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“So…” I start to say once I’ve caught my breath, “sounds like we need to proceed carefully.”
“Absolutely. But everyone has a price. At least, that’s what my father says.” He looks out the front door of the restaurant, momentarily lost in thought.
Yeah. Weston and his father. Talk about a fraught relationship. I used to think money solved everything, but the opposite is actually true.
“She is pretty…” I say without thinking.
Weston’s gaze snaps in my direction. “Ha. You do like her.”
I shrug one shoulder. “I don’t even know her. I only said she’s pretty.”
“She’s got to be something of a decent businesswoman, operating a shop in New York City. But with the right offer, she’ll consider it. She’d be crazy not to.” He points a finger at me. “You, Owen, will take the lead.”
“What? No way. You know I hate numbers.”
Weston rolls his eyes. “I’ll prep you. Don’t worry about that.”
“But you’re the business guy. Shouldn’t the pitch come from you?” I ask.
“Normally, yes. But this is different. You’re the charmer. You know how to make people feel good.”
I shake my head. “I don’t know, man. What if she starts talking about cat litter or something like that?”
Or dog’s anal stuff?
He pats my shoulder. “This is where your skill comes in, my friend. You have an uncanny talent for working with people. If she’s going to listen to any of us, it will be you.”
I roll my eyes. Talk about being persuasive. Weston uses flattery like our kitchen uses butter. “Yeah, right, I’ll seduce her with spreadsheets.”
He laughs. “Hey, some women like numbers. And you think she’s pretty. She’ll pick up on that. It’ll make her feel good. Special. Women like to feel special. Hell, invite her over here for a drink. She can try out that new, unfiltered, organic rosé we just got. Vegetarians love organic shit, right?”
“What if she says she has to clean some poor dog's… you know?” I ask.
“You tell her yours need cleaning too.”
9
LIVVY
“Oh, settle down, Harry.”I rub the cat’s head. He gives me the stink eye, which is pretty much his permanent expression, anyway.
And for the second time, he hisses at Arthur, the neighborhood gadabout and my gay BFF, who hisses right back at him.
“Don’t do that, Arthur. It’ll just upset him more. Cats are delicate creatures.”
Arthur huffs. “I’ma delicate creature. And since I’m higher on the food chain than that orange terror, I expect him to bow down to me and not the other way around.”
Time to change the subject and fast. “Hey, I like those huaraches. Are those the ones you got on your boys’ trip to Ibiza last year?”
Distracted by my compliment, the frown on his face dissolves and he looks down at his shoes in memory of an amazing, debauched vacation. But it doesn’t last long. “Hey. You’re trying to redirect. Don’t forget, I know you, Livvy.”
When he takes a seat, I know he’s sticking around for a while. I set aside the cat food inventory I’m working on and slide my exacto knife along the taped edge of the box the UPS guy just dropped off.
Who Arthur and I nearly drooled over. How is it that UPS hires such good-looking men? Or should I saypeople? The female who came by a couple months ago was adorable. I bet every guy in town wants to carry her packages.
I pull out a spaghetti tangle of dog leashes. I don’t know why the distributor can’t pack them more nicely. People hardly ever make the effort to do things right. I don’t understand. It’s not that hard to take pride in your work.
Things like that really bug me.
