AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He wouldn’t have done it himself. He’s working with someone, and it’s very likely they have an AI they were building or one they think they can repurpose.” I lay out the most likely scenario. “Nick is the forward face of this project. Or rather the money face. Sherry Carrigan will be the one doing all the advertising. So Nick finds out what we’re doing and wants to cut me off at the knees. He finds someone with a program he can use to make it look like he’s farther along than he really is, goes to Sherry Carrigan, convinces her this is a great way to make money, and voila, he gets to the big investors before we do, and we’re left with very little money.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he go to the trouble? I mean they have to put out something that works, right?”
He was such a sweet summer child. “Or they collect as much money as they can, and it never works. There’s a reason they call it venture capital and not a no-risk investment sure to pay out.”
Heath shakes his head like he can’t quite grasp the whys. Or hows. “I don’t understand how he would even know.”
“Because someone talked about the project,” I reply. “It’s why I was vague about things the night of the party. It’s why I gave you the lecture about letting me do the talking. Many a great idea has been stolen at one of those things. You have to be specific enough to pique an investor’s interest so you get a meeting, but subtle enough you don’t give away the project.”
“Well, I didn’t…” He stops, his expression going blank.
And I know it was him. At least I don’t have to put my employees through anything unpleasant. “Who? I told you we had to keep this quiet.”
His eyes meet mine, a bit of desperation in there. “Ivy, I didn’t think about it. He was outside smoking when I was waiting for that dog to poop, and he asked some questions.”
I could see the scenario play out in my head. “One of Nick’s friends. You had met them. You knew they were with Nick. Why would you talk to them?”
He shrugs, turning away and looking out over the terrace. It’s one of those stunningly beautiful New York days that usually energizes my whole being. “I don’t know. I’m friendly.”
I stare at him. Today the sun just feels hot, and I don’t care that there’s a lovely breeze and the sky seems like endless blue. I don’t see anything but Heath and the way he’s obviously trying to find an angle so he can handle me.
He starts to pace. This is the first real fight we’ve had, and I hate every second of it. I hate the fact that he’s tense and I made him that way. I hate that we’re squared off like enemy combatants.
“Fine. I didn’t like the way they talked about you like you were some kind of failure, and I wanted them to know you’re working on something cool.”
Oh, I’m not buying that. “I was perfectly clear about who we did and did not talk to. I was also clear that I don’t care what they say about me.”
He’s back to looking my way, his focus lasered in, and I know he thinks he’s got me. “But you didn’t mind me kissing you and pretending to be your boyfriend.”
Humiliation washes over me. I don’t expect it from him, and I know he’s right. I did that. I appreciated the save at the time, but this is different. “That didn’t give you the right to walk around giving out all kinds of information because you were trying to spare my reputation. In fact, you barely knew me that night. I doubt it was about me. Did you hear them talk crap and feel bad to be associated with me?”
He hesitates. It’s only a second, but I can easily see the truth. “Ivy, that’s not what happened.”
But it was. I blame myself. He’s human, and for weeks I’ve played him up to be something far more. I’ve put him on a pedestal, and that’s on me.
I’m making the same mistakes again. I’m choosing a personal relationship over business, and it’s going to hurt everyone—including Heath. Heath will likely hate me in the end.
It seems like Nick does, and I’m not entirely sure why. Nick seems to feel the need to bury me, and it’s that emotional reaction fueling me forward.
“I’m sorry I gave you the impression I needed you to save me.” Even as I say the words, I pull back from him physically. I can’t risk getting close to him. I don’t trust myself to make good decisions. “I don’t.”
For a second I think he’s going to apologize. He’s that guy. We might be able to save this if he admits he was wrong. Not the relationship. I’ve proven I can’t handle that. But we might be comfortable still working together. We don’t have to have this big fight. We can be cool with each other. It didn’t work. We weren’t the right fit.
