two.”
“I’m sorry, Lauren. Can you say that again?” Surely he must have misheard her.
“You and Romeo are going to Seattle to pitch to Joyce Alexander. I spoke to her about it this morning, and you’re all set. She says she’s eager to meet you.”
Teddy’s brain went fuzzy. “I get to meet Joyce Alexander? Oh my God, I get to meet Joyce Alexander!” He was hyperventilating and might possibly pass out, but didn’t much care. He turned to face Romeo. “We get to meet Joyce Alexander!”
Romeo stared back, unimpressed.
This was really the kind of news that required a half hour of gushing, followed by a few oh-so-casual mentions on social media just in case Gregory was paying attention. And then Teddy could spend the rest of the day planning what to pack. What should he wear? An outfit that slyly referred to Joyce Alexander’s classic looks? Or maybe something entirely different and original. Something that spoke to Teddy’s own sense of style.
But even as he considered these questions, a realization set in, sending Teddy plummeting to Earth like Icarus when his wings melted.
“Why the hell does Joyce Alexander want to meet me? Meeting you, I understand completely. You’re our fearless leader. Or Imani, since she knows the numbers up and down. Or Romeo, the brain behind the software. I get that. But me?” Because if he failed at this mission, not only was he going to look bad in front of Joyce fricking Alexander, but he was going to take Reddyflora down with him.
“She wants to meet you and Ro.” Lauren spoke slowly and patiently, the way you might explain to a drunk person why they couldn’t have their car keys.
“Yeah, I get that. But why me? I can send her the designs and marketing plans.”
“She doesn’t want plans, Teddy. She wants people.”
That sounded alarming, and even Romeo shifted uncomfortably. He had said only a word or two since Lauren’s announcement, instead studying his fingers or scratching his lower lip.
“Wants people for what?” Teddy asked.
Lauren threw her hands up. “I don’t know. Look, she’s incredibly picky, right? You know that. She told me she has unerring instincts about what will work and what won’t, but she needs a personal connection. She doesn’t trust technology.”
Finally Romeo spoke. “That’s not very promising, considering we’re making high-tech products.”
For once, Teddy agreed with Romeo completely, and he nodded.
Lauren let loose an exasperated huff. “Just go with it, okay? This is really, really important. She’s not going to torture you. And you’ll get to escape the Midwest for a few days. I’ll fly you guys to Seattle, you spend a few days showing her how wonderful you are, and then she’s on board and Reddyflora is a huge success.”
Romeo was staring at his hands again, as if this entire discussion bored him. He probably thought Teddy was ridiculous for freaking out. But Jesus, this was Joyce Alexander they were talking about. The woman whose look Teddy had tried to emulate in his bedroom when he was thirteen, much to the distress of his butch younger brother, who shared the room. The woman whose menswear older-teen Teddy had sighed over in catalogs and store windows, wishing he had both the money and justification for buying them. The woman whose signature amber-and-honey-scented candles sat, right this minute, in antique dolphin-motif holders in the center of Teddy’s Ikea-hack coffee table. In contrast to all that, he was just Teddy Spenser, who rode to work on a scooter and slaved away in a cubicle before returning to his shoebox apartment with the unreliable water pressure and inconsistent heat.
Lauren smiled. “I’ll have Skyler set up your reservations.”
* * *
Midway Airport was packed with disgruntled passengers, many of whom were yelling at airline employees as if they’d caused the ice storm. Teddy, however, was content in his own little world near the gate. He had a salted caramel hot chocolate, a bag with two donuts, and a Kindle stuffed with books he’d been dying to read for months. His alpaca-silk scarf—hand knit himself—felt cozy around his neck, and his carry-on bag made an excellent footrest. Plus, Romeo wasn’t saying a word; slouched one seat over, he was engrossed in his phone. Perfect. Unlike Romeo, Teddy didn’t even have his earbuds in; he kind of liked the chaotic rumble of hundreds of background conversations and gate announcements. Airports were fun for people-watching, and the later their flight was, the longer he had to psych himself up for interacting with Joyce Alexander.
“It’s going to