Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
“You said I couldn’t meet with Steers,” Jude drones. “So I thought I’d meet with you.”
“You didn’t want to meet with Steers. You wanted to be an ape and subtly mark your territory.” I won’t tell Jude that Steers is still being suggestive, maybe a little touchy-feely too. It would be fatal. “Look”—I lean over my desk—“do you want to go public?”
He waves a finger between us. “What, like me and you?”
“Yes.”
“We’re not public?”
“Not at my workplace, no.” Nor with my ex, but, surprisingly, we’re both in agreement on that.
“Well, that’s becoming obvious,” he mutters. “Why haven’t you shared our relationship with anyone here?”
“My private life is my private life. No one here needs to know about it. Or they didn’t need to know. I can’t take your portfolio on, Jude. It’s a conflict and would be frowned upon.”
“That’s stupid.”
“It’s just how it is.”
“Well, I’m here now.”
“Yes, you are,” I say shortly. “And now I have to figure out how to handle this so no one thinks I’m sleeping with you for your money.” I flash him a sarcastic smile. “Ironic, huh?”
He gives me a tired expression. “Quite.”
“Why can’t you stay with your current adviser?”
“He’s moving abroad and has passed me off to one of his replacements. We don’t jell.”
“Then I’ll recommend to Gary that one of the senior partners takes you on.”
“Fine.”
“Good.”
“Can I have a kiss?”
“No. Leave.”
He blinks, injured. “This isn’t going how I expected.”
“What do you want me to do, Jude? You’ve put me in a really difficult situation, and now I have to figure out how I’m going to get out of it with my integrity intact.”
“Are you saying no one can ever know about us?”
“Did you hear me say that? Until you stormed my workplace, people knowing about us wouldn’t have been an issue, but then you went and arranged a meeting with me to discuss your financial affairs, and suddenly I find myself in a situation where my integrity and business practice could be put under the microscope.” I lean closer, getting more and more worked up. “I’m on the cusp of making partner, Jude. I’ve worked my arse off for this, and you’ve just swooped in and potentially shat all over my progress because you had a large dose of possessiveness.”
He’s silent, clearly thinking of what he should say to that. There’s nothing he can say.
“Just go,” I breathe, motioning to the door. I’m surprised when he slowly rises, no question.
“I’ll see you after work.” It’s not a statement, more a question. I don’t like this uncertainty on him, but I need him to know that any interference with my career is a hard no.
“I have things to do.”
He withdraws, stung. “Like . . . ?”
“Apartment stuff.” Translated: I need some breathing space from you. And I know Jude’s concluded that too.
“Right,” he says, nodding mildly, chewing the corner of his lip in contemplation as I look at him with an unwavering, steely gaze. He reads that well too. “So when am I seeing you next?”
“I’ll call you.”
“Right.” He walks slowly to the door, looking heavy, as I pick up my phone and dial Leighton, hoping to keep him at his desk while Jude makes his exit.
“Lazenby,” Steers drawls. “Changed your mind on lunch?”
Jude looks back, disgusted, his sheepish demeanour disappearing in a heartbeat. I tilt my head at him. “No lunch for you, Steers. Ever. But your thoughts on the midday drop on the FTSE would be welcomed.” I point to the door where Jude’s hovering, silently ordering him to go. This is a problem of his own making. He can deal with it.
Yanking the door open aggressively, he stalks out, pissy, and I sigh, falling back in my chair, not listening to Steers bang on about the minuscule drop and what’s spiked it. “I thought the same,” I say when I know Jude’s had enough time to leave, hanging up. “Bloody man,” I mutter, getting up to go in search of Gary. I can’t sit on this. I tap his door and poke my head round. “Got a minute?” I ask.
“Sure.”
I step in, closing the door behind me. “Please don’t tell Leighton that Mr. Harrison was here to see me. He’ll think I’m conspiring.”
“Why would he think that?”
“Well, Mr. Harrison cancelled his meeting with Leighton and then requested to see me. You appreciate how that might look.”
Gary’s mouth tilts down, his expression telling me he’s not getting it. “Happens all the time, Amelia. Some clients just don’t jell with certain advisers and request another.”
What do I say? That Jude thinks Leighton’s a douche and is after his girlfriend? That I’m Jude’s girlfriend? “Here’s the thing, Gary.” I’ve got to be open, tell him who Jude is to me and that I propose recommending him to one of the senior partners. Maybe even Gary himself. The board will be over the moon to obtain such a high-wealth client, whoever he is. “Mr. Harrison and I—”