“Will do,” I said. “So, how are things going? You heard from that ex of yours lately?”
“No,” Josh said. “We haven’t spoken in a month.”
“Really?” I asked.
“I told you we broke up,” Josh said impatiently. “Or were you too distracted by that blonde to pay attention?”
I laughed. “Well, she was pretty distracting.”
“Are you ever going to grow up?” Josh asked.
I bit my tongue. It was ironic that, after dumping his girlfriend because he didn’t have time for a relationship, he was lecturing me about maturity.
“I know you broke up with her,” I said. “I just thought you might have been in touch. Closure and all that shit.”
“I got my closure,” Josh said. His tone was nonchalant, and it grated on me.
“And her?” I asked.
“She’ll get over it,” Josh said. “If she hasn’t already.”
“I’m sure,” I said. “She’s not missing much.”
“Fuck off.”
I laughed, and we finished up the conversation. Josh wasn’t the kind to joke around or appreciate being teased, but I didn’t care. It was fun to screw with him, especially since we missed out on twenty-eight years of each other’s lives.
“Call me about Thursday,” Josh said as we said goodbye.
“Will do.”
I hung up and tossed my cell onto my desk. I groaned and pushed my chair away from my desk. The call from Josh was just the distraction I needed but, now, I had to get back to work, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
“Marcy?” I asked as I stepped out of my office. Marcy was sitting behind her desk, typing away on her keyboard.
“Yes?” she asked, turning to face me.
“Anything from the Harringtons?” I asked.
“They received the contract,” she said with a shrug. “Or, at least, someone in their office did.”
“No word yet?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. I’m sure their lawyers are just going over everything, and they’ll—”
“Thanks.”
I didn’t wait for her to finish. I stepped back into my office and pulled the door closed with a snap. Falling into my chair, I knew I had to get this deal in the bag.
The Harringtons were the best in the business. If they backed out, others would follow. I had two other deals in the works. One with an oil rig up in Alaska and another here in Texas. Both deals would be profitable, but neither came close to what the Harringtons would bring in.
If they were good businessmen, like I thought, then they knew I was their best option.
No one outperformed my firm. No one outperformed me.
Now, it was just a matter of time.
CHAPTER 3