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I’h “Is that how you answer your phone?”

“What?” She focuses on our conversation “Rocky? What’s going on?”

“What’s going on with you? You answered your cell like it was the store phone”

“Did I?” Sheship on? Are you okay?”

“I’reat, I think I did it!”

The clock ticks, and she finally asks “Sorry, did what again?”

“Renée! Are you paying attention toaroundhow it all went down inrisk, and it massively paid off, whether e it or not

“Yes!” She hits the word a little hard “But you’re being so cryptic”

“I think I have successfully impressed Patton Fletcher” I do a little march as I say the words “Correction! I think I successfully knocked his socks off”

Renée laughs, but it sounds more like disbelief than celebration “What did you do?”

“You don’t believe me! I’m offended!”

“Just tell me what happened”

I run through my story about the fictitious fees and security “They were seriously quitting the deal, but I made like Sir Mix-a-Lot I pulled up quick and retrieved it!”

I do a little booty-shake Renée has no idea what I’ “I’m very proud of you I knew you could do it”

“Thanks, sis” Dropping intohow Martin just burst into theI’ve never been in a situation like that before I mean, I’ve seen them in movies and stuff, but never in real life I was totally rattled”