“We should go, do a loop, say hello to whoever is left, and then leave.”
“You don’t understand,” I argued, my voice hoarse and thick. “I want to go home.” The grin that curled his lips made me catch my breath.
“I am really enjoying you wanting me,” he teased me.
“I always want you. This is not news,” I groused at him. “And I want to go home,” I insisted, enunciating each word for him.
“And I want you not to blow off mandatory social engagements on account of me and then have the people you work with thinking you’re a dick.”
“Trust me, they all already think that.”
“I don’t believe you.” He reached over to take hold of my hand. “I’ve noticed that you have a pretty skewed view of what people think of you.”
“I do not.”
He grunted. “Tell me where I’m going.”
I did as he asked, because apparently whatever he wanted, I would do.
The lounge, Flower Eater, was on Valencia Street, and even though my directions weren’t great, Jeremiah had no problem navigating in the city on a Wednesday night. The lounge was around the corner from where we parked, and when we got close, I saw some people from work heading the same way we were. I was more than a little surprised everyone seemed happy to see me, and of course they all wanted to meet Jeremiah.
The doorman told us the back room was reserved for us, so we made our way through the crowd, past the bar, until we reached a velvet rope where two women were standing, one with a tablet. When I gave her my name, my picture from our website came up, and she nodded to the other woman, who unclipped the rope so Jeremiah and I could walk in. Three steps led down to a small dance floor, and beyond that was another bar, dozens of booths, tables with leather chairs, and banks of couches.
Since Jeremiah was still designated driver, he asked for a Coke when the bartender came over to take our order, and I got an Old Fashioned, which I got a smirk over. I saw my boss across the room, so I led Jeremiah over to him and made the introductions. He seemed interested in getting to know my boyfriend.
“I told you,” Jeremiah gloated, leaning in close, his warm breath on my ear, which made me shiver. “Everybody wants to know you, so of course they’re gonna want to know me.”
“Which surprises me, because most of the time they look at me like I’m from another planet.”
“Yeah, but that’s only because they don’t get how your mind works. It doesn’t mean they’re not interested in you.”
I had never thought of it that way.
We spent a couple of hours talking to people I had never said more than hello and goodbye to before. It was nice, and I was surprised by how many conversations began with a compliment for me.
“Your work on the Odell merger was amazing.” That one came from Katelyn in development.
“I don’t know how you do it, but there’s this thing you do while you’re presenting something where you strategize and influence at the same time, and it’s fuckin’ brilliant,” Ben Riggs, one of our acquisition managers, told me.
“He embodies everything good in our company, doing his best for the client while still benefitting our company’s growth,” Mr. Stein revealed to Jeremiah. “We’re terribly fortunate to have him.”
“Thank you, sir,” I managed, albeit a bit gruffly.
“You start with the facts and then figure out the rest by instinct, and that, more than anything, has placed you on the partner track.”
I thanked him again as Jeremiah went to get me another drink.
“Just so we’re clear, Cameron”—he glanced at Jeremiah’s back and then returned his gaze to me—“if you prefer to work out of the Sacramento office for a while, you need only let me know. You can drive back here for client meetings, board meetings, but work primarily there. After Rauch successfully merged with Lass, business has increased there tenfold, and as you know, they are a top-tier client. Axton Enterprises has also asked for a meeting with us.”
“So I could work in Sacramento but would be able to come back to the city whenever I wanted?”
“Most certainly,” he declared. “Don’t get me wrong, I prefer you here, but I also see great potential for growth in Sacramento, and with you at the helm, I wouldn’t have to split my