Now, Please(18)

“I surpassed the teacher while I was still in school. He’s shortsighted and vain. I focus less on short-term gain. It takes longer for my plans to come to fruition, but once they do, I turn heads.”

“And you’re turning heads now?”

“Yes. Mostly. But I’m not as popular with some of the board members. They want immediate results. It’s stunted some things.”

“Sounds like an uphill battle.”

Hunter reached for his glass with a ghost of a smile. “Yes.”

We fell into silence for a moment before I said, “So what’s the deal with not smiling? You don’t like my jokes?”

A glimmer of sorrow haunted Hunter’s gaze. “I fell out of practice, I guess.”

“Life can do that. Kick you in the balls.”

“Yes,” Hunter said again. It was his turn to look down at his food. “It can.”

I waited, hoping he’d say a little more. I wanted him to confide in me, to offload some of the pain from his past. I wanted to help him heal. But his gaze stayed downturned as he reached for his glass and took a sip. It was going to fester a while longer.

We finished dinner and paid the check. Hunter was clearly eager to get to Bruce, but he didn’t rush me. He waited for my decision on dessert, then asked if I was sure I wanted to turn down the chocolate. I really didn’t, but I was doing the right thing. I was getting paid for this trip and I should be putting business before chocolate. It was one of life’s cruel jokes.

When everything was squared away, we made our way to the bar.

“Your father might not have found him yet,” I said in a supportive tone.

“He has an assistant that watches potential marks pretty closely. He would’ve tried to catch Bruce at dinner. Failing that, he would’ve followed soon after Bruce left. I just hope not too much damage has been done.”

“Won’t it be a little obvious that your father is following him around like a begging dog?”

“He’s sly. He’s had a lot of experience in this sort of thing.”

“I think you give the man too much credit.”

We came upon an area with small, circular tables positioned around the floor near a short bar with glittering bottles of alcohol on glass shelves. A man with a white apron and a large belly shook a silver canister behind the bar.

Bruce sat at one of the small tables. Three other white bucket seats surrounded the table, one of them occupied by Hunter’s nemesis.

“I will say that it’s scary how well you know your dad,” I murmured.

“He taught me his tactics. He wasn’t impressed when I called them unethical and refused to follow his teaching.”

The hairs stood up on my arms with the viciousness in Hunter’s voice, and the harshness of his tone. We walked up to the table, me smiling, Hunter doing his customary blank face.

Bruce glanced up with a troubled expression. Upon recognizing us, he stood and put out his hand. “Sit, please. I guess I don’t have to ask if you know Rodge.”

Rodge laughed good-naturedly. He made no move to leave. Instead, he rested his hand on the back of the chair next to him. “Please, have a seat, Olivia. It’s nice to see you again.”

His slimy voice curdled my smile. I stepped back as if the chair was on fire. “I’ll just get a round of drinks, shall I?”

“Of course not. Sit here,” Hunter said in his commanding voice, pulling out the seat next to Bruce.

I scurried over and took the seat gratefully, noticing Rodge’s hand slowly slide off the top of the seat as his eyes turned hard. A predatory smile graced his face as he ticked his head in a “whatever you wish” sort of way.

“What can I get everyone?” Hunter hadn’t dropped the roughness from his voice.

“They have a cute little waitress that comes around,” Rodge said easily, crossing a leg over his ankle. “Sit, son. Join us. We were just discussing why I wouldn’t lay anyone off if I was granted the buyout.”

Hunter sat without expression. He glanced at me. “Do you need anything?”

“I’ll just wait for a drink.”

“Yes, talking business in front of disinterested parties would be incredibly boring.” Bruce turned in his seat and put a finger in the air. The waitress bustled over immediately.

“I’ll have another.” Bruce held up his empty glass.

Rodge tapped his glass and gave the woman a wink.

“Another?” She nodded at him, answering her own question. Her attention turned to Hunter. He looked at me.

“Do you have Blue Moon?” I asked.

“Blue Moon?” She nodded at me before looking back at Hunter again. She’d answered her own question again.