I heave a long sigh. “I know. I can’t believe I screwed up.”
“I’m so sorry.” Hilary pats my hand. “Dane’s a tricky…um…guy.” I’m certain the word she really wanted was “bastard” or “asshole.”
I sigh again. If I’d just asked exactly what Wyatt got from Dane… On the other hand, it probably wouldn’t have changed what I did for Wyatt. I would’ve still helped out in the end. Not for him, but for Vi. But if I’d known, I would’ve been working on a way to pry Wife out of Dane’s cold, tight fist…like bribing his wife, because she can make Dane do anything, up to and including drive a pink car.
Yuna finishes her drink. “If you want, I could hire you instead. I can’t do a huge signing bonus, but we can probably work something out.”
The offer surprises me. “You?” Yuna’s been hiding from her matchmaking mom. Does she need an assistant for that?
Jo and Hilary lean closer toward Yuna. She nods. “Yeah, it’s about time I get an assistant who answers to me, not my parents. I have my own money. Grandpa left me a small trust.”
To someone like Yuna, “small” is probably like several million bucks. Even tens of millions. “Why haven’t you hired one, then?”
“I’m not hiring anybody from Korea because my parents can always buy them off or influence them by dangling jobs for their family and so on. But Americans are complicated. It’s hard for me to tell who’s, you know…good.” Yuna props her elbow on the table and rests her chin in her hand. “But I think you’re perfect. I can match or better whatever salary you’re getting now. And I can offer a huge lump-sum bonus, too, plus semi-annual ones and so on.”
I laugh, certain she’s joking. Nobody makes a job offer like this just…out of the blue. She has no idea how much Salazar’s been paying me, either, or what my benefits
look like. Jo and Hilary both smile as well.
Yuna frowns. “I’m serious. Think about it.”
“Would I have to move to Korea?” I say, no longer laughing.
“Well, not necessarily, but you might have to travel with me. I don’t let my staff fly economy. Just sayin’.”
“Are you going to be upset if I turn you down?” We’re sharing an apartment, and I don’t want any awkwardness.
“Nope,” she says, like a woman discussing a recent meal. “This is America, right? Free country and all that.” Now she smiles.
I nod, but instead of the barre and the post-workout drink session clearing my head, now it’s more jumbled with this surprise job offer. Not that I’m necessarily willing to leave Salazar for Yuna. To be honest, I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s a pretty complicated situation, even if she says no relocation is necessary. She said she might want me to travel with her, and that means I might have to spend time in Korea. What if she marries one of the men her mom chooses?
And even after I get home—Wyatt must still be at work, because he didn’t answer when I knocked on his door—I keep mulling it over. Part of me thinks maybe I can leverage it to get a pay raise out of Salazar—maybe even get him to give me the bonus anyway—but the other part shudders at the idea. I didn’t earn it, and it almost feels like it would be blackmailing him into giving me the money.
Yeah, but it’s just one task out of all the others.
A deal is still a deal, I tell myself, resentful that I’m going to miss the bonus and angry and guilty that I’m even thinking about arguing Salazar into giving it to me.
Maybe half the bonus…?
Champ comes over and licks my fingers. I scratch behind his ear, then hug him as my mind wrestles with all the complicated options.
Chapter Forty-Three
Wyatt
The second I stop my Audi in front of Éternité, a valet rushes over. I shake my head. “I’m not eating. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
“That’s fine, sir, but you can’t leave your car here.”
I hand him a few bills. “Just a few minutes.”
He looks conflicted, but takes the money. “Okay, sir. Twenty minutes, but after that, I have to move it.”
I nod, then give him my keys, since it doesn’t look like he’s going to let me pass otherwise.
The place is packed. I guess L.A. is full of people dying to eat otoro and sip wine. And Dane is one of them, since his wife loves it so much.
I tell the hostess I’m here to see Dane Pryce. She looks surprised, but I give her my most confident look, one that says not only do I belong in this fancy-schmancy restaurant, but that Dane is dying to see me. The hostess bites her lower lip.