We were already inside a classy, high-end restaurant for what was supposedly a meeting with one of MHI’s shareholders. Honestly, I hadn’t wanted to come at all. But I still forced Terrence to attend, mostly because I didn’t want Carmie turning her frustration on me if the meeting didn’t push through. Just one look at that woman and you could tell—she’d have no problem blaming me and calling me the reason her precious boss decided to skip a shareholder dinner.

I wouldn’t survive ...