Page 62 of Love.V2
The shrill ringing of a cell phone made the two men pat at their pockets. Dylan pulled his out, flashing the screen in our direction. “It’s Grant. Let me get this.”
I watched him duck outside, the door closing softly behind him.
“We had a pool going in the office, you know. How long it would take you to come back? We never thought he’d be the one to come here, but you know what? Good for him.” Danny shook his head, sliding his laptop out of its sleeve and setting up on a corner of the desk. “I don’t know how he’s doing it—working two jobs and fixing things with you. He looks more rested than I would have thought.”
“Two jobs?” Did he mean, like, shadowing meandEric? Sure, Dylan’s days were pretty busy, but I wouldn’t call it “two jobs.”
Danny snorted. “I mean, Henry let him decrease his workload to come try this out, but notthatmuch.”
A queasy feeling settled in my stomach. Maybe I was misunderstanding? I glanced at the frosted glass, watching Dylan’s shadow pace in front of the door. “Henry…but Dylan works here. At Jinx. He’s…on track to replace Eric as CEO.”
Danny shrugged, like this was a normal conversation, not confusing at all. “He’s not CEO yet. And you know Henry. He’d rather cut off his own hand than lose his golden boy. He hasn’t made it easy on him. Old man is holding on tight, hoping Dylan will see the light and come running back to Nashville.” Danny winked at me. “Something tells me Dylan’s planning to stick around though, if he can.”
If he can. My pulse fluttered. It was becoming increasingly clear that I was missing something. Maybe lots of somethings.Bigsomethings.
“So, Dylan is still doing his old job, too? Besides all the stuff he’s taken on here?” My brain was spinning. That math didn’t add up. He worked with me. Here. All day. He had meetings and made coffee runs. And when he came home at night, his phone got chucked on the table until it was time to leave in the morning.
Danny paused his desk setup to look in my direction. Something flashed across his expression—uncertainty or wariness. It cranked up the unsettled feeling in my stomach. “Dylan hasn’t talked to you about this?”
“Oh, I mean, of course…I guess I just didn’t realize how much he was still…handling.”
Was that right? It was hard to bullshit my way through a conversation I didn’t truly understand, but it was crucial I get this information from Danny right now.
His expression smoothed, turning empathetic. “It’s a lot, yeah. In the last week or so, there have definitely been a few balls dropped. Usually, I get flurries of emails from him at night, but the last few days? Nothing. That’s why I’m here. The only way I can get his attention to prep for the pitch in California on Friday is to get in his face. It’s going to be a beast and we need him focused.”
My stomach pitched, and everything in my abdomen felt like it was sliding down to my feet. Dylan was working two jobs? Dylan was doing a pitch with Danny? In California?
For so long, his career had felt like the imposing third partner in our relationship. I thought he was changing. I thought hehadchanged, and that coming here with a fresh slate.
It was like finding a secret stash of love letters from your partner’s ex dated from last week. I’d thought he was done with all that.
Guess not.
“California pitch. When are you leaving for that one again?” My voice sounded faint, but I had to keep going, even if it hurt me. Everydetail I uncovered from now on would just sink the knife deeper, but I had to know.
“Flight Wednesday, pitch on Friday. Want to get there a day early to schmooze a little bit. And the time change is a bitch, pardon my language.” Danny offered me a crooked smile, but must have seen the stricken look on my face. “Tess, you okay?”
My lips tried to smile back, but they trembled. Something dangerously close to betrayal flooded my veins. “I’m good, I just—”
“Sorry about that. He’s freaking out over a calculus test.” Dylan sauntered in with a bright smile. “What are we talking about?”
He looked so happy, carefree. And he was lying to me. By omission, perhaps, but…
I’d thought he’d changed.
“Sorry, I have another meeting. Good to see you, Danny.” I flung the goodbye over my shoulder as I hightailed it out of his office. Dylan said my name as I passed him, but I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking him out.
I couldn’t do this right now.
I fled down the hall.
Chapter 18
Dylan
“—if we go back to slide six…”
“Danny,” I groaned. My patience had worn thin an hour ago. “Change slide six on your own. You can do this without me. I know I was at Worther longer than you, but it’s time to spread your wings and fly, man.”
