“Cake transforms people into bear cubs. It’s a proven fact.”

She returns to the glass, perusing the offerings and stopping at a vanilla cake with confetti frosting. “Ohh, look at the celebration cake.”

I do, and my eyes pop out. “It’s eight dollars a slice. It better give me celebratory orgasms at that price.”

The woman behind the counter laughs. “It just might. I’ve been told my cake is quite orgasmic.”

I laugh, but I can’t bring myself to shell out that much dough for a slice of dough.

“Too pricey for my pauper budget,” I whisper to my friend.

“I’ll get it for you.”

“You’ll do no such thing. I’m not taking your cake handouts. Besides, I’d rather come to the office and act like a bear cub in your break room without you knowing.”

My friend places her order for two-dozen cupcakes, and as the woman packs the box, Courtney smacks her forehead. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you.”

“Forgot to tell me what?”

“Your name came up the other day.”

“Was it for a fabulous job at a tech publication?”

She laughs, shaking her head. “It was just in passing. I had my regular check-in call with Kermit, and he mentioned you.”

My spidey-sense tingles with suspicion. “What did he say? It can’t have been good since he told me he thought I was a hack.”

“I don’t think he thinks you’re a hack. I think he’s jealous of you.”

I scoff. “For what?”

“He wanted to know how your story with Flynn was going. He heard through the grapevine that Up Next was doing a feature, and that you were writing it, and he said, ‘That angel investor stole my scoop with Flynn.’”

I arch a brow. “Stole his scoop?”

She waves a hand dismissively. “You know how boys are. They’re so territorial. Peeing on everything. Marking it like it’s theirs.”

“It’s not his scoop. It’s my story.”

She pokes my shoulder. “You’re like a bear cub with a cake when it comes to that piece.”

“Damn straight.”

As she finishes her purchase, my attention wanders to a mini pink cupcake for a dollar fifty.

“I’ll take that one,” I say, and the woman drops it into a bag for me.

* * *

Later that day, I head to Flynn’s office. Even though we’re doing most of the interviews off-site, I do want to see a demo of Haven in action. As I walk to midtown, I toggle over to my podcast app and cue up one of Kermit’s shows.

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

With my earbuds in, I listen as I march across town. I catch a snippet of Kermit interviewing a CEO at a search giant, then tune in to a piece of another show about the top ten companies to watch. Next, I try a segment on trends in consumer technology.

I grit my teeth, frustrated.

Because they’re good.

All of them.

They’re compelling, fascinating, and I can’t believe how much I’m learning as I listen to Kermit and his team of reporters.