Eve & Adam (Eve & Adam 1)

“I need nine thousand dollars.”

“For your loser friend? I gather she found you last night? Do I have Solo to thank for that?”

I nearly panic. I can’t put it on Solo. He trusted me. “She found her way to me,” I say. “And she’s staying. As long as she wants to.”

I’m proud of the steadiness in my voice.

“Those are your demands.” It’s not a question. “Nine thousand dollars and a suite for your idiot BFF.”

I don’t see much point in quibbling about her description of Aislin. Not the time. “Yes.”

“You have to stay here another week, at least,” she says after a moment. “For appearances.”

“Fine.”

She takes a deep breath. She cocks her head, looking at me curiously, as if it’s the first time she’s met me. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

“And?”

“And nothing.”

Oh, she’s clever. Oh, she is so very clever.

“Anything else?” she asks. Smug. She knows she’s outplayed me. She knows she just bought my silence and my acceptance. For pocket change.

So that’s how she got to be a billionaire.

– 22 –

SOLO

I’ve got to get this right.

I pause in a hallway, clenching my fists. My heart’s slamming against my chest.

I’ve got Tattooed Tommy’s poppy-seed bagel ready. What happens next will be vital. If I screw it up …

“Hey, Solo.”

I practically leap out of my skin. It’s Ben, one of the research assistants.

“Where’s what’s-his-name?” Ben asks. “The coffee dude.”

“Jackson. He got food poisoning at the wedding. At least that’s his story.” I try to smile. “I’m filling in.”

“Beats school, I guess.”

“Barely.”

Ben grabs a doughnut. He starts to leave, then, with a guilty grin, grabs another. “Big project. Carb loading.”

I’m so buzzed, so exhausted, I’m wondering if I can pull this off. For the past hour I’ve been pushing the stupid cart around like a zombie, handing out muffins and chai tea while I answer questions in monosyllables. Grunts, practically.

I’ve had too little sleep, too much adrenaline.