Page 114 of Every Broken Piece
Her gaze slides away from me. She bites the corner of her lip and my stomach drops. A simple thing such as the key to my apartment has her skittish and pulling away. I didn’t ask her to marry me. All I did was express the opinion that she needs access to my home. And somehow I fucked up. Damn it. It’s frustrating that I don’t know what will push her away and what will bring her closer. I’m lost on what I should do and I’m not usually this much of a bumbling fool. I save million-dollar corporations, but I can’t navigate a relationship with this woman.
Once we enter the apartment I head to the kitchen to deposit the cooler on the counter while Tess stands by the stairs almost asleep on her feet. I need to tell her about my conversation with Hardick but she’s swaying with exhaustion.
“Go on up to bed, Tess.”
She glances up the steps. “Are you going to bed too?”
Does she want someone to go upstairs with her? Or does she want me to sleep with her? Am I reading too much into this? I decide to take the safe route.
“Soon,” I say. “I have a phone call to make.”Don’t push.She’ll retreat. You’ve already pushed far enough for now.
She practically pulls herself up the steps. I stand in the kitchen until I hear her bedroom door close, then release my breath and head into my office to make my phone call.
“Gabriel Strong,” the woman on the other end of the line says when she answers her phone. “It’s been a hot minute.”
I hear cutlery clinking in the background along with the muted sounds of people’s voices. “I’m interrupting. I can call back.”
“Merely a dinner meeting and we’re almost finished. Save me, please.”
I chuckle because I’ve been to the same kind of endless dinners too many times to count. “Where are you?” I ask.
“San Francisco.”
“Closing another deal?”
She hums. “We’ll see.”
“You don’t seem enthusiastic about this one.”
“I’m leaning toward no. Hold on a sec.” I hear her speak to someone, but her voice is muffled.
“I’m back. Told them an offer just came in that I can’t resist. Keeps them on their toes thinking something might torch this deal.” The sounds of the restaurant recede as she moves through it. “It’s been months since I’ve heard from you. I’m not letting you slip through my fingers now. How’ve you been?” Her voice is warm with years’ worth of friendship.
Vivian Rexford, owner of Virex Global Industries, has been a business partner, a client, and eventually one of my best friends. Occasionally the press will resurrect rumors that we’re also secret lovers, but Viv and I would never survive each other. We’re too much alike. Both driven to succeed, both running billion-dollar corporations, neither with the time to keep up with each other’s schedules. We’re much better friends than we would be lovers.
I hear a door click shut on her end. “What do you need?” she asks, making me wince.
“Do I only call you when I need something?”
“I can read you like a book. You’re very serious right now.”
I sit behind my desk and swivel the chair around to look out at the glittering lights of the Denver skyline. “You weren’t lying when you told your dinner companions that you’ve had an offer. I have a business proposition.”
“Oooh. I love a good proposition.”
I grin because Viv is Viv and always will be. A little flirty, a lot sarcastic, too much sassy, but always there if I need her and always up for a good business deal.
“You own a company I need to purchase.”
There’s a slight pause. “Need, huh? Never show your hand like that Gabriel. You know better. But do go on.”
“TaskGenius. Based in Chicago.”
“Isn’t that the virtual assistant thing?”
“It is.” I’m not at all surprised that she knows of every small business she owns.
“And why would you be interested in TaskGenius?”
