I breathe a sigh of relief. Knowing Dad is good with the Sharper Edge Comics deal means a lot to me.
“I do have one question though, Son. How are you going to manage these obligations for Sharper Edge, do your job at Sketch Republic justice, and have a romantic relationship all at the same time? Don’t get me wrong—you’re highly capable. But men traditionally are not multi-taskers. Evolution really left that in the hands of the female species, and their ability to excel at it convinces me that they’ll eventually rule the world.”
“I can multi-task,” I insist, imagining myself stepping out of a phone booth and ripping my shirt open to reveal the big Super N on my chest.
“You’re already under the hypnotic spell, I see. With new love, when the surge of hormones hit you, you’re so euphorically distracted and blissfully unaware of the world that your house could burn down around you and you wouldn’t notice.”
I’m so flustered that I swerve the car a bit before I regain my composure. “Dad, can we please not discuss hormones hitting me?”
“But do you understand the ramifications of my point? Sharper Edge has very high expectations for you and your comics.”
“Of course. Look, my plan is to give it my all and go without sleep for a while until B-Girl gets established and hopefully succeeds. Then I will quit my day job and devote myself to Brooke and B-Girl full time.”
“Quit your job?” he asks thoughtfully. I can tell he’s making complex financial calculations in his mind.
“Hell, Arnold may fire me before then, and I’ll get unemployment. That could work to my benefit.”
“Being fired is never a desirable option, Nathan. Your industry is small. The stigma could follow you if you wish to re-establish yourself in animation.”
I start tensing up. Thinking about fucking Mojo just does that to me. It’s a relief as I pull into the parking structure not to see his car and be reminded I won’t see his car or his hairy ass all week.
“Dad, I just arrived at work…gotta go.”
Dad is patient with the brush-off. He knows I can only take so much advice at once. “Okay, Nathan, I’ll call Walter and let him know you’ll sign the documents and get them out today. Congratulations, Son. I’m proud of you.”
I feel a thrill realizing that this is good to go. I’m going to sign that darn contract as soon as I get in my cube, and be one step closer to my dreams coming true.
• • •
At lunchtime Dani agrees to order me a sandwich so I can drop the contracts at Fed Ex, before meeting up with them to eat.
“So it’s a done deal?” She nods at the contracts on my desk as I pull money out of my wallet and hand it to her.
“Yeah, I still can’t believe it,” I admit, shaking my head. “Everything’s working out so much better than I could’ve hoped.”
“Everything?” she asks, her eyebrows raised.
“Can you and Nick keep a secret?” I know I can trust them, and I feel like I owe them the truth after what we all went through together.
“It’s on with Brooke?” She asks, smiling and looking hopeful.
“It’s so on.” I grin like a fool.
“I knew it, I knew it!” She bounces on her heels excitedly. “Nick owes me twenty! I could tell—your whole vibe was so different yesterday, even if you were trying to hide it. We have to go out for drinks soon so we can hear the whole story.”
“Okay,” I agree. “But meanwhile we have to be on the down low until the Monkey gets back and she tells him,” I explain.
“Well that’ll be an interesting day at Sketch Republic,” Dani states. “But fuck him. He’s getting just what he deserves. And even if he’s an ass and gets nasty, you have something else already lined up.”
I nod, because it feels good to hear Dani so confident about my future.
That afternoon Joel walks in on me as I’m doing a drawing on a Starbucks cup. He doesn’t say anything—just rolls his eyes, and walks out of the cube. I vow to stay later tonight and get some extra work done to show my thanks.
I’m happily buzzing as I sketch out Brooke posed as a modern day Juliet on her home’s balcony. Of course, I’m below…one hand reaching up to her, the other placed solemnly over my heart.
I finish it up with a few details and then hold it up proudly and shake my head. My Dad’s right, the hormones have rendered me insane…but damn, am I a happy fool.
Morgan gives me a look I’ve never seen before. She seems genuinely impressed with my apparent progress. She gives me a thumbs-up as I pass her on the way into Brooke’s office.
But when I step inside my girl looks tense as she tersely says something into the receiver, then slams the phone back down in its cradle. She leans over the desk and drops her face in her hands. It’s obvious she hasn’t seen me yet.
“Brooke?” I ask, tentatively.
She looks up startled. “Hi,” she replies weakly. “How long have you been standing there?”
“I just got here. Who was that you were talking to?”
She gives me a pained look. “It was Arnauld.”
Anger fires up in me. “What did he want? I thought he was supposed to leave you alone and give you space for a week.”
“Exactly,” she agrees. “He was interrogating me as to what I’ve been doing, who I’ve been with…”
“Did you tell him?” I ask, twisting my fingers together.
“No, of course not…so he threatened to come back early.”
My stomach drops. “But this is our time,” I say, trying to hold back my frustration.
“I told him that if he came back now, I wouldn’t even talk to him, so he may as well stay and take care of business. I think he got the message loud and clear.”
“So he isn’t coming back early?”
“I really don’t think so. He still has a lot of work to take care of. And I swear, I’m not going to let him mess up my woo week, damn it.”
I stare at her all flushed and wild looking. I can’t help it; I want her. I’m getting more distracted by the moment.
“Have I ever told you how incredibly sexy you are when you get mad?” I ask.
“Really?” She looks at me and almost smiles, and then finally notices that I’m holding coffee. I feel her mood instantly shift.
“Is that for me, Mr. Woo?”
“Yes, it’s especially for you, Ms. Woo.”
Brooke has a coy smile as she approaches me. She reaches for the cup anxiously as if she knows this is going to be a special one. I proudly hand it to her. I’m feeling good…confident…like I’m the master of the woo.
She oohs and runs her finger gently over the image as if she’s holding a masterpiece.
“Nathan,” she whispers.
I smile at her, basking in my masterfulness.
“This is my new favorite cup!”
“I puff my chest out proudly. But when I see her eyes have glazed over, I tone it down. “Remember, I told you how much you inspire me.”
She suddenly turns and picks up her phone and taps a button.
“Morgan, I need to have a private conversation. Can you make sure that I’m not interrupted?” She then walks over and shuts the door quietly, carefully setting the lock.
Oh my
As she turns, she gives me the look, and it only gets more heated as she walks back into my open arms. Her lips find mine, in an insistent, insatiable way. My arms wrap around her tightly as one of her hands works it’s way through my hair.
“Whoa, Brooke,” I gasp when we finally part. She pulls off my heavy black glasses and sets them down with such energy that they skid across her desk.
“Nathan…how will I get through today without having you?” she asks, pressing into me.
I can tell that the frustration over Arnold’s call has made her reckless. She seems to need my full attention right now.
I press my hands over her and pull her against me so she understands how much I want her too. “I’ll be thinking of you like this all day,” I whisper, my lips on her neck, my hand edging up towards her breast. “But we’ll be together later tonight and we can have fun then.”