Page 122 of Mr. Almost

“Good. Two, Iris can’t be your executive assistant.”

“Excuse me? She has been since the beginning. I’m not leaving her behind.” He crosses his arms.

I secretly think he’s in love with his so-called assistant, but that’s not my business.

“She can’t be because she is better than that, Max. If she goes, she gets an equally important position.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we create a position for her. Chief of whatever you want, but she is not your assistant. In fact, she deserves her own assistant.”

His jaw clenches as he thinks it over. “Fine. I’ll figure it out. Are you going to tell Olivia?”

“Not yet. I want her to settle in a little more. I’m trying to get her to agree to switch out day cares. She is stubborn. She doesn’t see the point of paying more for day care when hers has done well for three years now.”

“Why do you want to switch?” he asks.

“It’s not that great. They aren’t even working with Ari on her education. It’s practically a glorified playground. They are understaffed and overcapacity. I just think Ari would be getting more out of a better day care.”

“Sounds like a headache. Isn’t she starting school soon too?”

I groan, rubbing my forehead. “Don’t remind me. We got into an argument about that last night. She thinks public school will be fine, but I looked into the schools around here. None are up to my standards. Private school is the way to go. The problem is that Olivia refuses to let me pay for it. She wants to pay half of everything so that she is contributing. She wanted to pay half the mortgage even.”

“You don’t have a mortgage.”

“I know. When I told her that, she said she was paying mesomething, so I better tell her a number before she looks up what a place like mine rents for.”

“Fuck. What did you tell her?”

“I told her she could pay me a hundred dollars a month.”

“Did she agree?”

“Fuck no. She then went and saw that homes in my area rent for thirty-four hundred a month and lost her shit. She tried to tell me that we couldn’t afford to live there and then got pissed when I reminded her that I owned the place outright. We went in a few circles, but I finally agreed to take five hundred a month from her.”

He shakes his head. “What are you doing with the money?”

“Putting it into Ari’s trust.”

He laughs. “Of course you are. Sounds like a headache.”

“It is, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love them.”

“I know you do. I’m happy for you, man.”

“Thanks, brother. You’ll find your one too.”

He looks sullen for a moment. “Maybe I already have and I lost my shot.”

“It will all work out. If it doesn’t, then I’m here to watch you drink yourself stupid until you forget about it.”

“Best big brother ever.”

“Don’t you forget it. Now get out of my office and get back to work. I want to get out of here at a decent time.”

He laughs, heading to the door.

He stops before he opens it.

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