Dane laughs, but I can tell the humor doesn’t entirely reach his eyes. He leans toward Fabron and claps him on the shoulder. “My friend… here you are trying to do business with me, but you want to steal one of my most-valued partners and friends? That’s not exactly the way I’d advise you to proceed.”
Fabron chuckles and nods at Dane. He shoots a quick glance at Avril and inclines his head. “Avril… I meant every word I said, but only if I can’t convince your partner to bring me on to help you at Caterva. If he doesn’t, all bets are off.”
Interestingly, Dane’s face hardens over those words because while I think Fabron may be joking, clearly Dane takes that as a threat.
Luckily, Avril diffuses the situation. “Well, I’m actually very flattered you find me worthy of your company, Fabron, but I’m pretty confident when I tell you there’s nothing you could ever offer me to leave these two—what did you call them? Peacocks?”
Fabron lets out a hearty laugh, but doesn’t look even slightly chagrined he must have called us peacocks in French to Avril, or that she outed him to her partners.
That’s my girl.
But Dane and I laugh right along with them because when it boils down to it, we all like Fabron. He’s a brilliant entrepreneur, his company is one of the most revered in the world, and he’s got an impeccable reputation for fair dealings. On top of that, our venture capitalists have been pushing us hard to consider bringing him into the company.
The dinner continues, and we move away from business. We’ve known Fabron for years and have socialized with him at conferences. Avril’s even visited him and his family in Paris on occasion to stay with them when she traveled.
I wonder if she’ll still do that, because as it turns out, the familial issues that kept Fabron from joining our board was that he and his wife went through a very contentious divorce. I’m thinking his newly single status and the appreciative gleam in his eye when he called Avril beautiful was to be expected.
I wonder what Fabron would think if he knew that Avril went to a sex club to get her kicks nowadays, and she probably wasn’t interested in having a long-distance love affair with a Frenchman.
We’ve not really discussed The Wicked Horse since that one and only day in my office. I have not gone back, and Avril hasn’t invited me. I know she’s still going though because Dane told me that he sees her there on occasion. I’ve wanted to pump him for information, but I haven’t worked up the guts to do so.
I mean… what would I ask?
Do you watch her?
Does she watch you?
Are you two fucking?
I shake my head to dispel that. There’s no way they’re fucking. I’d be able to tell, and when the three of us are within the boundaries of our professional relationships with each other, we are just the same as we ever were. I can detect absolutely no change in Avril and Dane’s relationship, although I’ll grudgingly admit that Avril seems happier and more relaxed at work. I wonder if that’s because she’s getting her world rocked frequently at a sex club.
The meal winds down, and Fabron invites us for some drinks in the hotel bar where he’s staying. Avril declines, citing an early morning meeting she has with the head of our marketing department, but Dane and I agree. It’s what you do in business, and as of the end of the dinner, nothing’s been decided.
Nothing will be decided tonight, but I know Dane will want to have as much discourse with Fabron as possible, and there’s no better way to do it than over drinks so tongues get a little loose.
When we’re situated in the bar and our cocktails sit before us at a low table set in a corner, Fabron picks up his gin and tonic and gives it a thoughtful stir. When he looks to Dane, he says, “I really want to make this happen, Dane. My company could be very good for your company.”
Dane nods respectfully. “There is much that we both could gain from an alliance, Fabron. But I am treading very carefully. Please don’t be offended by me taking my time with this proposition.”
“Of course,” he says lightly… almost dismissively, but I know damn well he’s not given up. He’ll bring the conversation back around before the evening’s over. But when he decides to change subjects, he does so with a flourish. He looks between the two of us and says, “I know you two have an incredibly tight friendship with Avril. And while we are friends, yes, we aren’t close friends. I’m curious… is she still seeing that doctor she’d been dating?”
My eyes meet Dane’s. Ordinarily when a man would try to pump information about Avril of a personal nature, we’d laugh it off. But if I was wondering whether something’s changed since she started going to The Wicked Horse, I have my answer now. Dane’s look to me is the one I’m giving him.
Oh, hell no, this French bastard isn’t going to make a move on Avril.
“She’s still dating him pretty seriously,” I find myself lying right to Fabron’s face. “I expect they’ll get married sooner rather than later.”
“They’ve been together several years, oui?” he pushes. “I’m surprised he hasn’t asked for her hand yet.”
Dane throws his own question in to Fabron. “How have things been going since your divorce?”
Fabron wrinkles his nose before taking a sip of his drink. “The divorce was contentious, and not because we fought over the crystal. She wanted part of Révéler Biotech, and well… that just wasn’t going to happen. I’m very glad that it’s resolved now.”
“Well, look elsewhere other than at Avril,” Dane says pleasantly enough, and one could even mistake his smile for amusement. But I know my friend well enough to know he’s standing up as Avril’s protector.
Fabron shrugs. “Plenty of beautiful women in the world. But very few as smart as your Avril.”
Dane bristles visibly because now the threat is not only to our friend, but to our COO. I can tell he’s not liking Fabron’s interest whatsoever, and I can’t figure out what bothers him more… the personal interest or his interest in her professionally.
As for me, I’ll admit I’m equally bothered by both, but I don’t have the right to be bothered by one of them. What Avril does with her personal life isn’t any of my business anymore. I sort of took Dane’s advice. I decided to accept what happened at The Wicked Horse that night, and I’ve decided to move on.
I’m just not sure where moving on will take me.
CHAPTER 9
Dane
I manage to wind down our conversation with Fabron after about an hour, claiming I’ve got to get up early like Avril.
But like Avril, I’m also lying about that being the reason for leaving.
Avril didn’t back out of drinks with Fabron because she had an early morning meeting. She’s always in early, no matter how late she stays out.
Avril, like me, wanted the evening to end because we both had intentions of going to The Wicked Horse tonight. For the past three weeks, we’ve run into each other there on occasion. We sometimes converse, but most often we try to ignore each other. Not because it’s awkward—as peace has been made with the fact that we’re friends and partners who share the same sex club—but mainly because I think we both subconsciously realize it’s dangerous to become too involved with each other while there. I’ve watched Avril from afar these last few weeks, and she’s become more bold and adventurous. She’s opened herself up to the experience and doesn’t shy away from much of anything. It’s sexy as fuck but also messes with my mind because there hasn’t been a time I haven’t watched her in action and didn’t want to get in on it.