All In Read Free

other Investum attorneys, I’ll kill myself. Actually, if I’d known how extremely boring lawyers are, I don’t think I would have gone to law school.” She fluffed her blond hair. “Maybe I would have made a good cult leader.”
    â€œI can’t,” Natalia said quickly, a little too quickly, she realized, but it was too late. “I’m busy.” She cleared her throat. “Sorry,” she added unnecessarily. “Like I said, I’m busy.” She looked down and started flipping through some papers she’d already flipped through to avoid Åsa’s penetrating stare.
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYes,” Natalia said. “That’s not so weird, is it?”
    Ã…sa’s eyes narrowed. “Considering you have a brain like a supercomputer, you’re a terrible liar,” she said. “You had time yesterday. You said so yourself. And it’s not like you have any other friends. Are you trying to avoid me?”
    â€œNo, I am busy. And I would never dream of trying to avoid you. You’re my best friend. Although I do have other friends, you know. Maybe tomorrow? My treat.”
    â€œBusy doing what, if I might ask?” Åsa said, not letting the possibility of a free lunch tomorrow distract her.
    Natalia didn’t say anything. She looked down at her buried desk. Now would be a good time for one of her phones to ring, or maybe the fire alarm could go off, she thought.
    Ã…sa’s eyes widened as if she’d had a realization. “Aha, who is he?”
    â€œDon’t be silly. I’m just going to eat lunch.”
    Ã…sa’s eyes narrowed to two turquoise slits. “But you’re acting so weird, even for you. With who?”
    Natalia pressed her lips together.
    â€œNatalia, with who?”
    Natalia gave up. “With someone from, um, HC.”
    Ã…sa furrowed her light eyebrows. “With who ?” she stubbornly demanded. She might have made a good cult leader, but she also would have made a terrific interrogator, Natalia thought. All that blond bimbo fluff was misleading.
    â€œIt’s just a business lunch,” she said defensively. “With no agenda. He knows J-O,” she added as if the fact that her lunch date knew her boss explained everything.
    â€œWho?”
    She capitulated. “David Hammar.”
    Ã…sa leaned back and beamed at Natalia. “The big guy, huh?” she said. “Mister Venture Capitalist himself. The biggest bad boy in the financial world.” She cocked her head. “Promise me you’re planning to sleep with him.”
    â€œYou’re crazed,” Natalia said. “Sex-crazed. I actually wish I could cancel it. I’m really stressed out. But one of the things I can’t find in this mess is my cell phone, which has his number in it,” she added. How could you lose a phone in an office that was smaller than forty square feet?
    â€œFor God’s sake, woman, why don’t you get yourself an assistant?”
    â€œI have an assistant,” Natalia said. “Who, unlike me, has a life. Her kids were sick, so she went home.” Natalia glanced at the clock. “Yesterday.” With a sigh she sank into her desk chair. She closed her eyes. She couldn’t look anymore. She was really done. It felt like she’d been working nonstop for ages. And there was so much paperwork she was behind on, a report to write, and at least five meetings to schedule. Actually she didn’t . . .
    â€œNatalia?”
    Ã…sa’s voice made her jump, and Natalia realized she’d been dozing off in her uncomfortable chair.
    â€œWhat?” she asked.
    Ã…sa looked at her seriously. Her mocking expression was gone.
    â€œHammar Capital isn’t evil, no matter what your dad and your brother think. They’re tough, yes, but David Hammar isn’t Satan. And he’s really hot. You don’t need to be ashamed if you think it’ll be