I was such an idiot.
“Where’s Mark?” Suhail asked, breaking me out of my reverie.
“He’s at work. He said...” I sniffled. “He said he was going to try a last ditch effort to secure us a few more months of funding. I told him he couldn’t pay for it himself.”
“Does he have that kind of money? I know his apartment is amazing and Melanie is better off than me, but is he that loaded?”
“I think he’s tempted to ask his grandparents.”
“If they invest, what’s the big deal?” Suhail was more level-headed than me... or maybe less stubborn about doing everything independently.
“The big deal is I feel like crap. What if we fail then? Not only will I have wasted more time, but it would have been money down the drain for Mark’s family.”
“They run a huge company. They could probably squeeze a few dollars...”
“No. How does a machine parts factory have anything to do with healthcare? That would be like an oil company suddenly buying a Hollywood studio.”
“Money is money. If they choose to invest, it’s on them.”
“I feel weird about it. Wouldn’t you feel weird about it?” I guess there are tax write-offs for this kind of thing.
“I don’t know. That’s why I don’t do that stuff.”
“Yeah.” Humph. “If he comes back with anything other than family money, I guess I should take it without asking questions.”
“He knows a lot of people.” Suhail sounded distracted again.
“They’re all in the fashion industry! That has nothing to do with our app. Even less than his grandparents!”
“Maybe he’ll contact a philanthropic person. Fashion people are rich. They have their high dollar dinners and stuff.”
“Rich people hold on to their money.” Damn, could I sound any grumpier? Was I taking after my grandfather that much?
“I don’t think you’re going to get anything out of a hospital, they’re understaffed and overworked. If you had a finished product ready to ship, then maybe.”
I agreed with my friend, and this was the second time I had received the same advice. We chatted for a few more minutes and my spirits did not improve. He made many good points that I didn’t want to hear—mostly because I didn’t want investors. In my mind, everything related to healthcare should be done not-for-profit. Apparently, even Suhail thought I was too idealistic.
SO HERE’S THE DOWN low on the American health industry. Basically, insurance companies are businesses built to make money. The American insurance marketplaces have created this strange bifurcated billing scheme that just blows my mind. Back when I started my app, the unstable healthcare field was ripe for disintermediation. Today it is even more so (in my humble opinion, of course).
The amount of investment a successful venture into healthcare would need in order to scale... I cannot even imagine the cost. A lot of our tax dollars go to insurance companies anyway... why couldn’t we re-jigger that money and remake our healthcare into a not-for-profit system? Is that so much for an unhealthy man to ask?
I feel like my insurance guy is a criminal because he works on commission (and it makes me wonder if he also gets bonuses if he can save costs for the parent company). I just hate feeling powerless and there isn’t a more powerless feeling than knowing that your life is in the hands of some dude behind the desk at an insurance company whose job it is to make the company the most money. It is such a perverted system.
And the federal government continues to give these grifters money.
If there was an ethical nonprofit that could solve this problem, I would donate the majority of my estate to them when I finally kick the bucket.
AFTER ENDING MY CALL with Suhail and gathering my courage, I walked the plank and entered headquarters. Nick and Travis deserved to know the stark reality, then we could decide how to inform the virtual team.
“So we have one month,” Nick said, like he was taking orders to storm the castle.
“One month. Maybe six weeks if we squeeze things. But if we lose our ancillary people, then our efficiency goes out the window. I think I need to write our team an e-mail.”
“No,” Nick said. “You can’t do that. Not yet.”
“I owe it to them. It’s the right thing to do.”
“We’ve got a few more weeks. If you tell them now, then we’re toast.”
“If I don’t tell them now, I’m going to feel miserable.”
“Suck it up and deal with it like a man. I’ll put in some longer hours.”
I felt like screaming at him. We don’t need a better database! We need a better interface! You aren’t good at interfaces! We need to hire another guy... or maybe I hired the wrong guys at the start.... Great! Another thing that’s my fault!
Suhail called me in the afternoon.
“Sup?” I asked.
He didn’t mince words. “I’m moving in, if the offer still stands.”
“Of course the offer still stands.” Did I sound creepy? Answer too fast? If he moved in, then we could work together on this project. Or at least get his expert opinion from time to time.
“Melanie and I’ve decided it’s probably for the best if we take it slower. There’s more stress with this than I expected.”
“I completely understand,” I said, even though I had zero experience with such hesitations. Mark and I had slept in the same bed since our reconnection, excluding his travels. I never wanted to be separated from him. Sleeping in his arms was the best feeling in the world.
“Yeah, I’m going to keep most of my stuff over here, but I’ll be sleeping in your closet.”
“It’s not a closet,” I reminded him. “I slept in that room for a year without a problem.”
“I always felt bad because you paid the same rent as Nick.”
“It was cheap,” I said. “What did I care? You guys are the best I could’ve asked for. I’ll move my computer to Mark’s when I head home. You can sleep here tonight if you want.”
“No, no, no. Leave your computer. I don’t want to inconvenience you. I’ll only be there to sleep.”
My mind went over everything I had done on my old computer and it kind of gave me the itch to write smut on the new one, just to break it in... just to rile Mark up and tease him about... hey, you’re the one who wanted me to write again... and this is what you get.
Honestly, if I write about two guys filming themselves, I can put as much mind control in the story as I want. Mark will read anything featuring a sex tape. Just give him what he came for and I can fill in the gaps with whatever I want.
“No,” I said. “I’m taking the computer home.”
“What kind of nasty stuff do you have on there?”
“You really want to know?” Am I that transparent? I laughed because he really didn’t want to know.
We finished our call and I walked out to the main room.
“Hey guys, Suhail is going to be using my room for a while.”
“He’s moving back in?” Nick asked excitedly. “What’s going on with him and Mel?”
“I didn’t ask.” Does that make me a horrible friend? Upon hearing Suhail’s news, my mind had completely flooded with dreams of him working on my project and making it function perfectly. “He said he didn’t feel right moving in with her without being married.”
“How old-fashioned,” Nick commented.
“Mel’s parents are old-fashioned.”
“They didn’t care about you living with Mark.”
That was true. “They don’t know I’m living with him again. But you’re right, they didn’t care. Guys are different than girls, I guess.” Or his dad wasn’t as invested in Mark as he was in Melanie. Or they knew Melanie was on track to becoming an executive in the family company and didn’t want her to get sidetracked by an unexpected pregnancy... or, as I had heard a few times, take on a reverse dowry.
Nick and Travis got back to work. I moved my computer out of the tiny bedroom and changed my she
ets. Suhail could sleep on my mattress—he was a good friend and my goosebumps stayed under control. Now if Nick had asked to sleep on my bed... that probably would have made my skin crawl. Nick sleeping in my bed would have meant that a random girl would probably be sleeping there also and that was a no-no. Plus, yucky dreads.
MARK WAS VERY PROUD of himself that afternoon and I couldn’t figure out why. “What are you so happy about?” I asked. You would have told me if you had secured funding. Hell, you would have called me immediately.
“Nothing,” he said smugly. “Just thinking about your birthday party.”
“I don’t want a big guest list,” I complained.
“Just the usual suspects. Do you want to invite your parents?”
“Are you inviting yours?”
“I did finally tell them about you,” he said. Mark’s glow faded. “They weren’t thrilled.”
“That’s okay. We’ll visit them together. And no matter what happens, you’ll always have me. If they disown you, I will take care of you.”
“Very funny. I don’t want them to bitch about me now that I’m in their good graces. Mel says she’s going to pave the way for us, but my mom hates that she’s with a guy with a ton of student debt.”
“I’m poor, too.” So that’s what’s going on with your parents?
“You’re not poor.”
“Okay. So you told your parents.” I pressed him further. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” I mean... I know talking to your parents is important, but you’re definitely hiding something. Like did you ask them to invest in the company? I stared at him until he caved.
“Quit it!” he yelled. “Quit looking at me with those beady little eyes.”
“You’re hiding something from me! You’re the worst liar ever!”
“Shit, can’t you let me live with one little thing? I’ve got a surprise for your birthday so you better not ask me about it again because my lips are sealed.”
“Does Ryan know?” I watched him closely for the slightest reaction. “You wouldn’t have told Marty because he can’t keep a secret to save his life. Maybe I’ll give Marty a call... just in case?” I could tell that he hadn’t told Marty. “Somebody knows... somebody is going to crack. And that somebody is... Mel!”
“Oh, you caught me,” Mark said sarcastically.
I couldn’t tell if he was deflecting or leading me on.
It weighed on me all night. Mark was acting duplicitous and it made me uncomfortable. He climbed into bed behind me and started playing with his phone like he usually did before we fell asleep.
“Just tell me what it is,” I commanded using my Work Voice.
“No.”
“Then tell me who knows, so I can get it out of them. I’m not going to get any sleep if I don’t know,” I complained pathetically.
Mark sighed, then he put his phone down and wrapped me in his arms, then kissed my shoulders. “When have you ever had a bad night’s sleep when I’m here? I’ll take good care of you. Sweet sleepy dreams, my little man.”
“Quit calling me that! That’s not a nickname.” That’s a name you use to distract me from something you don’t want me to think about! Don’t think you’re more clever than me.
He kissed me on the shoulder again. “I’m going to wrap you in a blanket cocoon if you don’t let this one go. And don’t go poking around. I want to surprise you... it’s important to me that I surprise you.”
“It better not be a necklace,” I said in a huff. “Or any jewelry. If you’re going to give me something fancy, it better happen before the party so I’m not embarrassed.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “But it’s only going to be our friends, your parents. And your grandpa said he was going to come. I can’t wait to meet him.”
“His health isn’t the best. He shouldn’t come all the way out here.”
“I want to meet him,” Mark said, snuggling into my neck. His breath tickled and made my shoulder twitch as it cooled.
“Quit hugging me so tight. I’m feeling claustrophobic.”
“Promise me you’ll let me have this surprise. Quit thinking about it. Quit investigating.”
“I can’t promise that. If my brain makes the connections, I can’t stop it.”
“Just don’t go looking. That’s all I ask.”
“It’s not like I’m a private investigator.” Mark and I both knew that when I got focused on a subject, I would go at it with the tenacity equivalent to that of a department of professional detectives.
“Just let me have this one,” he whispered while laying another kiss on my head. “And go to bed.”
I’M GOING TO TAKE PITY on my Loyal Readers. See, I was tortured by this surprise for days, but you won’t be. I’m going to go back in time and show you what Mark did earlier in the afternoon. I suspected that he may have asked his parents to fund my small company as angel investors and that that was going to be the surprise he would reveal on my birthday.
I was wrong. So, so wrong.
MARK PULLED INTO THE driveway. He straightened his shirt and tie, then fixed his short-cropped hair so that it laid perfectly to the side as if he had just combed it. He smiled at himself in the car mirror.
The last time he had stopped at this house, Stacy had roared to life with a golf club in her hand and hatred in her heart. She very easily could have put Mark in the hospital instead of ruining his car.
Mark was nervous, but he knew he was going to get his answer, one way or another. He was a good salesman, and he had an offer that Stacy couldn’t refuse. If she refused, then there was no hope for her in our lives and there was nothing Mark could do to repair the relationship between our two families.
Mark rang the doorbell. He heard Charlotte running through the house and a baby cried twice. The front door opened in a hurry, but the storm door remained shut.
“Hi Stace,” Mark offered.
“What do you want.” It wasn’t a question as much as an instinctive response, though without the heat that would normally accompany such a threat.
“I want to come in and talk.”
“We can talk like this.” Through the glass door.
“Where’s Tim?”
Stacy glanced over her shoulder as Tim walked down the hall with the baby in his arms.
“Oh, that’s baby number two,” Mark said through the glass. He gave the family his most magnetic smile. “What’s her name?” Mark knew her name, but he wanted to involve Stacy in a non-threatening conversation.
“Evelynn,” Tim said when Stacy wouldn’t respond.
“What a beautiful name. Look at that brown hair and brown eyes. Are you sure you’re the father?”
Mark laughed. Stacy glared at him and Tim looked like he just swallowed a baby rattle.
“Shit. I didn’t mean to say that,” Mark apologized nervously. He looked down and tried to work his way around his misstep. “Can I come in? I’d like to—”
“Say your piece and get off my porch,” Stacy demanded.
Tim pushed past his wife and unlocked the storm door. “Come in, Mark.”
Stacy backed off, but not completely out of the way. She was taller than Tim, and Mark suddenly worried for the man’s safety. What if this crazy woman were to attack him as she had attacked me?
Mark was not invited farther into the house.
“Oh look, hello Charlotte,” Mark said, waving to the little girl hiding behind a half closed door. “I haven’t seen you in a long time. Look how much you’ve grown.”
“What do you want, Mark,” Stacy said, again with a flat voice.
“I want to talk about Chris.”
“I don’t care about either of you two. I’m not going to yell in front of my children. Say what you need to say and be civil about it.”
“Chris says that Beth has moved on...”
“WHAT THE—” Stacy caught herself and turned her head. “Don’t you talk about Beth,” she hissed. “What Chris did to that woman—my frien
d—is horrible. He’s a monster. You two are meant for each other. Is that what you want to hear? You have my blessing.” She lowered her voice and stepped a foot closer to Mark, who retreated because Stacy could be that intimidating when she put her mind to it. “Go ahead and live your shitty lives together. I hope you burn in Hell for all the pain you cause.”
Mark blinked. His mouth opened and shut without any of his prepared remarks coming out as he had practiced. Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out the ring.
Mark held his fist over Stacy’s hand and dropped the ring so that she caught it.
“I asked his father for his permission. We’re going to be engaged. This is for real.” Mark was distressed and unable to choose his words properly. “You need to get your shit together,” he accused Stacy. “Chris loves you and the kids... it’s killing him that you won’t take his calls.” He glared at Stacy fiercely, but the woman was still preoccupied by the ring in her hand. “Get your act together,” Mark repeated.
Then Mark grabbed the ring from her and stuffed it back in his pocket. He turned on the spot with his head held proudly and left Stacy stunned and staring out the open door.
Mark wiped the twin tears that had leaked onto his face. Then he ripped open his car door and slumped onto the leather seat. He slammed the door shut and tore out of the driveway.
That had not gone over well at all. He’d had so many things that he wanted to say. He would have begged... if it had come to that. But Stacy and Mark were polar opposites and they had always grated on each other. From the outside, it appeared like all they ever wanted to do was fight.
Mark thought he had failed me. He reached into his pocket and took out the ring as he drove to our apartment, playing with it in his fingers.
This was the surprise that Mark had picked up earlier in the afternoon. He wasn’t sure when he was going to propose, but he knew it had to be perfect. If it wasn’t a perfect proposal, then he knew I would be compelled to ‘one-up’ him due to my competitiveness. Mark was determined to find a scenario where I would be forced to acquiesce, even though he knew my natural inclination was to not wear a ring and to not go through a proposal.
The Fiancé (It's Just Us Here Book 6) Page 25