Page 628 of Manhattan Bossholes

“Oh, come on,” Natalie said. She slapped my hand lightly. “When are you going to settle down and add to the O’Connor clan?”

I shook my head and drained the rest of my glass. “Not in the near future. Too much going on. Maybe someday, twenty years down the line?”

“Cam,” James said, “you don’t want to miss this. I’m serious. It’s easy to get caught up in work, but there’s more to life than that. Trust me.”

He slid his arm around Natalie’s shoulder, and they jointly stared like they felt bad for me, which made me feel even worse. Maybe talking about Felicity with them would help me clear up what the hell I was doing?

I thought about how the conversation would go and opted to keep my mouth shut. They’d both push me to track her down and admit I’d been wrong about us, but I hadn’t been wrong. Not all relationships led to the blissed-out happiness James and Natalie shared. My experience proved to me that relationships were far more likely to be nothing more than a distraction from what really mattered.

Natalie started to ask another question, but a text came through on my phone.

“Looks like Vincent is here—I need to run,” I said, standing up slowly. “So wonderful seeing both of you.”

I hugged Natalie, and when I shook James’s hand, he held on for a beat longer than necessary.

“Don’t forget to live your life,” he said, staring hard. “Trust me, there’s so much more beyond the boardroom. Don’t forget it.”

“I’ll do my best,” I said with a curt nod.

His words echoed in my head as I took the elevator to the library. I was living my life. I was about to embark on a potential new business venture. Wasn’t that what life was all about? I strode into the library, which was more of a sophisticated lounge, and spotted Vincent waiting for me in one of the high back leather chairs in the waiting area.

“Cameron,” he said, crossing the room to meet me. “Glad we could make this happen. Pleasure to meet you.”

Vincent was the definition of “tall, dark, and handsome.” I watched women’s heads swivel as he walked toward me, because not only was he an impressive looking man, he also had a commanding presence. I could tell his suit was bespoke, and the light stubble he sported was cultivated, not careless. There was an air of mystery about him, like he was someone who had secrets. But then he smiled, and my concern disappeared. I was good at sizing people up quickly, and Vincent didn’t trip my alarm.

We shook hands and found a quiet space with a table where we could spread out.

Vincent pulled an iPad from his briefcase. “We both have plenty on our plates, so I’m going to get right to it. We’re developing a limited-edition line of fragrances that pair with gemstones, and we think partnering with Veritique could amplify both of our messages. We’re looking for input during the development stage of each fragrance to make sure we’re hitting the right fragrance notes, then embarking on a joint marketing message, both with traditional media as well as influencer marketing.”

My jaw tightened at the mention of influencers. I wondered how much he knew about the current Veritique debacle.

“It’s clear that Veritique could use a redirect at the moment,” he said, elegantly answering my question. “This partnership could be a way to redirect the conversation. Veritique is a venerable brand, as is Summit. The two of us joining forces could help each of us dominate new market segments.”

“Interesting,” I answered. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

Vincent opened the tablet. “The exact financial terms still need to be addressed, but here’s the rough creative concept my team is proposing.”

He handed over the tablet to show me a mock-up of an ad with an elegant multi-faceted perfume bottle alongside a Veritique engagement ring.

The Eternity, of course. There was just no escaping Felicity.

“The fragrances would contain trace elements of the actual stones, which is something we’ve never attempted before, but they would also evoke the feeling of it. So, this scent would conjure up the sparkling brilliance of a diamond.” Vincent scrolled to the next photo, a lush, deep red image of our ruby Caligo bracelet next to a claret bottle. “The Ruby scent would be darker, more mysterious. And so on.” He paused to scan me. “Thoughts?”

The only thought I could focus on was the memory of holding the Eternity ring out to Felicity.

“It’s an intriguing concept,” I offered. “I’d like to continue the conversation with our teams present. Can we make that happen? Soon?”

Even with just a brief meeting, I had a good feeling about Vincent. He had the seal of approval from James, which told me all I needed to know about him. The partnership could work.

“Of course. I’ll have my assistant Roger get started on setting it up.” Vincent paused.

“Hey, I’ve been on the run all day, and I haven’t had a bite to eat. Do you have time for an early dinner? No business talk, I promise.”

I shook my head. “Wish I could, but I have another meeting now. I’ll take you up on it next time. We’ll be in touch.” I held out my hand. “Great to meet you. I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation.”

“Agreed,” he said, shaking my hand and wearing a genuine smile.

I walked out of the club, but the positive feelings from our productive meeting dimmed as James’s words echoed in my head.