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“Nora missed Christmas in New York.” He pushes through gritted teeth as he raises the bar above his head. “I have two board meetings scheduled, so we decided to come here for a month. My balls froze the minute we stepped off the plane and I almost turned around.” He chuckles.
“Yeah, careful, you look like a surfer playboy.” His tanned skin is glowing dark compared to mine. “It might be deadly for you to go out without your wife. The socialites of New York would be drawn to your pretty, sun-kissed face.” I get off the treadmill, wrapping my towel around my neck.
“I thought all the socialites were busy fighting over you,” he quips, and struggles to lift the bar again.
“You need help, pretty boy? It looks like Cali doesn’t have the right equipment to keep you in shape.”
He drops the bar with a clank and sits up. “At least I can lift. You run like a girl.”
Fucking Conrad. “Load it up, asshole.”
We chest press and dead lift like idiots for about fifteen minutes, pushing each other beyond reason. Just like any other time we’re together.
“Fuck, I’m going to regret this tomorrow.” He stretches his triceps over his head. “At least I won.”
“Hardly.” I poke him in the ribs with my elbow. “It’s good to see you. Let’s have dinner soon. Massi’s restaurant has been the talk of the town.”
“Sure, Nora would love to see you, and I can survive the mediocre company for one night. Let’s hit the sauna. I have a business I’d like you to look into.”
I check my watch and think of the zillion emails waiting for me, and then shrug. “Let me rearrange my schedule and we’ll go for breakfast in an hour. I hate saunas.”
We meet at my club. The hostess brings Conrad over to my table, blushing and staring at him as if he’s a god. He flirts with her, but we both know it’s for her benefit. Conrad is as pussy-whipped as they come, happily monogamous for years now.
“Don’t give her ideas.” I shake my head.
“She could see my wedding band. It’s a fair game.” He shrugs and places the linen napkin on his lap.
“Is that what Nora thinks?”
“She knows she’s the one for me.”
We order breakfast and Conrad asks, “What about you? Still the most eligible bachelor in the city?”
“Yeah. If I find a woman of Nora’s loyalty I might consider settling down. In the meantime, I’m happy with my arrangements.”
He studies me for a moment, and I get the strange feeling there is pity in his eyes. Fuck me. The last thing I need is my best friend feeling sorry for me. Why is it that once you’re past thirty, everyone seems overly concerned with your relationship status? I’m perfectly fine.
“Your arrangements are stopping you from finding the one. You can’t assume there is betrayal behind every relationship.”
There has been, in my experience. “I thought you wanted to talk about business?”
He shakes his head, smirking. “How is the retail business?” Of course he can’t help himself, and pushes the sore point.
“It’s a fucking nightmare. I wish I’d never taken the bet.”
He laughs. Like throwing his head back, enjoying the front-row seat at my humiliation show. “How bored you must have been to actually take me up on that challenge.”
I’m not bored.“What did you want to talk about?”
“There is a vineyard for sale in Napa. Inheritance. One sibling is willing to stay and manage the operation, but she can’t afford to pay off her brothers who are not interested. Nora knows the family and wants to help them.” He goes on, describing a potential for expansion and the quality of the wine.
“Why would you need me? This is a pet project you can afford without a call to your bank.” I take a sip of my tea.
Conrad Hermann has been my best friend since Wharton. We made our first hundred million together, and we still co-chair some companies together. And though we have diversified in different directions since then, Conrad is one of the few people I trust.
“I want the vineyard. It’s good and honest, and I enjoy putting some of my money into real things, but I’d appreciate your assessment first.”
“I don’t have time to fly to California. I’m swamped as it is with my latest acquisitions.”
