wasn’t sure Harper would be so understanding. But he was a potential client, one I was desperate to land. “Of course, sir, it’s entirely up to you what team you want to work with.”
“I’m pleased you understand. I’m looking forward to what you have to say.”
I hung up and slumped back in my chair. Should I have said no? How would I tell Harper? I guess I could pull out? But this was the opportunity I’d been waiting for and Harper knew that. She’d understand, wouldn’t she? This wasn’t personal. It was business.
Crap. I stood and grabbed my jacket. I needed some fresh air and common sense. “I’m going to Joey’s for a coffee,” I told Donna as I headed toward the elevators.
“Everything okay?” she called after me. I couldn’t reply.
Harper would understand. In fact, she might be relieved. She could take some time, build up her confidence after the way she’d choked at Goldman’s.
But something told me she wasn’t going to think like that. This might be business to me, but it was very personal to Harper.
It was as if Charles Jayne had thrown a grenade, and I was left bracing myself for the explosion but hoping it was a dud.
Three . . . two . . . one.
“Can you get Harper?” I asked Donna through the speakerphone, wiping the screen with my thumb.
“Sure thing.”
I stood, took off my jacket, and rolled up my sleeves. Coffee and a conversation with Joey about baseball had helped me make up my mind to tell Harper she was dropped from the JD Stanley team and to do it as soon as possible. As it was a work-related matter, I should tell her at the office. Part of me wanted to take a bottle of wine over to her apartment, run a bath, and tell her when we were both a glass down. That way I could hold her if she got upset. But Harper had been clear she wanted no special treatment at work.
“Hi,” Harper said as she appeared in my doorway.
“Hi,” I croaked, then cleared my throat. “Close the door and take a seat.”
She frowned and did as I asked.
I took a deep breath. “I want to talk to you about the JD Stanley account.” Her hands curled around the arm of the chair. “I’m going to make a change and get Marvin to be my second chair on the JD Stanley pitch.”
I waited for the explosion.
Her gaze fell to her lap, then came back up to meet mine. “Is this because I choked at the Goldman meeting?” she asked.
Of course that was what she’d think. This was my out. I could tell her we needed a more experienced speaker. I didn’t have to tell her what her father had said. I didn’t have to hurt her.
“How am I supposed to learn from my mistakes if you don’t give me another shot?” She leaned forward a little. “I’m ready this time. I really know the material—even your sections.”
She was ready. I could tell by the way she spoke in our morning meetings that instead of the failure at Goldman’s sapping her confidence, it had fed it.
I brought my hands together on my desk. Should I lie to her? Could I?
I liked to get what I wanted. And I wanted to do the JD Stanley pitch without Harper and have Harper okay about it. But I couldn’t be dishonest to make that happen. It wasn’t the man I was.
“I know you’re ready. It’s not that.”
“I mean it, Max. I can show you. Seriously. I can give the presentation to the whole company, bring people in off the street even. I can do this.”
Fuck, this was going to be harder than I expected. She was so committed to this pitch. Even if her reasons weren’t all business, her attitude was. I nodded. “I know there isn’t a better person for the job.”
“Then why?” she asked, slamming her hands on the arms of her chair.
“Your father called me this morning.” She shifted forward in her seat and I took a deep breath. “He said he didn’t want you at the presentation.”
She flopped back in her chair, staring at my desk, her eyes glazed. I’d never experienced anything like this. In the office everything was so clear to me. It was at home that everything was gray and I always questioned my decisions. Telling Harper this brought out a different side of me. I wanted to go over to her and comfort her.
“Did he say