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“You don’t have to blow sunshine—”

“I’m not When he returned fro he wanted to talk about was you Not Reservoir, not its financials, not strategy You When I pointed out that you wouldn’t have cried over hi he never allows But he was also relieved that he mattered to you”

“He doesn’t”

“Sweetie, you can lie to me all you want You don’t knowto protect yourself since you’re in the ene that lie to yourself I saw the way he looked at you Just like I saw the way you looked back at him”

“Don’t read too much into that He’s easy to look at, and I’m human”

“If you want to pretend you’re not into hio for it I just don’t believe you And Bas is too sry with ht now”

“What do you mean?”

“That conversation on the lanai out back? That’s not a friendly chat between fellow executives and buddies That’shi the Reservoir thing coether He didn’t tell my husband—his boss and best friend for a decade—that involvedyou Want to knohy?”

“Because Evan wouldn’t have cared?”

Nia scoffs “That’s definitely not the case No, Bas didn’t tell Evan because he knew —no offense—the ene to protect you Evan wanted to walk you out the door with the rest of theyou is Bas’s way of shielding you He’s literally standing between you andEvan that you’ll be dismissed over his dead body”

Daht I both hate and love that she sees right through me Can she reach Sloan in a way I can’t? Convince her that what I’ame?

“Why?” Sloan breathes

“You really can’t guess? Bas didn’t have to even buy you an engage, much less a rock you can see from outer space”

“I figured he wants to show off”

“Usually I’d agree, but with you… No He wants everyone—especially you—to understand that you’re his This isn’this clai to do with business”