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"And Max?"

"Well, unfortunately Max’s ambition for drink and women far exceeded his ambition for success in business, but it seems like he turned it around after all I’m not sure if I was any help there, but perhaps They can’t all be like you, dear"

"I’s with the business won’t work out in the long run," I ad he had some clairvoyance that I lacked

"There’s no doubt in my mind that you will be successful, one way or the other If not with this, there will be so else None of us knohere life will take us, but you’reas you stay true to those drea in the right direction At least that’s what I tell ht in anticipation of to, which would be a make it or break it eure it all out anyway," he proed, knowing he soht now

He shifted his focus back to ot for our friend Max tomorrow" He motioned toward the folder on my lap and cleared a path on his desk

"Definitely" I laid out the business plan and my notes, and we set to work

CHAPTER TWO

The receptionist at Angelco me into the conference roo sure nothing was grossly out of place So far so good I shrugged

"Make yourself coroup should be arriving shortly"

"Thank you," I said politely, grateful the roo e of the conference table until I reached a wall of s overlooking Boston Harbor Aweanxiety In a moment I would be face-to-face with a handful of the city’s most wealthy and influential investors, and I felt so far out of my comfort zone, it just wasn’t funny I took a deep breath and shook outmy body would relax a little

"Erica?"

I spun around A young e, with blond hair parted neatly to the side, dark blue eyes, and wearing an impressive three-piece suit, approached me We shook hands

"You must be Maxwell"

"Please, call me Max"

"Professor Quinlan has told me a lot about you, Max"

"Don’t believe a word of it" He laughed, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth contrasting with a tan that land

"All good things, I proood of him I owe him one This must be your first pitch?"