I’m on my third order of whiskey when a heavy hand lands on my shoulder.
“Drowning your sorrows?” George slides into the seat next to me.
I give him a dirty look. “What the fuck was that? An orgy? Really?”
“I’m sorry, man. I thought…you know, you’d be down—”
I hold up my hand. “Please, I don’t want to talk about that shit show or that motherfucker Ron. I came down to have a drink and then I’m going home. Thank you for dinner, but next time, you can lump me in with the bores and old fogies. I like my kink in private. Did you even think to confiscate phones? What would have happened if someone took a picture and it got out? We have employees and shareholders, man. We can’t take risks like that.”
He closes his eyes and taps his head on the edge of the bar. “Oh shit. I didn’t even think about that. Man, I’m sorry. Good thing you were clearheaded enough for the both of us.” He lifts his head and gives me a sheepish smile. “So did you play fuck and forgive with your lady?”
I cast him a withering side glance. “Thanks to your wife telling her a bunch of fucking lies, no. Les Chandelles was a one-time thing, and we all signed agreements. But she told her all this shit—made it sound like what happened with Paula happened with her.”
His eyes grow wide as saucers. “Kate?”
“Yes, Kate. What the fuck, George?”
“No, your girl is confused.”
“Uh, I don’t think so. Kate and Paula look nothing alike.”
“Still, she was sitting with both of them. She just met them. She’s got them confused.”
He sounds so certain, but I can’t imagine Dina being confused about anything. “Whatever the case is, one of them made her think I’m some sort of stud.”
He winces and pats my shoulder. “Well, we’re up in my suite, so if you wanna play while she’s sleeping…”
I look at him incredulous. It’s like he didn’t hear a word I said. “No. she’s already ready to cut my dick off. But you have fun.”
He smiles and looks around the bar before he leans in and touches the side of his nose. “You can drop it. I heard your fight. I know she’s a decoy. You don’t have to play faithful partner for my sake.”
Shit. My stomach falls, and I grab his arm. “George, it’s not what you think.”
He pats my hand. “Hey, your secret’s safe with me. I mean, even if you weren’t my pal, I want Wilde to win this bid. There’s no one I’d rather work with, and I know my dad feels the same.”
Relieved, I shake his hand and nod yes. “Thanks, G. I appreciate it. And you won’t regret it.”
“We’re in this together.” He claps me on the back and slides off his stool. “I’m sorry again about tonight. I’ll talk to Kate, see what that was about. And I’ll see you next week when you’re in London to sign the contracts.” He grins at me.
I glance at my watch. “Speaking of, the bus leaves in less than six hours, and I don’t want to lose my advantage by yawning during my presentation.”
George snaps his fingers and shakes his head.
“Sorry, I thought I told you, they changed the time from eight to ten.”
“No. You didn’t tell me. And I didn’t see an email either.” I pull out my phone and groan when I see it’s dead. Of course.
“Oh wait.” He fishes his phone out of his pocket. “I have it here.”
“I thought you weren’t going.”
“I’m still on the original list of attendees. It came through right before dinner.” He hands me an email with the subject line Schedule Change.
Dear all,
Due to a conflict in plans, the day will begin with lunch at noon, instead of breakfast at 9. Presentations to start at 1:30pm. Thank you for your flexibility.
I hand him back the phone with a grateful smile. “Well, thank fuck I ran into you. Or else I would have dragged my ass downstairs when I could have slept in and had a leisurely breakfast.”
“That’s what friends are for, mate.”
I wait for him to leave, down a glass of water, and hurry back up to the suite.
Dina’s asleep with the light on. And I know it wasn’t by accident.
I wonder how she knew…probably Regan. And even though I don’t deserve the tenderness in a courtesy like this, she gave it to me anyway. I put that away to ponder later and focus on the reason I hurried back up here and the reason I’m about to wake her up.
I put a hand on her shoulder, and her eyes pop open. “What?”
“We’ve got a problem.”
* * * *
“It was from a damn Gmail account. If that hadn’t clued me in, the conflict in plans language would have. It made no sense. This thing has been planned for months. He must think I’m an idiot,” I seethe at the end of recounting my exchange with George. I’m so fucking angry at him and myself.
Dina shakes her head, her lips thinning in annoyance. “I knew it. I don’t know why, but clearly, he was trying to sabotage you.”
“Yeah, but why?” I’m waiting for my phone to power on, but Dina has checked her email, and there was nothing informing us of a time change.
Dina picks up the pair of tortoise shell glasses on the nightstand. “I don’t know, but I have a network of hackers who are going to help us find out why.” She hops out of bed, grabs her laptop, and walks out into the living room.
“He is such a liar. I can’t wait to see his face when we get on that bus tomorrow morning,” Dina calls back to me.
I’m sure one day I’ll be able to laugh at this, but right now, I feel like such an idiot. If he hadn’t shown me that email, I would have believed him.
The first email that pops up on my phone screen is one from my mother. The subject line reads “Dupont - Urgent.”
I see that she’s copied Dina on it, too. “Did you see the email from the boss?” I ask, my finger hovering over it.
“No, but I haven’t checked since before you picked me up.” She taps her mouse in frustration.
I look at the time. ‘It was sent two hours ago. Right as we arrived back at the hotel.”
“I’m still waiting for my email to sync and download. What does it say?”
I open it and read aloud.
Tyson and Dina.
I’m emailing you the message I received from GDII. Needless to say, I am gravely disappointed. I’ll expect you both in my office on Monday morning at 8’oclock, GMT. Do not be late.
“What the hell?” She runs back in the bedroom and snatches the phone from me.
“What does the message she forwarded say?”
She scrolls and starts to read.
Dear Tina,
It is with great regret that I must send you this email. We have been advised that the woman who is going by the name of Donna Li is an employee of your firm, and not romantically involved with your son. It was further implied that Ms. Li’s sole purpose was to gather intelligence on the company in a covert manner. Wilde World has lost the trust necessary to proceed in any further business negotiations.