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"This is bigger than your company, Lucas. This is for you. For your future. You've accomplished so much in so little time. Don't put yourself in a box. You're perfect for this."
Almost perfect. I could hear it in his tone. "What's the catch?"
Jessie cocked his head side to side. "Always a step ahead, aren't you? I'll be transparent—it'll be one of the principles I run on, so might as well start practicing, huh?" His grin slowly faded. "We are looking at two or three other candidates for the position. You're at the top of my list, which is why I'm telling you like this. But there's one little caveat, something we can easily work out, though."
"And it is?"
"You need a partner. A girlfriend who doesn't have to be a wife. But something stable."
My jaw dropped. "Holy shit. This is why you suggested I hire Jenny."
He lifted his hands. "Caught me. But truth be told, everyone can benefit from a publicist, but yeah, that was why I suggested it. Personally, I think there's nothing wrong with you being single, but my people disagree. You have so much in your life, it might make it difficult for the lower class to relate to you. Hence where a significant other would come in."
"I get it."
"So...is that a yes?"
"Can I think about it?"
"Of course, of course...but I'd need you to get someone by your side in three weeks' time. And then don't you worry, we will talk about getting your company contracted by the DOD. That's still on the table."
"I mean...thank you." What else could I say?
I needed to process this...not just because of how amazing this opportunity was, but because the caveat that he seemed to think was small was more like a gaping chasm.
How the hell was I supposed to find a girlfriend in three weeks?
As we finished lunch, I followed the mayor outside and shook his hand. Was this real life? Jesus. I had not expected that. All right...now what? Barbie had called me three times after dinner last night when she'd realized I had walked out and sent me a string of texts calling me a few very colorful names. She was probably off the table.
I grabbed my phone to call Jenny but paused. Standing outside the shop next to Amelio's was a petite woman, her blonde hair piled in a loose bun on top of her head, her bright blue eyes reflecting in the glass of the bookstore display window.
Ten years.
Ten years since I'd seen her. I had to be hallucinating.
I slipped my phone in my pocket, blinking as I slowly approached her. She didn't dissolve like some hologram. Instead, she noticed me in the window, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Her jaw dropped as she turned around. "Lucas? Lucas Wilson?" Her smile was exactly how I remembered it.
"Olive Winters." My grin matched hers. My ex-girlfriend was just as beautiful as the last time I'd seen her. "Holy shit."
3
OLIVE
His face was priceless, and I couldn't have planned it better. But damn, I hadn't expected how good he was going to look up close.
"Holy shit indeed." I mirrored his expression, feigning my surprise perfectly. Part of being a hacker was being an actor, and they were two things I'd gotten very good at over the years. "What are you doing here?"
He ran a hand through his jet black hair. When he smiled, dimples pressed against his cheek. His bright blue eyes absorbed me. "I was just having lunch."
With the mayor, but of course, he left that out.
"Sorry, this is just insane. What has it been like...ten years?"
I laughed. "A whole decade."
Scratching his chin, he chuckled, and the sound dredged up memories of when we'd dated. It was a similar sound, but his laughter had been lighter back then when he had less of the weight of the world on his back.
