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“It sucks. Not that you’d understand but being the low man on the pole sucks.”
I chuckle. “First, I do know. You think I got to the top of the ivory building without scrapes and bruises? Second, it’s better than working the pole.”
“Har har, Enzo. The money would be better.”
“Well, keep up the hard work and the rewards will come.”
“Thanks for the pep talk. Report back to our dumbass brothers that a fake relationship is not what Ma needs. Find another way to make her happy. And seriously, stop playing rock, paper, scissors to solve everything. No one would think I was the youngest.” There’s some muffled noise and a thank you from Blanca.
“Enjoy your lunch, sis. Love you.”
“Love you.”
We hang up, and I sit at my desk, thinking about Ma wishing she has what Zia has. How can she possibly think it’s her fault that none of her sons want to marry?
A knock sounds on my door, and I flick my gaze to Annie. I wave her in. She’s dry as a bone. That shouldn’t disappoint me, but it does.
“Here you go.” She places my lunch on my desk.
“It’s raining,” I say, like a dumbass.
She stops mid-stride and glances over her shoulder. “Yeah.”
“Thank you.”
Her eyes scrunch up for a second. “You’re welcome.”
“I’m sorry about earlier. Your romantic relationships are none of my business and I shouldn’t have pried.”
She circles to fully face me. “Thank you for that.”
I nod. “Meeting is at two, so bring your A game. Time to prove you deserve to be on this campaign.”
The smile that was tipping the corners of her lips falter. “Okay.”
And she’s out of the office and behind her desk in a flash. With the remote, I click the blinds down over my glass door.
I really need to check myself. I’m talking nonsense. Apologizing for overstepping? Who the hell am I?
* * *
Two o’clock arrives,and the buzz on my phone confirms how well Annie listens.
“Yes?”
“Billy and I are here for the two o’clock meeting. Are you dressed?” She laughs, and I hear Billy chuckling.
“Yes, you guys can come in.”
Billy holds open the door and Annie walks in with a sketchpad and a notebook. She sits on the couch, crossing her legs and talking to Billy about when her niece was born and how pale I was.
“You couldn’t have snapped a picture for me?” Billy asks.
“A little busy getting my hand crushed.” She flexes her fingers. “I’m just getting the feeling back.”
“My wife actually placed her hands around my throat and swore she’d never have another.”
I eavesdrop while collecting my stuff to join them.
