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Will gives her a sharp glance. “Don’t be dramatic.”
“Okay,” I mumble.
They’re both looking back at me now.
“Say that again?” Will asks.
“Okay.”
“Okay, what?”
“Okay, I’ll come work for Bucklow Tech,” I reply. It’s as if my mouth took over and made the decision before I could even consult whatever part of my brain is still working.
I can almost hear the others’ enthusiasm fizzling somewhere behind Will and Lilian. I see heads bobbing and sleek suits walking away. I can almost feel Lilian’s disappointment.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “It’s not that you didn’t make an attractive offer, Miss Darcy, but—”
“It’s Bucklow Tech, honey, I know. Hard to say no to this man.” She chuckles dryly, then nudges his shoulder. “I’ll get you back for this, I promise.”
“Looking forward to it,” he replies.
Once Lilian walks away and mingles with the rest of the crowd, I realize I have Will frickin’ Bucklow all to myself. My mouth opens and closes uselessly as I struggle to find the right words for whatever is left of this conversation. Fortunately, he puts me out of my misery.
“Here’s my card,” he says, handing one over from his jacket pocket. “My PA’s number is on there. Give her a call and arrange all the details with her, including your new contract. I suggest you have a lawyer look it over, just in case.”
“Erm, okay. Thank you for this opportunity. I promise I won’t…” My voice fades as I realize he’s already turned and walked away. “Wow.”
I guess I kind of had that coming, considering the coffee incident?
This guy has a way of making his mark, I suppose. I know he’s a recluse, and I also know he’s often branded as brilliant but antisocial, which is usually a good excuse, yet… I can’t help but feel a tad offended. Considering the amount of money he’s willing to pay me for my work, I’d have expected a smidge more of respect.
It must be his nature.
Or I must’ve really pissed him off earlier.
Either way, holy hell, Olivia. You just bagged a gig with Bucklow Tech.
CHAPTER3
WILL
Today is a very good day.
The day I got Olivia MacArthur to accept my job offer was good, but today is even better because it is the day she starts working for my company. I’m one lucky son of a gun. Hell, when I saw her go on stage and realized who she was, I damn near lost my mind. I could’ve just let her jump the queue for a stupid coffee, but me and my ego…
I can’t stop smiling. Olivia’s Asclepius program is exceptional, the unicorn of every single tech company currently residing in Silicon Valley. I saw how bummed Connor Raskin of GlowForce was when she said she’d come work for me. I saw the disappointment on Jimmy Pool’s face, too. At least Darius Hopkins had the decency to walk away from the conversation as soon as he saw me coming. Hopkins Development wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Listen to me gloating…
No, I deserve this. I deserve Olivia MacArthur’s genius and dedication.
As soon as I walk into our Sacramento head office, I can tell that something’s different.
Even the air feels… tighter. Fresher. Sharper.
It’s been two weeks since SanFranLabs, and Olivia MacArthur was by far my biggest prize from that venture. The media is already buzzing about future projects of Bucklow Tech. There are rumors swirling about Asclepius finding a home with my company. About government figures reaching out. It’s all true. I’d put it all up on a poster board for everyone to see. For every single person who ever doubted me and said I wasn’t worth a crap to bite their fists and regret how badly they misjudged me.
I pass through the main lobby, almost unrecognizable to most of my ground-floor staff. I don’t wear any of the power suits that my industry peers like to flaunt. I certainly don’t have a carefully maintained social media presence. My digital manager knows I don’t like seeing my face everywhere, and that it’s our products and services that have made Bucklow Tech into the giant it is today.
