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I look at the words on the screen as we take a seat in the front row.
“Why are we at a lecture for entrepreneurs of the future? We don’t want to start a business. We want to teach or work in a library or museum or gallery. Our future is the exact opposite of starting a business or something new. Our jobs are very old.”
Eden rolls her eyes. “There is nothing wrong with keeping our options open. What if we want to start our own business someday?”
“We won’t.”
“Well, that’s not keeping an open mind.”
“I don’t care about the future. I care about the past. About the beauty in the world. About how to keep it alive. Not how to start some tech company that just cares about making money. Neither of us needs money. How long is this thing anyway?”
“Three hours.”
“Three hours!”
A group of college students sitting next to us stares at us.
I glare at them, and they turn away. If only it were that easy to make everyone stop looking at me.
“Three hours? Are you serious?” I ask a little quieter.
“Yes.”
“And what are you going to do for me after we get out of this three-hour torture?”
She turns her attention to the front as someone with a mic starts talking.
“You are going to find a way to thank me for bringing you.”
“Why in the world would I thank you?” I hiss.
Eden n
ods her head toward the stage.
I face forward. She’s right; I’m going to have to find a way to thank her after this.
“I would like to introduce you to our speaker for today. He’s an Oxford grad, he runs a multibillion-dollar company, and the ladies tell me he’s one good-looking man.”
Women start screaming like they are at a rock concert.
“Let me introduce you to Mr. Carini.”
Everyone applauds as Arlo walks onto the stage. He’s dressed in a three-piece gray suit, his hair is tousled artfully on his head, and he has a nice five o’clock shadow going.
“Thank you. I know you are all here to listen to me talk about what it takes to be a young entrepreneur. You want to know the secret to making billions of dollars. Or as my friend Vito Abele said, you are here to swoon over my body. But I’m not going to talk to you about any of those things today.”
Arlo’s eyes dart to mine.
I hold my breath. I don’t know how he found me so quickly in a room full of people. The last time I saw him, he kissed me. I look for something to show me that he wants me as badly as I want him. That he has been a complete mess of need and lust since our kiss, just like I have. That he is desperate for me, just like I am to have his lips on me again.
I see no sign of any sort of desperation. He does what he always does. Pretends I don’t exist while making me his entire focus.
“I’m here to talk to you about why you should never be in anyone’s debt.”
I swallow. I glance down at the program that Eden is holding. It says he’s here to talk about how to start a company. The keys to success. Not about not being in debt. This lecture is entirely for me.
“Asking someone for help shows them your weaknesses. It shows them how reckless you are. Be very careful who you show your weaknesses to. If you pick the wrong person or company, it could lead to your death,” he says.
