• Surprise! There might only be a job here for one of you.

• And by one of you, we mean you or this new guy you want to bang.

“Didn’t you . . . ya know . . .” Daryl makes a crude sexual hand gesture, adding, “like, only a few nights ago?”

“Use your big-girl words, Daryl,” Amelia says.

“Third base,” I confirm. “And it was a holy experience. Orgasmus maximus. My bedspread and I were hoping for a repeat.”

“So, how is it going to play out?” Amelia asks. “You can’t work together and sleep together?”

“Or maybe you won’t work together at all and can still sleep together?” Daryl counters.

“Great, except for that part about one of us being an unemployed hobo. Homelessness tends to be a real mood killer.” I pop a pita chip in my mouth and chew, thinking. “We have a meeting to go over our new client lists on Thursday. And after that, I suppose we’ll operate as though we’re both working there forever, knowing that one of our contracts probably won’t be renewed. New York was brought up, but . . . I don’t know.”

Daryl blanches. “You’d move?”

“Hell no. But P&D has huge resources. I don’t want to burn any bridges until I have to.”

“And Carter has huge resources, too?” At the meaningful tilt to Daryl’s words, Amelia high-fives her.

My phone lights up on the table, and we all look down to see Carter’s name.

“Oh shit,” Daryl whispers. “It’s like he knows . . .”

I stare at it as it rings, and rings.

Amelia sighs. “Will you answer that damn phone?”

I lift it, swiping my thumb across the screen. “Hey, Carter.”

“Hey.”

Standing, I walk to a quiet corner of the restaurant, near the windows.

“How are you holding up?” he asks.

I laugh, tracing my finger along the windowsill. “I’m working my way through the Post and Beam appetizer menu, so I’m doing okay.”

Carter laughs now, too, and I realize when he does how awkward and unmirthful both of us have sounded. “Look, I was still sort of in reaction mode when you asked me about lunch and was probably a bit shorter than I meant to be. I know it’s crazy, but I don’t want this to get in the way of what was starting with us, you know?”

I nod but struggle to think of what to say in response. It’s so complicated now.

“I know,” I say finally. “You give good make-out.”

“So do you.” He’s quiet for a few breaths. “Do you think we’re competing for this job?”

“Brad sure made it sound that way. I don’t know that we need to, though. I think we can figure out how to both be indispensable.”

“Let’s just make sure we communicate,” he says. “If we stay open with each other, we’ll be fine, right?”

I squeak out a limply enthusiastic “Sure!” and after a few more small words we agree to talk tomorrow.

It feels like we’re standing on the deck of the Titanic as it goes down, saying, It’s gonna bob back up any second now.

Date: Wed, Oct 14 at 5:03 AM

From: Bradley Kingman

To: Aimee Miller; Dudley Thompson; John Fineman; Timothy Brown; Andrew Murphy; Carter Aaron; Evelyn Abbey; Rose McCollough; Ashton Garcia

Subject: Dan Printz

Flagged: HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL

Team,

I received word last night that Dan Printz is leaving his current representation at Lorimac. Anyone think they can snare him, let me know and I’ll set up a meeting. This is a $5M/year potential client for us. Evie handled his screenwriting credit over at Alterman a few years back, so I’m leaning that way. Jump in with any objections by 9 am.

* * *

Date: Wed, Oct 14 at 5:07 AM

From: Carter Aaron <caaronPriceDicklepartners>

To: Bradley Kingman

CC: Aimee Miller; Dudley Thompson; John Fineman; Timothy Brown; Andrew Murphy; Evelyn Abbey; Rose McCollough; Ashton Garcia

Subject: Re: Dan Printz

Let me take a shot at this one, Brad. We have a mutual friend in New York.

-C.

* * *

Date: Wed, Oct 14 at 5:08 AM

From: Evelyn Abbey

To: Bradley Kingman

Subject: Re: Dan Printz

I’m happy to keep working with Dan. He and I had a great relationship and I’m confident I could get him to move over.

Thanks,

Evie

* * *

Date: Wed, Oct 14 at 5:08 AM

From: Evelyn Abbey

To: Bradley Kingman

CC: Carter Aaron

Subject: Re: Dan Printz

Carter and I must have replied at the same time. Looks like we’re both happy to take him onto our list. Perhaps this is a good opportunity for a team representation strategy. Let’s discuss today?

Evie

* * *

Date: Wed, Oct 14 at 5:43 AM

From: Bradley Kingman

To: Aimee Miller; Dudley Thompson; John Fineman; Timothy Brown; Andrew Murphy; Carter Aaron; Evelyn Abbey; Rose McCollough; Ashton Garcia

Subject: Dan Printz

Early bird gets the worm, and good timing, Carter. Joanne just called. Dan will be named People’s Sexiest Man Alive—not announced yet. Would be a huge get for us. Carter, Kylie will set up a one-on-one meeting for you and Dan this week. Great job.

Brad

chapter ten

carter

Thursday afternoon Michael Christopher sits at a table in the courtyard outside P&D. The sun is shining overhead, the sky is blue without a single cloud in sight, and he waits, eating his peanut butter and jelly sandwich while I pace.

Labeling the current situation “tense” would be like calling Usain Bolt “fast.” Although most of the higher-ups seem thrilled with the merge because it makes P&D this enormous conglomerate monster, the rest of us are a flock of anxious birds, eyeing one another as if we’re all plotting to not only take each other’s jobs but also eat each other’s children.

The situation with Evie isn’t any better. We went from this budding thing, to sharing one of the hottest nights I’ve ever had, to clipped conversations as we pass in the hall at work. After our conversation on Tuesday night, I figured we would band together and talk this through, but she’s been so busy with meetings, I barely saw her yesterday. All week, really.