some of it good—and let the reality sink in.
It was time to face the monster in my
closet.
Chapter 8
Olivia Holloway
hadn’t left a number or an email address, but I found her office after a quick
search on the shitty computers at the library. The library workers hated me.
Too many overdue books. I made a mental note to get my own computer someday.
Located on the second story above a hair
salon that offered services costing as much as my rent, her office boasted huge
windows and had a calculated rustic appearance. Thick wood floors, brass light
fixtures. The words Holloway and Associates was etched into glass on the
door. Behind it, a pretty receptionist with aquamarine-rimmed glasses greeted
me.
Greeted is the wrong word. She worked hard
to keep her smile up and ask what she could do for me.
Fuck, I didn’t look that bad. I had jeans
and a winter jacket on. I’d showered at least two days ago. A few days of beard
was an attractive look, right? According to the fashion ads I saw in Westlake
mall, my almost-too-thin physique was highly desirable.
No, that wasn’t it. Affluent people
recognized low class from a mile away. They could smell our addictions, our
ignorance. I smiled anyway. “I’m here to see Olivia Holloway.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but she is expecting me.”
The receptionist frowned. “She’s very busy
today and I don’t see you on her calendar. What are you here to see her about?”
“We have a mutual interest I’d like to
discuss.” That sounded official, right? Was the lingo good? I threw another
smile on again. “Please just tell her Ethan Knight is here to see her.”
She was skeptical, but obliged. With one
perfectly manicured nail, she pushed a button on her phone. “Miss Holloway? A
man named Ethan Knight is here to see you.”
There was a pause. No response.
“I’m sorry, sir, but she must be in a
meeting.”
“I’ll wait.”
Sometimes it was fun to be difficult.
Only two minutes later Olivia burst
through the doors near the desk wearing a pea coat, hat, and scarf. “I’m
leaving, Lexi. I’m going to discuss a youth outreach charity program with Mr. Knight
here. I’ll be back in an hour.”
“But you have a conference call with the
mayor in a half hour?”
Olivia frowned. “I do. Tell him Brad will
talk to him about where we’re at with his gala and I’ll jump in after. Thank
you, Lexi.”
I gave Lexi a wink as we left. It felt
good to be the winner.
Outside it was brisk. Eleven in the
morning was blindingly early for me, but the two pots of coffee and bennie I
took helped take the edge off. Olivia kept a perfect two feet between us as we
walked down 5th avenue. The street looked drab with all the Christmas lights
off.
“You can never, ever come to my
office again.”
I stopped. Olivia kept moving for a second
before realizing it and coming back to me. Her pale cheeks were flushed scarlet
to match her hair.
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“What would people think if they saw a—a
gentlemen of your nature in my office? They might think I was getting
drugs or having some kind of illicit affair. In my line of work, image is very,
very important. A lot of people would love to claim I was using drugs or had
some promiscuous streak.”
Her remarks shouldn’t have surprised me,
but that didn’t make them hurt any less. Considering how we parted last, I was
the bad guy. I gestured for her to lead the way which she did with no
objection.
“We can chat at Starbucks. I don’t know
anyone who ever goes there.”
Of course she didn’t. The most popular
coffee shop was obviously too low end for her. I hadn’t been around Olivia
Holloway more than twenty minutes in total and I disliked her. It was one thing
to think you were better than someone else. It was another to say it out loud
and rub it in their faces.
It took exactly one minute to find a
Starbucks. This was a big one with tons of wooden tables and chairs that
It was time to face the monster in my
closet.
Chapter 8
Olivia Holloway
hadn’t left a number or an email address, but I found her office after a quick
search on the shitty computers at the library. The library workers hated me.
Too many overdue books. I made a mental note to get my own computer someday.
Located on the second story above a hair
salon that offered services costing as much as my rent, her office boasted huge
windows and had a calculated rustic appearance. Thick wood floors, brass light
fixtures. The words Holloway and Associates was etched into glass on the
door. Behind it, a pretty receptionist with aquamarine-rimmed glasses greeted
me.
Greeted is the wrong word. She worked hard
to keep her smile up and ask what she could do for me.
Fuck, I didn’t look that bad. I had jeans
and a winter jacket on. I’d showered at least two days ago. A few days of beard
was an attractive look, right? According to the fashion ads I saw in Westlake
mall, my almost-too-thin physique was highly desirable.
No, that wasn’t it. Affluent people
recognized low class from a mile away. They could smell our addictions, our
ignorance. I smiled anyway. “I’m here to see Olivia Holloway.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but she is expecting me.”
The receptionist frowned. “She’s very busy
today and I don’t see you on her calendar. What are you here to see her about?”
“We have a mutual interest I’d like to
discuss.” That sounded official, right? Was the lingo good? I threw another
smile on again. “Please just tell her Ethan Knight is here to see her.”
She was skeptical, but obliged. With one
perfectly manicured nail, she pushed a button on her phone. “Miss Holloway? A
man named Ethan Knight is here to see you.”
There was a pause. No response.
“I’m sorry, sir, but she must be in a
meeting.”
“I’ll wait.”
Sometimes it was fun to be difficult.
Only two minutes later Olivia burst
through the doors near the desk wearing a pea coat, hat, and scarf. “I’m
leaving, Lexi. I’m going to discuss a youth outreach charity program with Mr. Knight
here. I’ll be back in an hour.”
“But you have a conference call with the
mayor in a half hour?”
Olivia frowned. “I do. Tell him Brad will
talk to him about where we’re at with his gala and I’ll jump in after. Thank
you, Lexi.”
I gave Lexi a wink as we left. It felt
good to be the winner.
Outside it was brisk. Eleven in the
morning was blindingly early for me, but the two pots of coffee and bennie I
took helped take the edge off. Olivia kept a perfect two feet between us as we
walked down 5th avenue. The street looked drab with all the Christmas lights
off.
“You can never, ever come to my
office again.”
I stopped. Olivia kept moving for a second
before realizing it and coming back to me. Her pale cheeks were flushed scarlet
to match her hair.
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“What would people think if they saw a—a
gentlemen of your nature in my office? They might think I was getting
drugs or having some kind of illicit affair. In my line of work, image is very,
very important. A lot of people would love to claim I was using drugs or had
some promiscuous streak.”
Her remarks shouldn’t have surprised me,
but that didn’t make them hurt any less. Considering how we parted last, I was
the bad guy. I gestured for her to lead the way which she did with no
objection.
“We can chat at Starbucks. I don’t know
anyone who ever goes there.”
Of course she didn’t. The most popular
coffee shop was obviously too low end for her. I hadn’t been around Olivia
Holloway more than twenty minutes in total and I disliked her. It was one thing
to think you were better than someone else. It was another to say it out loud
and rub it in their faces.
It took exactly one minute to find a
Starbucks. This was a big one with tons of wooden tables and chairs that
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