My conversation with Donny from our drive to the game pops unbidden into my head. And sure, maybe Mr. Mahler has ignored me until he saw that I could do this, but Paul told me this is his leadership style. He’s got that “throw them in the pool and let them swim” old-school kind of thinking. But now he’s offering me a job that he could’ve given to anyone. Me! Would a racist do that? Give me not one but two jobs? I don’t think so.

“What was that?” Brynn asks once Mrs. Mahler leaves with what might be her third martini in her hand.

“Mr. Mahler just offered me a job planning a fundraiser for him.”

“Wow!” She holds a hand above the bar, which I high-five with a reckless abandon. “Look at you! Kicking ass and taking names.”

“Thank you.” I hold out my blazer jacket and curtsy. “Thank you very much.”

But before I get the chance to tell her more, my phone vibrates in my pocket with the reminder that it’s time for Quinton to welcome everyone and finally unveil what we’ve been working on.

“I’ll be back,” I tell her. “I’m going to need a celebratory cocktail once everyone leaves tonight.”

“Oh man.” She rubs her hands together, looking more evil genius than bartender. “I’m so getting you drunk tonight.”

“Sounds good to me.” I eye the bar for her whiskey stash. “I know how to Uber.”

—

EVEN THOUGH QUINTON is no longer wooing Mrs. Rafter with his charm, he still isn’t hard to find.

As he is the person everyone in the room is vying to have a moment with, all I have to do is find a large group of people and work my way into the middle.

“Excuse me, sorry, excuse me,” I say as I weave my way to the front of the crowd. The look of relief when Quinton sees me is a stark contrast to the looks I usually get from him. “Mr. Howard?” I’ve learned that sounding overtly professional is the best way to intimidate drunk people into being quiet. “It’s time for you to give your speech.”

“Thank you, Miss Reed.” He nods, amusement lighting his dark eyes at this weird, very formal thing we have going on before he looks back to the group surrounding him. And I know it shouldn’t, but him calling me Miss Reed kinda turns me on? I’ll explore that later. “Thank you everyone for coming tonight. Now, if you would like to gravitate toward the front of the room, I’ll finally get to tell you all of the details behind the reason you’re here tonight.”

I swear, as he talks, the men and women all begin to swoon.

It must be the velvet suit.

That shit is straight magic.