Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
I don’t believe him. Something about the way he hesitated makes me wonder. It’s like he’s convincing himself. I know I’ve only known him for a few hours, but he’s an open book. I would say this man can’t lie to save his life. He’s not doing a good job of it now.
However, I’m interested in the fact that his grandmother’s name piqued Teresa’s interest.
“Why don’t you give me a call next week and we’ll talk.” She turns my way. “I take it you’re the lead on this.”
“We’re partners.” Of course I’m the lead, but I know how to stroke a man’s ego.
She hands me her card, though I don’t need it. She’s in my contacts, but this is proof that she’s interested.
“That was good, right?” Heath manages to ask the question in between bites of meatball that likely has a much fancier name and is probably made with some hella expensive Japanese beef. I hope there’s a Tupperware container of those in my future.
“That was good. And now we need to shut down on the talk because we’ve got some interest, but I don’t want the idea everywhere. Teresa won’t talk if she’s interested. CeCe won’t talk. I’m not sure about anyone else, so from here out all we talk about is your interesting approach to artificial intelligence. When we start presenting we can have investors sign NDAs.” I’m feeling more positive. If I can get enough out of CeCe tonight, then we can have a couple of weeks to make a real business plan worthy of serious cash.
If CeCe opens the cash flow, then we find a workspace and hire some people to help write the code we need, some staff to back us up.
If that happens, we’re a start-up. I’m a start-up.
Again.
I let that truth wash over me in the middle of this wildly decadent party. Let it bubble up and pop over and try to come to some sort of peace with it. I’m back at the bottom. I have to prove myself all over again.
This, of course, is the moment the lights dim slightly, and I hear the sound of piano music swelling. Benjamin is standing by the stairs as CeCe makes her entrance.
“Is she an investor or a rock star?” Heath asks, though he’s smart enough to whisper the question.
All heads have turned and all eyes are on the queen of the Manhattan investor world.
“Can’t she be both?” I whisper back.
CeCe Foust is a force of nature. Sometimes it’s hard to believe she came from Brownsville in Brooklyn. I’ve heard the tales of George Foust meeting her at a diner she worked at, falling immediately in love, and carrying her back to Manhattan.
CeCe looks far younger than whatever her actual age is. I don’t know her real age. I’m pretty sure she paid someone to change her birthdate because she was absolutely not born in 1992. Though I also don’t believe the rumor that she was spawned from Satan sometime in the Middle Ages and has been working his will ever since. She’s really not that bad. But she does look good for whatever her age happens to be, and she gives all that glory to her plastic surgeon, a woman named Candace who I swear can deliver Botox with one hand while holding an overly full martini in the other.
Still, CeCe looks fabulous in her designer gown and sky-high heels. She towers over many of the men here, but that doesn’t faze her at all. CeCe Foust has been intimidating men for her whole adult life, and she doesn’t mean to stop now. She waves with one hand while holding a tiny white puff ball in the other. She always keeps a gorgeously groomed Maltese with her. That dog fits beautifully into her every handbag, and I swear it knows how pretty it is. I catch the gleam of diamonds around the dog’s neck and am reminded that CeCe buys her puppy’s collars from Tiffany.
CeCe is my role model in life, and I’m worried I failed her.
“Welcome, my darlings.” CeCe allows Benjamin to help her down the last step, and she graciously accepts the martini that has been waiting for her. No frou frou drinks for CeCe. She likes her martinis with ridiculously expensive gin and the barest hint of vermouth. I swear she has the bartender brush it over the glass. In a closed bottle. “It’s so good to see you all here again, both new faces and old. And Ronald, you fit into both. The facelift looks wonderful on you, dear. And the very tight fit gives you a smile at last. Welcome to all our new creatives. It’s lovely to meet you. Now let’s get to know each other, shall we?”
She steps into the crowd but doesn’t disappear into it. It’s hard to when you top out at six foot three in stilettos and are wearing an elegant mirror ball as a dress. She gives air kisses and takes compliments.