“I think emotion is what makes a business more than just a job!” Annika said hotly. She wanted to grab her laptop, wrench the door open, and go back to the hospital. How dare this random jerk imply she shouldn’t be emotional about her father, who lay unconscious in the fucking hospital? Instead, she took a deep breath and said more composedly, “Emotion is what makes it a calling.” She didn’t want to piss this guy off, but she also didn’t want the last message she gave to be that she was an emotional train wreck or whatever he was trying to imply. Too bad her voice trembled, cutting back on the effectiveness of her message. She wanted to tell them the truth: Her heart wasn’t in this. Her father was hurt, and he was all she had in this world, and she really, really needed to be with him. But she was afraid she’d lose all credibility if she did.

“Ms. Dev,” Lionel Wakefield said. She turned to him, bringing her attention back to the present. “I, for one, absolutely love the creativity and the personal connection you’ve brought to your business. The blend of old and new, the idea of a second-chance love story for those who need it most … all of that really resonates with me. In the world we live in, we could use every bit of happily ever after we can get.”

Annika managed a smile. “Thank you, Mr. Wakefield,” she said, trying to infuse some ebullience into her voice.

Wakefield paused before adding, in a more somber tone, “It does concern me that you have such a small team. Just two people? I’m not sure how sustainable that is. And since you haven’t yet launched the app, Make Up has no track record of profitability.” He sat back and regarded her frankly.

Annika tried to force her brain to come up with a pithy rebuttal to his concern, or even just a way to assuage it, but her mind was blank. Something about being … nimble? But she’d said that already. Before she could say anything at all, though, another investor was speaking.

“Yes, well, that brings us to time,” David Smith said, stifling a yawn. “Thank you. Please leave your financials outside with Tori.”

“Thank you all for your time. I really appreciate it.” Trying not to rush, Annika gathered her laptop and her bag and walked to the exit quickly.

She sat by her father’s bedside again, her blazer hanging on the back of the hospital chair. It was a tremendous relief to be back here with him, to be able to see him and touch him and talk to the medical staff anytime she wanted. “So there was no change? None at all?”

“No. I’m sorry.” June stood beside Annika, rubbing her eyes. “He slept peacefully the whole time.”