Page 48 of The Plus-One Deal
I sat staring glumly at my phone screen, out of what-ifs and maybes and shadows of hopes. Sunny was right — two weeks was the cutoff. I’d just make a fool of myself holding on beyond that. Better to walk away with what dignity I could salvage.
I tossed my phone in my gym bag. It rang right away. I dove for it, certain it had to be Conrad, but the name on the call display was Verity Halford. My heart did a swooping thing, a dip of disappointment, a flutter of nerves. I swallowed, then answered.
“Verity! How are you?”
“Oh, I’m doing great, and our deal looks good too. Got my lawyers going over it, but it all seems solid. Speaking of which, I’m having a pop-up show next month at the Met. My art in the Met — isn’t that the dream? Well, in the Met, and in everyone’s closets.” She laughed at her own joke, and I laughed along with her.
“That’s great,” I said. “Congratulations. What day are you having it? I’d love to drop by.”
“Well, that’s why I’m calling. It’s the twenty-ninth of next month. I thought you could both come, you and Conrad.”
My heart plunged to my toes. Text Conradagain?To ask him a favor, when he was clearly done? But what else could I do? My deal wasn’t signed yet. If Verity caught a whiff of me being flaky, unable to maintain a solid relationship…
“There’ll be a little party after the show, VIPs only, and of course, my team. It’ll be a great chance for you to meet everyone in amore social setting. It’s so important to do that, to know who you’re working with.”
I bit my lip hard to hold back my panic. What would Verity say if she knew what I’d done? If she knew who I really was, a liar, a poser? So desperate I’d let a misunderstanding spiral intothis?She’d never work with me then. She’d be right not to. Why had I ever gone along with this nonsense?
“So, you’ll be there, right?”
“With bells on,” I chirped, shrill with false cheer.
“Oh, that’s fantastic. I really can’t wait. And Ken’s going to love seeing Conrad again.”
“Same goes for Conrad.” The lies kept tumbling out. “He’s been talking about you guys. About Ken’s tennis game.”
“Ooh, then we’ll set up another round of doubles. Actually, that’s perfect, because we’ve just lost our partners. He’s got tennis elbow, she’s got some work thing. It really was kismet, connecting with you.”
By the time we’d hung up, I was shaking all over, partly from nerves, partly from my workout. I’d gone too hard in my anger with Conrad. And now I had to text him and say… and say what? What if he left my invite on read? I couldn’t handle that. I’d crumble to dust. This, our plus-one deal, had been our one constant. The one thing we’d alwaysdone, no ifs, ands, or buts. If Conrad ignored that… no. No. I’d call him. We’d talk like adults and straighten this out.
Before I could change my mind, I tapped on his contact. It rang once, then twice, and then he picked up.
“Claire, hello, sorry. I only have a second.”
I blinked at his brusque hello and sat saying nothing, my breezy invitation dead on my tongue.
“Claire? Are you there?”
“Uh…”
He sighed. “Ugh, I’m sorry. We haven’t talked in a week, and I answer like that. I’m just between meetings, but of course I have time. Give me a second while I close the door.”
I heard a door shut. Had he saidaweek? It had been two.
“Sorry,” he said again. “I haven’t sat down all day.”
“Well, be sure to have lunch. It’s coming on noon.”
“That late?” His chair creaked as he sat. “I swear, this whole week’s been like one long day.”
“I won’t take too much of your time, then.” I winced at my tone, my crisp business voice. Since when had I talked to Conrad likethat?“Verity’s having a pop-up show in, uh, six weeks. The twenty-ninth of next month. I’ll need my plus-one.”
“Right, ah…” Conrad’s chair creaked again as he stood back up. I heard him pacing, his shoes on the carpet. “Listen, about that, I know it’s our deal. We’ve done it since college, but…”
My vision dimmed.But what?!He knew what this meant to me, Verity and Timeless. He’d got us into this, with his stupid lie. If he stood me up now, I’d smack him. I would.
He sighed. “This expansion’s been rougher than I thought. My whole next month’s booked. I didn’t think you’d need me. Do you think you can handle this one by yourself?”
I gripped my phone tight. What if I said no? What if I told him hell, no, I couldn’t? Now, more than ever, this was our deal. He owed me this last one, if nothing else.