He Hid Me Twelve Years and Paraded Her, So I Quit Both novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Ask Him About Tuesday

Nell's POV

A week before the pitch, the Harlan chief executive invited both agencies to eat lunch with his people.

"I don't hire from conference rooms," he had told us on the phone. "Come to the plant. Wear shoes you can stand in."

The cafeteria in Elk Grove had long tables, plastic trays, and about forty line workers in hairnets eating meatloaf on a Wednesday.

Jonah and I sat with six of them, and the woman across from me told us the oat dust gets into everything, even her dreams.

I was taking notes on a napkin when Everett came in.

He wore a gray suit and a visitor's badge, and Lacey walked a step behind him with her lanyard twisted.

He shook hands down the length of the table, and he remembered a name for almost everyone.

It was the thing he did best, and I watched it work.

The chief executive sat at the head with his paper cup of cereal and watched it too.

"Nell," Everett said warmly, from across the table. "You look well. I've heard such terrible things."

"You started them."

A few of the line workers stopped chewing.

"I only want what's best for you," he said, and turned to the chief executive. "I hope you'll forgive the family drama. We all want the same result here, which is the right firm for your brand."

"I'd like the firm that tells me the truth," the chief executive said.

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