Page 16 of Daring Destiny
“Ya think?” I sit on the edge of the table and narrow my eyes playfully, deliberately choosing not to be insulted at the personal question. It’s almost like it slipped out of his mouth before he could catch himself. “So youwerepaying attention to me back then, Brennan?”
“Uh, maybe. A little. I mean, it was… Um. It was hard not to notice when he was so fucking loud about everything. He didn’t treat you well, from what I saw.” His entire face turns pink and he fusses with the hem of his T-shirt.
Holy shit. I thought I suffered in silence. Was Jake such an obvious asshole? “Yeah, he wasn’t a great boyfriend, but I was young and naive. It was a long time ago. I’ve moved on.”
“Sounds like we’ve both had our share of bad relationships.” Brennan nods, looking thoughtful.
“You too?” I watch him closely wondering if he’s actually interested in me as a person. The prospect of someone being attracted to my brain instead of just my tits and ass sends an unexpected jolt to my pussy. “What about now?”
He hesitates, then shakes his head. “No. My only serious relationship was in college. I thought we were exclusive. She was fucking five different guys. I didn’t even notice until she got engaged to one of them. I was building CognifyAI, so, uh…” He pours us both a fresh beer and hands me my glass. “Probably for the best. I’m under a lot of pressure and the company is my priority. I tend to let people down.” He glances at me and I catch the flicker of guilt flash in his eyes. “Like you, for example.”
“Ah, let’s forget about it. We’ve all got baggage. And honestly, I’m not a success story when it comes to relationships either. Life is weird. You get hurt, you learn, and you keep moving forward.” I hold my glass up to his and we clink them together.
He seems to appreciate my gesture and there’s a moment of easy silence between us. How refreshing we don’t need to fill up dead air with meaningless words.
Who knows, maybe we’re becoming friends.
As the night goes on, I find myself even more intrigued by Brennan than I was at lunch. There’s a depth to him. A quiet, contemplative intensity. It’s flattering the way he’s genuinely interested in getting to know me—it’s not something I’m used to. Most guys see the polished exterior I’ve perfected over the years and want to fuck me.
Brennan, on the other hand, isn’t giving me any of these vibes. He seems to want to dig deeper. To see what’s underneath my facade.
“Hey,” he says as the night winds down. “Regarding your reunion project. I have a wireframe in progress but I’m going to be honest—I don’t know if I’ll have the time to manage it day-to-day. I’ve decided to put up the money to hire a coder to develop the concept. If you’re interested, I’d like you to manage the project—with my guidance, of course. We could co-own it, and I’ll work out a way to monetize it after the event.”
My jaw drops. I’m completely surprised he isn’t backing out, which I expected. What he’s proposing means this wouldn’t only be about the stupid reunion anymore. We’d be tied together.
Tonight wasn’t a date, it was an interview.
Maybe he is a player. I certainly haven’t had someone try to pick me up by offering to partner up.
On the other hand, he’s a straight shooter. How do I turn down the opportunity to partner with the most talented up-and-coming tech executive on the planet? “Are you fucking serious?”
“Yeah, I’m fucking serious.” He drains his beer, looking exceedingly confident. He’s in his element. “You’ve got a great business sense, Astrid. An amazing work ethic. I think we could make this into something special. What do you say?”
Truthfully, I’m overwhelmed and nearly start to cry.
In my entire life, no one has ever handed me anything. Especially someone like Brennan. This is a chance of a lifetime. Maybe I can get out of real estate and start a career I’d actually enjoy.
Quit. Real estate. Wow. I wouldn’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not. Maybe I could slow down and have my own family one day.
“I’m in.” I throw my arms around him. “Let’s do this.”
Brennan awkwardly pats my back. “Great. I’m glad.”
As we leave the bar, I feel a surge of excitement unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
I glance over at Brennan, who walks beside me with a determined look on his face. I know it in my gut. We’re on the brink of creating something amazing.
If tonight is any indication of the future, I can’t wait for what comes next.
six
Brennan
Three Months Later
I’vebeenlookingforwardto this moment all day.
My entire Saturday was spent at the office with my finance team, poring over my company’s P&L statements. Three-year and five-year projections. We have a few weeks to make this quarter’s target sales goals or it’s going to be a long year trying to recover. Ugh, it was excruciating.