"Why?"
"Because if I let you pay for everything—my rent, my father's bills, my life—then what am I? What do I bring to this relationship besides problems?"
His expression softens. "You bring you. That's enough."
"It's not."
"It is for me."
"Victor—"
There's a knock on the bathroom door.
"Occupied!" we both yell simultaneously.
"It's Rachel." Her voice is muffled but clearly annoyed. "I need both of you. Now. Conference room 7A. We have a situation."
Victor and I trade confused looks.
"What kind of situation?" he calls.
"The kind where Patricia Franklin just leaked to the press that the board is considering removing you as CEO. It's already on Bloomberg. We need damage control. Now."
Victor's jaw tightens, and I realize that I haven’t breathed in ten seconds.
"Give us two minutes," he says.
"You have one."
Her footsteps retreat down the hallway, and Victor looks at me. "We're not done with this conversation."
I swallow, knowing that he’s talking about more than just money. “I know.”
He reaches for my hand, and I let him take it. We leave the bathroom together, and I'm acutely aware that my life is falling apart in multiple directions simultaneously.
The board is trying to fire Victor.
My own financial situation is crushing me.
And the man I'm falling in love with just accidentally confessed his feelings in a bathroom during a fight about money.
If my life were a cooking show, this would be the episode where everything catches fire and the host just keeps stirring.
I'm still stirring.
21
EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWNS (WITH EXTRA GRAVY)
VICTOR
By the time afternoon settles in on Thanksgiving Day, my penthouse smells like butter and wine and anxiety.
Probably because it's been three days since Harper and I fought in a bathroom, three days since I accidentally told her I loved her, and three days since we made a plan to save both our careers with one perfect Thanksgiving episode.
Rachel was clear the second Harper and I stepped into her office Monday morning.
We have no choice.
