Page 7 of Emergency Exit
“Please don’t tell this story! I can’t take any more Harper Moments to my reputation.”
She really couldn’t. Washington was supposed to be a Harper Moment free zone. She couldn’t afford—either socially or financially—to move again.
“Harper Moments? How often do you have Harper Moments? Can I be there when you do?”
“Sure,” said Harper. “Most normal people don’t usually want to be there when I fail to notice some vitally obvious piece of information and start talking to the coke dealer about ethical business practices.”
Ash snorted. She decided not to mention the pinnacle Harper Moment. She didn’t think she could take it if Ash found the YouTube video, but he needed to understand what he was dealing with.
“Or the time I bought a goat, thinking I bought goat meat, and told them to leave it on the back porch because I would be home in five minutes. Next thing you know, I’m trying to get a goat off my roof by myself.”
“What?” demanded Ash. “Who wouldn’t show up for that? I mean, hell, I would have shown up to hold your beer.”
“I don’t like beer, and I feel like I should be drinking ouzo or wine for goats.”
“Those do seem like the culturally appropriate beverages. But either way, I’d be there to drink and take pictures at the very least.”
“Well, thanks. But in case you didn’t notice, all your friends think I’m your girlfriend and also a massive bitch. Or crazy.”
“Yes and no,” said Ash. “Yes, everyone thinks you’re my girlfriend, but I think everyone except Emma and Stephanie really liked you.” He took a deep breath. “And actually… I don’t want to tell them any differently.”
“What?” Harper stared at Ash, puzzled.
“I need a girlfriend. I don’t suppose you’d want to sign up for the job?”
3
Asher
The Offer
“Are you sure you’re not having an Asher Moment?” asked Harper, and Ash grinned.
“Entirely possible. But hear me out.”
“OK, sure,” said Harper, taking a sip. She sat up straight and tried to look tough, which was adorable on a level equivalent to smol cat videos. “You got me out of that party and into this drink, so you have bought yourself enough rope to hang yourself. Lay it on me. What kind of crazy did I just attach myself to?”
He looked around the bar. The strands of old-fashioned light bulbs glinted off the copper ceiling panels, giving a warm glow to the scene. The bartender was checking his phone. The rest of the patrons were cozy in their own booths. No one was close enough to overhear him. His now daily sense of paranoia eased down slightly.
“I need a girlfriend for work. I need someone who will be in my corner but won’t need all the fluffiness of actual dating. I need a party partner, but I do not have the time or inclination to put effort into a relationship right now.”
“Nope, still sounds crazy. What exactly is your job?”
“I put together investment packages for new PhDs.”
Harper made a confused noise. Ash paused to take a sip and recalculate his explanation. Most people he knew worked in finance and understood what he was doing. Or they were his brothers who nodded at appropriate times but didn’t give a shit.
“OK, backing up. I started my firm while I was in college. Iwas getting an MBA. Mason was the TA for my advisor—that’s how we met. But I was hanging with a bunch of guys in the STEM fields, and I realized that while they were off the charts smart about their fields of research they didn’t always have good advice when it came time to launch their careers. There’s DARPA where the government will abuse or bury their research. There’s big pharma who will crush your soul. And there’s going to work for the University that’s already patenting all of your inventions.”
Harper made a face. “Those don’t sound like good options.”
“Depends on what you want to do. But behind door number four is the start-up route. But start-ups take capital. They need investors and someone who doesn’t just know the tech but knows how to run a business. And that is where I came in. I didn’t want to run anyone’s tech start-up, but I knew how to connect people. I knew what licenses they needed to pull, what software they would need, and what kind of contractors they would need to hire. And with Mason’s help, I started putting together start-up packages. I invited Mason to partner up with me when I started the business, but he’d just gotten engaged to Stephanie, and starting a brand new business was too risky for the Van Lankens, so I went solo.”
“You’re a start-up incubator,” said Harper. She relaxed onto the green velvet of the seat as the faint sounds of jazz buzzed in the background. Her dress melded with the shadows, but her skin glowed in the lights. T
“Yes,” said Ash, as he cleared his throat and took a drink. He liked the quiet atmosphere here. He hadn’t remembered it as being so romantic. Of course, usually, he came with Mason. “It’s a system that makes money for everyone—including me.”
“I don’t see how that means you need a girlfriend. Why did you break up with Emma anyway?” asked Harper, looking puzzled.
