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“She wouldn’t. Monique likes to control. In her mind, she gave you what she believed were the best sketches—hers. That’s about as nice as I can say it.”
Miles sat, silent and taciturn.
“Look,” Graham said, closing his eyes briefly before opening them, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you need to call Monique and ask for Tess’s set of designs. You don’t have to tell her how you know what you know but give Tess a shot at landing your business. Her design work is better. Plain and simple.”
Miles Barrow hadn’t been born yesterday. He shifted his gaze to a plant that needed a good watering and sat still for a moment before returning his gaze to Graham. For several seconds Miles studied him. Graham didn’t like the perusal, for the man seemed to possess the uncanny ability to see within to the soul. After a moment, recognition sparked within the depths of the man’s eyes. “Okay. Tess is a good girl. Things ain’t been grand for her lately, so I think you’re right. She deserves a shot even if I have to tangle with Monique for it to happen.”
Graham didn’t know whether to punch himself in the face or pat himself on the back. He’d just wrapped a ribbon around Oedipus and given it to the competition.
God, he was a fool.
Or maybe he’d righted the wrong inadvertently done to Tess Ullo.
Miles stood and offered his hand to Graham. “Damn, man, I can’t say you’re a good businessman.”
Graham’s ego shrank a bit.
“But you’re a good person.” Miles gave a hard squeeze. “And in the game of life that’s always more important.”
“Tell that to Frank.”
“Frank knows. Your company is only as good as the person running it. There’s a lot you can learn from Frank Ullo. He’s a good businessman, and though many don’t know it, he’s a good person. Not everything is out for all to see, you know what I mean?”
Graham dropped Miles’s hand. “I do know.”
The big man came around the desk and slapped a hand on Graham’s back. “I’ll have a word with Monique and be in touch.”
Graham gave Miles a final handshake, a wave to Julian, and then stepped out of the tidy shotgun house that had been converted into an office and inhaled the humid air.
Next week he might be out on his ass, tossed there by
Frank Ullo for destroying any chance the company had to revitalize the business.
But for the time being he’d cherish the idea he’d done something honorable. He’d done something brave. One step closer to his goal of being a better man… and one step closer to losing the job he loved.
TESSLOOKEDOVERthe notes the captain of Icarus made on the prop rotations she’d suggested and glanced at her inbox. Monique had been out of the office all afternoon and hadn’t answered when Tess had texted her about the new guidelines the city had put out regarding rider-safety harnesses. She wanted to make sure Upstart already had them on the current floats because the penalties assessed for failure to comply were stiff. The krewes would expect the builders to get that right.
Spinning in her chair, she closed her eyes and sighed.
All morning she’d tried to get serious work done instead of reliving Sunday night in her mind.
Being with Graham had been good… almost healing. After weeks of feeling so alone, having him beside her connected her, gave her a glimpse of what it would feel to be in a relationship with him.
Oh, it wasn’t just the sex—which was amazing, of course. Their conversations stimulated and comforted just as they had from the first time she’d met him on that barstool at Two-Legged Pete’s. She wanted more than what she currently had with him which was… nothing.
Okay, they were nothing on paper, but maybe they could—”
“What the hell, Tess?” Monique growled from the open doorway.
Tess spun. Oh, God. Monique knew about her and Graham. But how could she? Unless the woman had been following him around. Or maybe she’d hired a private eye or something. Sometimes women did that in custody cases… but she and Graham weren’t in a custody battle, were they? “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean,” Monique said, framed in the doorway, looking like she might spit fire. Tess’s office masqueraded as a broom closet, so Monique stood close, her eyes snapping, her dark hair slicked back into a low ponytail. Dressed in a black minidress and fishnet stockings, she was the epitome of every Disney villainess. Sorta scary. And right on cue, her lackey Cecily popped her head over Monique’s shoulder, self-satisfied half smile on her face.
“No, I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tess hedged, hoping it was something other than the fact she’d had sex with the competition.
Like, three times.
“Miles Barrow called me and wanted a meeting. Basically, we’ve landed the Oedipus contract with the stipulation you take the lead,” Monique said, her eyes still narrowed to slits. For someone who should be over the moon, she was decidedly aggravated.
