“Any more fashion tips for me?” I asked.
“I have to be seen with you, Easy. If you’re not going to do it for yourself, do it for me. Hell, do it for our company. How the hell is someone supposed to know you’re any kind of professional when you look like that?”
“Thanks, mom,” I snarked. Toby shot me a dirty look. I was in jeans and a flannel. It was comfortable and the look suited me. Toby was in a grey suit that he frankly looked uncomfortable in. I didn’t know why he was taking it out on me when he had made that fashion choice all on his own.
“You’re impossible,” he said. The doors opened and we walked out.
“I didn’t know you were ashamed to be seen with me, Toby. Now my feelings are hurt.”
“Good. You deserve it,” he said. He was irritated, it was radiating off of him in waves.
“I think it could have been worse. I don’t know why you’re so upset about it.”
“And that right there is your problem,” he said. I hailed us a cab. Maybe he wasn’t wrong. I mean, he was wrong, but maybe he wasn’t that wrong. We had a lot in common, but we were different at the same time. Same age, birthdays just a month and a half apart. Same general height and build. Joined the army and discharged the same year while serving in the same unit. He however had acclimatized to civilian life better and faster than I had. He had walked out of the armed forces and into a boardroom without missing a beat. Meanwhile, I was still trying to enjoy the fact that I didn’t have to wear a uniform everyday.
Our differences must have played some role in making the two of us work together. A business didn’t gain a billion-dollar valuation out of nowhere. Opposites attracted, right? We got into the cab.
“Take us to The Fissure please,” Toby said to the cabbie.
“Where’s that?” I asked.
“The Fissure. It’s a bar.”
“Bar?” I scoffed. Things were worse than I thought. Whatever, it didn’t matter. I could take a drink. I tipped my head back on the seat and closed my eyes. “Resorting to alcoholism so early in our career?”
“If I ever do, it’ll be because you led me to it.”
“Hold off a couple of years. Wait until we go public or something.”
I could feel Toby’s glare on me.
“We’re business partners, and I need you. That’s the only reason why I won’t push you out of this car right now.”
Violence too? He was really mad. I opened one eye and looked at him. “I’m upset that our relationship has come to this. We should try couples counseling.”
“Why when buying you out and pretending our partnership was never a thing in the first place would be cheaper and more effective?” he spat.
I chuckled. He didn’t mean it. If he did, he wasn’t going to do anything about it. He knew who I was, and I knew who he was. We had come together and made a billion-dollar business. The ass-kissing and schmoozing wasn’t a part of the job that I signed up for. As long as we had a product that these clients wanted, they weren’t going anywhere. Where would they go when our competitors didn’t come close?
“
Love you too, honey,” I said.
“I swear to god, Easy, this is serious.”
Was he still on this? I opened one eye again.
“Like a heart attack. I know.”
“No, you don’t. If you did, then you wouldn’t act like an ass in front of our clients.”
“We’re getting the contract. Relax. They came looking for us, remember?”
“I don’t even know why I bring you anywhere.”
“Then don’t.”
“You think I would if I could get away with not doing it? We need to figure out a way to fix you or else.”