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“Yeah, asshole, who knew you fucking have to work for your riches?” He rolls his eyes. “Nora wants to move to Europe.”
I adjust my cufflinks. “You’re there every summer.”
“Permanently.”
Pussy-whipped. “And you’re going to grant her this wish and fucking commute overseas?” I laugh.
“The first year I will. While I figure out which of my assets need to be offloaded because they require too much work.”
“Too much work? Do you hear yourself? Are your retiring?” I keep shaking my head, but Conrad sits there with his smug grin, as if there is something I’m not getting.
“Yeah, I’m pretty much retiring.” He shrugs. “I want to spend less time stressed and more time with Nora. We want a family, and this fast-paced gig is just not doing it for me anymore.”
I stare at him, wondering who kidnapped my friend’s brain. “Fast-paced gig? It’s your fucking career, your legacy. You’re just going to throw it away?”
“Don’t be so dramatic. Work doesn’t bring me as much joy as before, so I’ll consolidate, sell, buy something new to keep me occupied. But I’m done playing the big game, man.”
I have no words. I imagine who I would be if I retired, but immediately I know that without my work I would be nobody.
“Okay, I see you don’t understand, and perhaps when you share your life with someone else you will, but I’m actually pretty excited.” He shrugs and attacks his breakfast oatmeal.
Work doesn’t bring me joy anymore.What a ridiculous statement. We’re thirty-three, not eighty.
“So Nora wants to move, and Nora wants to help the family with the vineyard. Are you making any decisions for yourself anymore?”
“Asshole. Just because I’m dropping the workaholic tendencies, it doesn’t mean I don’t think for myself anymore. Look, go and check the place out. I’ll send you all the numbers. You know I value your opinion.”
“You want me to spend time on your wife’s pet project like it’s an actual business?” I canceled two meetings to have this breakfast, for fuck’s sake.
“Don’t be a dick. Look at it for me.”
“Okay, send me the prospectus.” I sigh. “I guess I’ll see you in Italy this summer.” I shake my head again and stand up.
“Don’t be so sour about it. You’ll understand one day.” He pats my shoulder.
“No, I won’t. Let me know when we can have that dinner. I’ll talk some sense into Nora.”
* * *
“I rescheduled your nine o’clock and your ten o’clock, but before your next meeting, Mrs. Kowalski is working from home today and needs to talk to you urgently. Can I get her on the line?”
Lydia waits for me at the elevator, simultaneously picking up my coat and pushing a hot tea into my hand. By the time we reach my corner office, she’s recited my schedule for the rest of the day and I’ve answered two emails on my phone. We’re a good team.
“Thank you, Lydia. Yeah, get Marnie on the line first.”
She closes the door behind me, and I find my desk neatly organized based on priorities. When the woman retires, I’ll be lost. Maybe I’ll move to fucking Europe then. I chuckle to myself.
The phone buzzes and I hit the speaker button. “Marnie, is everything ready for next week?” I turn on the large monitor on my wall to check the markets then start replying to another email.
“About that, Gio.” Her voice falters. She’s worked for me for four years, and the strength the woman exudes scares many, regardless of their gender or seniority. I move my attention to the phone as if I could see what’s wrong.
“What’s going on?” I snap. Ever since we bought the stupid retail chain for hippies, something has gone awry. I can’t wait to hear what it is now. At least Marnie brings solutions to the table.
“We’ll have to postpone the launch. By at least one week.” The way her voice trembles would suggest she is crying, but that can’t be true.
“Continue.”
I lost a bet to Conrad—I don’t even remember what it was—and the asshole challenged me to buy a retail chain and make money on it. I wish I didn’t want to wipe his smile away with the millions I make. This particular venture is headache-inducing.
