Chapter 12
M y chief operating officer and closest friend, Greg, is in town with his family for the weekend and suggested we meet at Starbucks. I know he’s trying to get a sense of where my head’s at—and if he needs to start looking for another job.
We shake hands outside and make small talk as we walk in. Immediately, I spot Dani, and though I try to act unfazed, I can’t ignore the fact that something’s wrong. She looks scared, and some guy is hovering over her.
“One sec, Greg,” I mumble and head straight for Dani.
“Dani, it’s great to see you.” I smile, but my attention quickly shifts to the guy beside her. He’s about my age but much more weathered.
“Of course, you found yourself some boring JP Morgan guy,” the guy sneers at her. Her friend looks scared, too.
“Let me take you both home.” Dani’s friend immediately gets up, but Dani stays frozen in her seat. “Dani …” I begin, but the guy steps between us.
“Dude, why are you interrupting? We’re catching up.” That’s when I piece it together—the guy with the faint trace of white under his nose is part of the story Dani casually glossed over yesterday.
“You need to back away from my …” I hesitate. “My friend.”
The douche smirks. “She’s got you in the friend zone?” He bites his lip. “You’re missing out.”
Before I know what’s happening, I punch him.
Dani jumps up, moving behind her friend and me, and the coffee shop goes dead silent. I hear a barista shout, “Sorin deserved that one, right?”
Dani’s friend yells back, “Sure fucking did!” The place seems to return to normal, except for the guy—Sorin—now bleeding from the nose onto the floor.
“You’re still breathing because I’m on probation,” he snarls, holding his nose, glaring at me. “Have fun with that whore, “ Sorin spits out.
Fury flares again, and I shove him, sending him sprawling backward. I notice people with their phones out. Are they recording? Are they calling the cops?
Dani and Greg both have the same look on their faces. They are stark white and looking at me like I’m a stranger.
“We have to go now, “ Greg says urgently, shepherding the girls and me out of the shop and into his car.
“I-I’m sorry about that guy, “ Dani stammers from the back seat. I glance back at her and her friend. “He … he is—” Dani starts, but her friend cuts in.
“The biggest fucking prick and the worst thing that ever happened to us,” she finishes.
“Adam, I’m sorry,” Dani says softly, her hands trembling in the SUV.
Who was that guy? Why is she reacting like this? And why did I react the way I did? I can’t believe I punched someone.
“I know this could be really bad PR for you,” she says quietly.
Bad PR for me! My heart sinks. “Do you know who I am?” I ask, equally confused and annoyed.
Greg lets out a loud huff. He’s been disappointed in me a lot lately, and this situation isn’t helping. This is exactly why he sent me to the cottage for the summer. He’s probably piecing it all together now—that I’m sleeping with this girl, and we barely know each other.
“Let me call my dad,” her friend says. “He can make sure the cops know Sorin started it. They won’t care what happened. Sorin’s known scum around here.”
That’s more than a little reassuring. Rubbing the back of my neck, I take a deep breath, trying to channel my crisis management experience.
“I apologize for my overreaction,” I say as calmly as I can. “What’s your name?” I ask her friend.
“Kelsey.”
“Kelsey, do you feel safe getting out of the car? I’d like to have a private conversation with Dani and my friend Greg. I can call you an Uber.”
“I’m parked just over there.” She gestures before looking at Dani. “I can wait in my car for you,” she says to Dani.
“That’s okay. I’ll make sure she gets home.”
Kelsey gives me a skeptical look, then looks at Dani, who nods. She squeezes Dani’s knee before getting out of the car. She’s a good friend.
“Greg, can you?—”
“What the fuck was that, Adam?” Greg cuts me off, glaring. “You’re supposed to be all ‘eat, pray, love,’ not brawling in broad daylight.” He keeps staring at me. “It’s impossible not to share this with the board,” he adds.
Fuck. The last thing I need is another reason for the board to be upset with me.
“You …” He trails off, and I know he’s thinking about how I haven’t managed my emotions well since I filed for divorce.
“I’m sorry, I really am,” Dani says quietly from the back.
I get the distinct feeling she knows who I am, and I feel violated for … what? Defending her honor? What the hell did I do? I’ve teed myself up for a lawsuit. I’ve put Greg in an impossible position. And for what? To defend Dani Fuckbuddy, a girl I met not even two full days ago!
“Greg, let me handle this. It won’t even be a blip,” I say, trying to sound hopeful. “I promise.”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Greg says sternly. “Are you sleeping with …” He looks at Dani, confused, “this small-town flash in the pan?”
“Excuse me?” Dani huffs.
“We have slept together.”
“Another fucking CEO nailing the intern,” Greg mutters, throwing his hands up. “Keep the bad press rolling.”
Dani scoffs, and we both turn to her. “I’m not an intern. I do PR,” she says firmly.
“No,” Greg shoots back. “We have a PR firm, and I’m calling them to discuss the next steps.”
“Fucking listen to me!” she yells, catching both of us off guard.
“The guy Adam punched … He did really bad things to me.” Her voice is shaky but furious.
“I have photos. The cops have those photos. Anyone who sees them won’t question why he got his ass kicked.
If you need them to help the narrative … ”
“Dani, I’m not going to?—”
“Okay, that’s smart. Are they on your phone?” Greg interrupts.
“Greg, Jesus ,” I cut in. “We all need to calm down. I’m taking Dani back to my place to regroup. We’ll have a conference call with the team in two hours.” We exit Greg’s SUV and get into my Porsche.
Greg might kill me, but I need to think clearly and get us out of this mess. I put us in it, after all.