Plus, if I head home now, that means I can curl up with the newest quantum physics book I downloaded and practice my Japanese, since I have business meetings in Tokyo next month. Last time I flew across the Pacific, I was able to handle the majority of my meetings in the native language of my business partners. This time, my goal is to handle all of them.

Why?

Because. That’s why.

As I stroll down the hall, I yank my mask over my head, since I don’t need to wear it anymore, and when I turn the corner, I nearly bump into a frog.

When I first met Kermit at a conference last year, he asked me to introduce him to my VCs. Laughing, I told him I hadn’t been venture funded in five years. I was past venture funding. My brother and I had already sold our firm, and some of the money from that went to fund Haven. I’m one of the fortunate ones who are self-funded now.

Kermit didn’t care for my answer. “But you know everyone, and everyone takes your calls. And this isn’t even for me. It’s for the tech my network runs on. It’s going to blow up.”

He was a bold little bastard. Persistent. Dogged. Determined. I suppose that’s part of why he played a big role in securing his network’s money in the end. Tenacity—he has it in spades.

Now in the hall, he lifts his chin. “Flynn. How’s it hanging?”

“Hey, Kermit. It’s hanging well. How’s your night?”

“It’s been interesting.” His muddy brown eyes narrow, and he roams them over me, like he’s cataloging every detail. Briefly, I flash back to something Jennica told me about his podcast network—the guy is ferocious. He wants to smash down barriers, get everything out in the open, and let consumers decide on tech. In short—“tread carefully because he does what he wants. He’s rogue,” Jennica had warned.

“Did you enjoy the event?” I ask, keeping it innocuous.

He scratches his jaw, considering the question. “I did. Met a ton of people who want to work with me. You know what that’s like, right, man?”

I clear my throat. “Sounds like a good problem to have.”

“The best problem,” he says, puffing out his chest, then he takes a beat, narrowing his eyes. “When are you going to sit down for an interview with me?”

“You know how to reach Jennica. She’s in charge of all that.”

“You could say yes to me right now.”

Persistent, indeed. “Jennica’s the one though. She’ll have my head if I go around her. It all goes through her.”

“But you could say yes, right?”

Damn, she was right about him. I clasp my hands together. “Been hearing great things about your company, Kermit. That’s always a good thing.”

Deflection, may you please work?

His eyes narrow. “Flynn . . .”

“Kermit.”

He sighs, holds up his hands, then shoots me a smile. “Fine. You win. I’ll call Jennica.”