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“You’re sure, Xavian?” asks my clients, a kind fifty-something couple from Palm Springs.
“I can’t give you a guarantee where the market is concerned. What I know is that any weakness in the tech and medical sectors tends to be short-lived, compared to, say, retail or housing, which are much more dependent on the economy. If you’re willing to be aggressive, overseas returns can be great. But it’s more speculative. This is really about you two and your risk tolerance. Given your age and financial situation, you don’t have to gamble at all unless you’re looking to grow above, say, six percent.” In their silence, I decide to throw a curveball into the mix. I haven’t officially linked up with Maxon and Griff yet, but… “Unless you want to veer into real estate. You’ve expressed an interest in the past in Hawaii, and I’m in contact with the two most successful agents in Maui. They’re top one percent in the state. If you want tangible assets that increase in value over time—and a great place to vacation or rental income—I can put you in touch with them.”
Don and Jeanine Hillard talk for a few more minutes and ask some questions, which I answer with ease. I’ve rehearsed this pitch in my sleep. They want to talk with Maxon and Griff, so I tell the couple they’ll be in touch. Once I recap the adjustments to their portfolio we’ve agreed to, they end the call.
Before I can even take a sip of coffee, my phone vibrates in my hand. A glance at the screen tells me it’s the more outspoken of my sisters. Being married to a super-alpha football god has done zero to tamp down her attitude. It’s one reason I love her.
“Hey, Harlow. How’s it going?”
The background noise tells me she’s in the car. “Fantastic! Masey, Britta, and I just left your place.”
I glance at my watch. “It’s only eleven thirty.”
“We’re efficient, especially Britta.”
True. “So Corinne isn’t drowning anymore?”
“Not in administrative work. Britta handled all the customer inquiries. Masey prepped everything for mailing. Since she works with makeup—also delicate stuff—she knows how to protect the merchandise from the USPS. She even taught Corinne a thing or two.”
“Perfect. What did you do?”
“What I do best.”
“She didn’t need you stirring the pot,” I tease.
Harlow tsks. “You’re a horrible brother. Just for that, I’m going to tell her all your most embarrassing stories.”
That’s not an idle threat. Still, I laugh. “You will anyway.”
“You’re right. Actually, I talked your girl off the ledge, poor thing. She was about to hyperventilate.”
“Why? What happened?” Corinne was asleep when I left for the office earlier. “Did Parker call?”
“Thankfully, no. And she wasn’t upset, just shocked. When she opened her emails this morning, she had hundreds of new orders—on top of her existing backlog. Apparently, the photos of your dinner Friday night and the engagement pic you posted Saturday also featured her watch band. It turned out to be sales gold.”
“I know she wasn’t planning on an avalanche of new orders, but it’s a good problem to have.”
“Absolutely.” Harlow hesitates. “Honestly, when I first met Corinne, I wasn’t sure about her. She was so quiet—something you’re not—and I thought you would run her over with your…ahem, sparkling Reed personality. Plus, she was nothing like your usual skanks.”
“Skanks? Are you disparaging your fellow womankind? What about sexual equality and all that?”
“Oh, I’m not slut-shaming any woman who pursues a man she wants, even for a night. I say, Go get him, girl! If I didn’t, I’d have to castigate myself hard for my college years.”
The thought of my sister and sex in the same sentence makes me wince. “TMI.”
She laughs. “I just meant some of those women you slept with during what I guess were your off periods with Corinne weren’t… What’s a nice way to put this? They didn’t have their shit together. They weren’t smart or ambitious. They didn’t seem like they were going anywhere in life. This morning proved Corinne is nothing like that. She was a total boss bitch. She knows her operation inside and out, she has tons of ideas for expansion, and she’s thinking big. Her business plan is impeccable. We were all impressed. And super glad you don’t actually have horrible taste in women, like we thought.”
I’m not surprised by Harlow’s summation. Corinne is amazing. “Wow, thanks for having such confidence in me.”
“Oh, you’re amazing with money and you might be my spirit animal since you’re also super sarcastic, but your choice in women… Let’s just say Corinne is a huge upgrade. She’s the gold standard. Don’t let her get away.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I quip, trying not to think about how real that possibility is.
“I’m sure you know this, but Parker is going to be trouble. And I doubt he appreciated the reports that surfaced last night, hinting that he wasn’t the victim in his story after all.”
