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Fighting Words
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Getting Lucky No Notes Needed
KADENIt was another blistering, hot, humid day in Houston as we made our way to the client’s address. In the sweltering heat, there was a highway mirage on the road that made it look like the surface was wet.Ember fidgeted with her fingers in the car, taking deep breath after deep breath. If I hadn’t known her as well as I did, I wouldn’t have been able to tell she was nervous, though. I was on the lookout for the signs after her confession last night, and even though her breaths were deeper than usual, they weren’t obvious.“You’re going to be fine,” I assured her, reaching over to squeeze her knee. The skin beneath my hand was bare and warm, the simple white dress she was wearing having ridden up when she got in the car.She looked gorgeous and professional in her capped-sleeve dress, the neckline demure and the hem brushing the tops of her knees when she stood. She had paired it with what she had informed me this morning were red “power heels” and had pinned her dark hair up in s
Getting Lucky Celebrate
Kaden“We were founded over three decades ago by my dad, Hank Marx. He’s still the CEO and personally reviews client profiles on an annual basis. What he built is a company that is pioneering and employs only intellectually rigorous fund managers with a results-driven client orientation.”We had agreed that I take this part of the meeting because the client was a family-owned company just like ours. Jack Junior would take over someday, just like I had been supposed to. I ignored the pit forming in my stomach and focused on selling Jack Senior and his minions on us.When I was done with my song and dance about how Dad was still there, still involved, and still put his personal seal of approval on every client’s portfolio at least once a year, Ember was going to explain the services we could offer and take it from there.“Our team, the team who will work for you, uses data collected over thirty-plus years and technology to gain the highest levels of financial insight. We have identified
Getting Lucky Filling Him In
EMBERHours after we finished the meeting, my heart was still pounding like a drum. It felt like someone had injected a shot of pure adrenaline into my very heart of hearts, and with every beat it gave, it was screaming its joy at me.I had heard the old adage of never working a day in your life if you did something you loved, but I never believed it. Until now. What were the chances of finding something you loved doing so much that it would feel like you were doing a hobby instead of working?Apparently, they were better than I might have imagined because I definitely managed to find something I loved so much I would do it for free if I could afford it.The run of the mill stuff at the office I was good at, and I enjoyed it, but interacting with clients and recruiting them was the dream. Sitting in a dark bar celebrating with Kaden after the meeting was just a juicy cherry on top. He raised his beer to me. “Congratulations, Ember. You were fantastic today.”Warmth flooded my heart a
Getting Lucky Don't Worry About Me
EmberHis eyebrows lifted. “You did? That’s great. How did it go?”“I think it went great actually.” I explained the conversation I had with my brother and told Kaden we had promised to spend more time together in the future. As Ryan’s best friend, Kaden had insight into my brother’s mind that I didn’t.He listened attentively, smiling when I was done. “I’m really relieved you guys finally got it all out in the open. It couldn’t have been easy having that talk, but I think it’s going to be worth it. I know for a fact that Ryan wants to know you better. He just didn’t know how to do it. You had to take the first step, but I’m pretty sure he’ll take the next one.”“I hope so. It felt good to have my brother back, even if it ends up having been only for that one day.” It felt so natural to talk to Kaden about everything going on in my life. He knew about the situation with Ryan anyway, but I wanted to tell him stuff. “What do you think he’s going to do if he ever finds out about this?” I
Getting Lucky The Morning After
KADENThe sun shone brightly through the windows of our hotel room, clear blue skies stretching for miles without a cloud in sight. It was going to be another scorcher of a day in Houston, but we would head back to New York in a few hours.Releasing a quiet sigh, I turned my head so it was resting on top of Ember’s and stroked the soft skin on her back. The sweet scent of her shampoo drifted up from her dark mane of hair spread out over my chest and shoulder. I took a deep breath, wishing we could stay in Houston so I could keep waking up beside her every morning.Going back to New York meant going back to our separate homes, and I didn’t want that. The thought hit me like a punch to the gut, but it didn’t make it any less true. I wasn’t that guy, the one who thought about moving in with a girl or waking up next to her every morning for the next sixty-plus years.But lying in bed with Ember sleeping peacefully beside me, her chest rising against mine with every breath she took, it was
Getting Lucky Love
Kaden“Nothing.” I shrugged, sighing when she narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “I guess I’m just feeling a little melancholic over what we’re doing this morning.”“What are we doing this morning?” she asked gently, knowing just from the way I was acting and without having to ask that it was a tender topic for me.“I haven’t been back to Houston since my mom passed,” I told her finally, grief winning out between the emotions that had been warring for recognition in my chest. “The last time I was at her grave was at her funeral. I want to go see her.”Empathy and sympathy flooded Ember’s eyes, shining as brightly as the tears she was trying to fight. “Of course. I didn’t realize you hadn’t been back here. I’m sorry, Kaden. I know how much it hurts every time you let yourself revisit thoughts about the funeral and the grave. No matter how much time has passed, the hurt comes back as real and as raw as it was when it happened.”I nodded. Having someone around who really understood th
Getting Lucky Missing Her
EMBER“New York, New York.” I smiled as the plane’s wheels touched down in the city I now called home. I was torn between being sad and being excited about getting back to work now that I knew what dealing with clients was like.I didn’t know all the clients of the firm yet, but I was looking forward to meeting with them. The trip really helped me to understand that the names on the files I dealt with in the office weren’t just names. They belonged to actual people just like those we met with. It was strange. I always knew the names belonged to clients, but having actually met with clients now, it was like it was suddenly real. I knew the meeting had changed my perspective slightly, like it had been the twist on the binoculars that finally brought everything into sharp focus.As thrilling as it was to know I would be throwing myself into my work with renewed vigor and understanding, I was sad about being back because New York wasn’t the same as it had been when I left it.There was a
Getting Lucky More Than Friends
EmberI needed to figure this out for myself first. Kaden had made me no promises, and I couldn’t go blurting out any words that might cause me to lose another best friend this week. So instead of saying the words sitting on the very tip of my tongue, I smiled and said, “Thanks, Marx. I’ll call you if I need you, but let’s go home.”“At least you’ll have some good news to give my dad when you see him tomorrow, so that’s a bit of a silver lining,” he said on our way home. We were in his fancy Bugatti, his leather seats as soft as butter beneath me and a control panel to rival those of a space ship on the console.“What do you mean I’ll have some good news? Shouldn’t it be we have some good news to give him? Don’t you want to be there when I tell him?”“No.” He didn’t even take a beat to think about it. “It’s your news to give, kitten. Not mine. He’ll be happy though. As happy as he ever is, anyway.”Kaden dropped me off at my empty loft, Gracie’s absence obvious in everything from how
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