingers on my arm, searching around until they find my hand. Elle, grabbing my hand, anchoring me like a counterpart.

The most important intangible.

I don’t look at her—I won’t compromise her in front of the team, but I’m rocked by her.

And right here, I decide that we have to be done with this ridiculous charade—sneaking around because she is my executive coach. Sneaking around is for children.

I want us to go back to New York and be together in front of the world. I have no doubt that she’s concerned about the ethics of our situation. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I have to think that that’s the obstacle that plagues her. Becoming romantic with the client would probably cause her to lose her license or certificate.

Whatever it is, it would be so Elle to have it framed and cherish the shit out of it, tell everybody she knows how amazing her job is. No doubt she has all kinds of anecdotes about executive coaching the way she has them about being a letter carrier, being that her nerd streak runs a mile wide. I love that about her. And how it’s her way of putting the world in order.

Lucky for us, I’ve figured out a solution. I need to graduate the program early. That’s all there is to it.

I’m broken out of my reverie by Gerrold’s new ask. Two days to look through the documents.

“Are you kidding me?” I say. “You want to look this gift horse in the mouth? You really do?” True, I made an unexpectedly gift-like offer, but that doesn’t mean I’ve had a personality transplant. “This is not a complex document. The changes are minimal, and all in your favor. Two hours.”

Gerrold’s thinking about it, but Junior scoffs.

“Look, you’ve been sitting with most of it for two weeks. This overcomes one of your main objections, Gerrold, with flying colors if I do say so myself. There are provisions for mediation in case of road bumps. Two hours, take it or leave it. I’m not trying to squeeze you here, but I’m not going to twiddle my thumbs. I want this deal done. I want my team back in New York. This is my final offer and it’s a pumpkin at four, got it?

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