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He went back to the table they’d started at and sat down. A moment later, she joined him.
“You are one of the most arrogant, entitled people I have ever met in my life,” she said.
It wasn’t the sort of thing people said out loud to Adriano very often. He supposed it wasn’t so unlikely that they would think it. People always thought successful people were arrogant. You couldn’t think highly of yourself—even if your opinion wasn’t anything more than factual—without someone having a problem with it.
In response, he pushed his medical folder across the table to her.
She didn’t touch it. “I haven’t agreed to do this.”
“We both know you’re going to, or you wouldn’t have come back.”
“Maybe I just wanted to watch you make a fool of yourself by asking.”
“Look at the file again.”
She glared at him for a moment. Then, looking almost as if she was being controlled by some force outside her own will, she reached out and picked up the folder.
She studied it for a moment. Adriano waited.
“When did your symptoms begin?” she asked.
“About six months ago.”
“Steady deterioration?”
“I think so. It’s hard to say,” he said. “It’s been pretty gradual.”
“That’s unusual in itself,” she admitted. “Usually this progresses more rapidly… Yes, I agree with your doctors, I think ten years isn’t too much to expect on the present course of treatment.”
“But what about a different course of treatment? Ten years isn’t enough for me. I’m not done living my life.”
“You’re asking a lot,” she said. “You’re talking about scientific breakthroughs that haven’t been made yet.”
“I don’t really see the problem,” he said. “I’m offering to fully fund the research.”
“Which is generous, but you can’t just pay science to cooperate with you. A cure isn’t going to be found just because you came along to throw money at the problem. That’s not how science works.”
“That actuallyishow science works, in my experience,” Adriano countered. “Funding is what leads to discovery. And I have very deep pockets and a vested interest in this.”
She sighed.
“Look,” he said. “I know you think I’m arrogant and entitled. That’s fine. You can think whatever you want to about me.”
“Thanks for your permission.”
“But it’s not just about me, and you know that. I researched you online, you know. I know you’ve been looking for research money. You need this. Maybe you need this almost as badly as I do. And then there are all the people you’re trying to help. The other people with this disease. Some of themaren’tarrogant and entitled, right? Some of them are nice people who you actually would want to see cured.”
“I didn’t say that I didn’t want you to be cured,” she said. “I’m not a monster.”
“Dr. Daniels—”
“Just Amy,” she said. “We’re way pastDr. Daniels. And besides, if we’re going to be working closely together, I want us to be able to talk to each other without it feeling all formal all the time.”
“I thought you wanted to keep things professional.”
“I’m not a child. I’m not going to fall at your feet just because you call me by my first name.”
He grinned. “Sorry. It’s just that most of my experience with you has to do with you falling at my feet.”
