The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 229

The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback

It wasn’t Luna.

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urned the phone facedown and went back to the report, where Isla Smith proved no less distracting.

By ten-thirty, Reynolds had confirmed that the Australian exposure deserved another review, and before eleven, I’d sent the relevant section to Integration. Claire returned shortly afterward with my schedule open on her tablet.

“Sinclair requested a follow-up meeting for Tuesday afternoon,” she said.

I looked up from the report. “About yesterday’s regional assumptions?”

“Yes. Corporate Development is handling our side.”

“Who are they sending?”

Claire glanced at the invitation. “Rebecca Shaw, two people from Strategy and their APAC analyst.”

I knew the name before she gave it. “Isla Smith.”

“Who’s representing us?”

“Martin and Elise.”

Both had been involved with Vantage long enough to handle the meeting without me. Martin knew the acquisition from the beginning, and Elise could defend the regional strategy against anything Sinclair brought into that room.

“Add me.”

Claire’s fingers hesitated over the tablet.

“Something you want to say?”

“You don’t normally attend meetings at this level.”

“This acquisition cost eighteen-point-six billion dollars. If Sinclair is challenging our regional model, I want to hear it directly.”

The explanation was legitimate. The fact that it put Isla Smith across a table from me again had nothing to do with it.

Or that was what I was going with.

Claire entered something into the schedule. “I’ll add you.”

“Move it to Monday.”

“Their revised model won’t be ready until Tuesday.”

The immediate irritation that answer caused had nothing to do with Sinclair’s fucking model, and I had no intention of examining what it did have to do with.

“Leave it Tuesday.”

Claire nodded and left me with the report.

My phone vibrated again sometime later, and I checked it before remembering I’d already decided not to.

I put it aside and forced my attention back to the figures, but Isla Smith remained at the center of the analysis, making it impossible to separate the work in front of me from the woman I’d spent too much of yesterday watching.

113 Sat, Aug 29

The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback

What the fuck was it about her?

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already established that attraction wasn’t the problem. Attraction didn’t explain the certainty that I knew something about her I couldn’t access, and going over the same handful of details again hadn’t brought me any closer to an answer.

Tuesday would put her in front of me again.

Maybe this time I’d figure out why.

The office door opened without a knock, saving me from wasting any more time on a woman I’d met less than twenty-four hours ago.

Lucas walked in without so much as a greeting.

“Mom says you’re coming Sunday.”

“Jaxon talks too much.”

“So it’s true?”

“I said I’d be there.”

He stopped across from my desk, looking at me as though the answer required further explanation.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Then stop looking at me like I’ve announced a terminal illness.”

Lucas dropped into the chair opposite me. “You haven’t been home in forever.”

“I’ve seen Mom.”

“Not there.”

The distinction left me without an answer I wanted to give him, and he seemed to know better than to push because he moved on.

“Mason said there was no chance you’d actually come.”

“Mason says a lot of stupid things.”

“He gave it twenty percent.”

“Generous.”

“I gave it forty.”

“Your faith in me is overwhelming.”

His grin faded when I didn’t return it. “Sunday by seven.”

“I know what time dinner is.”

“Just making sure.”

“Anything else?”

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The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback

Lucas took the dismissal and stood. “I’ll tell Mom you confirmed.”

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