(CHASE)
Nicholas sips as he looks at me over the edge of his glass. "I got to admit that sucked. But what do you want me to do about it?"
"You find me another job. That's what."
He snickers. " Chase, we have talked about this time and again. With your qualifications, I can get you a job anywhere, except this city. You know it's run by two major players, and you already work for one of them. Just tell me when you're ready to move. I have offers in other major cities."
I contemplate for a bit before I answer him. "I like it here. I don't want to move."
He sets his glass down. "Why don't you want to move?"
My fingers tap on the table as I think of what to give him for an answer. I sure don't want to move. I like this city for so many reasons. Its proximity to the water, how easily accessible it is, the theatres, the hotels. Yet, there's something else that I can't quite put my finger on that makes me not want to leave.
Relocating is even the best thing I can do for myself right now. But I don't want to leave this city.
"No, nothing I can think of." I finally say. "Why can't I get a job with the Astley Group? I'm sure they'd be lucky to have me. My portfolio speaks for itself."
"And so does your reputation," Nicholas says, picking up his glass to take a sip.
"Strict and blunt works for this company, Nico."
"That isn't what I mean."
"Then what do you mean?"I ask, trying and failing miserably at hiding my attitude.
Nicholas seems to notice I'm in a foul mood. He signals a waiter over and orders for more drinks. The waiter leaves and he leans back, making himself more comfortable. "Your name and reputation both speak for themselves. realize they call you a menace for a reason." He splays his palms out.
"They can call me whatever they want. I don't care." I snort.
"The Astley Group is a family-run company. They operate on two major principles. Family and integrity. They are very precise when it comes to their client base, unlike Fay Inc."
He was right. Fay Inc. would work for anyone, as long as there was money involved. They would put up campaigns regardless of how distasteful it was for some customers. I knew it, but as usual, I didn't care.
I certainly knew that the Astley group was very discriminating with clients. But those were boundaries I was sure I'd work with. I knew also that Ruzek hated the company, and to ditch Fay Inc. to go work for the Astley Group would surely piss him off and have him offer me a partnership in an instant. He would even do it faster if he learned about my plans to leave. I have to make him do it.
"I can work with that."
"It isn't just that," Nicholas tells me and we wait for the waiters to disappear completely before we resume our talk. He leans back and I take a keen look at him. He's so nonchalant and isn't usually bothered by a lot of things. His eyes gleam under the light as he crosses a leg over the other and reaches for his drink again, swinging his free leg.
"What else?"
"Liam Astley is a family man who only hires people with the same mindset. He runs his business just the same way, and I don't think he'll see you fit… your personal life, you know."
I know exactly what Nicholas means by that. "Abigail? I dumped her a few weeks ago."
Abigail, my ex, made headlines a few weeks ago when she went live in a drug-induced high. I grew tired of her nagging and her high-maintenance kind of life anyway. So, when she was in rehab, I told Riley to send her flowers with a breakup note. When she learned about the breakup, she got so bitter that she came to look for me at my office, but I had security, or rather Miss Le Fay, to escort her downstairs.
Classic Miss Le Fay felt sorry for her, but then she came back a few minutes later to tell me that Abigail was gone and wouldn't be coming back for a long time. Good riddance if you ask me.
"No, Chase. It isn't just about Abigail." Nicholas says. "You've built quite the reputation for yourself. Everyone knows you're a tyrant by day and a playboy by night. That isn't something that Liam Astley would consider. I doubt it would sit well with him."
"What, you don't think I can change?"
"You don't get it." Nicholas laughed. "Astley Inc. is a family-oriented company. I'm telling you, I know someone who works there and he's got a lot to say about it. I've never seen a company that operates like that."
"As I told you earlier, it's a company run by family. Their wives and children work there. Often they have family picnics and dinners. They get good pay and nice treatment, so it's even rare that anyone leaves."
I thought over what Nicholas just told me. It was true that family was important in the Astley Group. Also, it was unlikely for them to employ recruits. Ruzek hated Liam and everything he stood for in the business world. He thought that it was a man-eat-man society and that was how they operated.
In the last few weeks, they had lost two big accounts to them. Things took a toll that day, and I was glad they weren't any of my accounts.
"Damn it! I'm out of luck."
Nicholas clears his throat and gazes at me then looks away. "I know though that one of his executives is leaving the company?"
"What? Why?" I jerk up at the mention of that, suddenly interested.
"Apparently, he is sick, and his diagnosis doesn't look good. So he decided to take some time off and spend his… you know… remaining days with his family."
"Was that a temporary position?"
"See, that's what I've been trying to tell you. Liam is the kind of man who offers an early retirement for such cases. He's giving him full benefits and pension."
"And how do you know this?"
"I got sources."
"Then that's my chance. He needs replacing. Get me an interview."
Nicholas drops his shoulders repeatedly. "Chase, have you been listening to a single thing I've been telling you? Liam will not hire you."
"It'll only take a little convincing to let him know I'm not what he thinks I am."
"And how are you going to do that?" he raises a brow.
"I'll figure it out, you just get me that interview. This needs to be completely under the radar." I say as I take a long sip of my drink.
"Okay, I'll try. But I'm telling you, this is a long shot. I won't promise anything."
"Get me in and you'll get that generous finder fee."
"This is how much you want to prove Ruzek you'll leave? All this for that partnership?"
My hand rakes through my hair as another thought creeps in. I gaze at Nicholas for a few suspended seconds. "Change of plans."
"What? What do you mean."
"Ruzek hates Liam. Nothing would piss him off more than him learning that I left his company to work for him. I know of a few clients who are willing to jump the hoop. I'll do whatever to make Liam hire me, then when Ruzek tries to get me back, I will take pleasure in telling him 'things changed' just like he did me.
"You're sure about this, Chase?"
"I'm confident."
"I have no idea how you plan to do this, but I'll see what I can do. His son is my friend, I'll try to fill him in about it tomorrow."
"Alright," I say as I take a sip again. Now I only have one job, to convince Liam Astley that I'm not what he thinks I am. That's the quest, whose key I have to find out.