Love & Business: Part III

Suits

Sophia's POV

"Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to listen to my pitch," the young, female entrepreneur said as she shook our hands a little too enthusiastic.

I stood up and pulled back my hand. "There's nothing that makes me happier than helping upcoming CEOs. Please email a copy of your pitch to my assistant."

"Really?" Her eyes widened before she hugged me. "Thank you, Mrs. Lodge!"

"Eh em."

She quickly jumped back and sheepishly covered her mouth to hide her smile. "Sorry, I guess I got a little bit tooexcited."

I smiled back. "It's okay."

She turned to Hunter who remained seated and pretended like he was in a different room from us.

"Mr. Lodge, what do you think?" She looked so hopeful.

He turned to her with a straight face, not even attempting to fake a smile.

He didn't like it.

"Respectfully, we have another meeting so we'll have to talk another time," he simply said.

Her smile faded a bit before she looked hopeful again. "Should I email your assistant my pitch too?"

"No."

I glared at him.

"Um, Mrs. Lodge's assistant will send it when I am ready for it."

The latter sentence seemed to satisfy her because she was out on her way looking more joyful than when she arrived.

I gave him a look when the door closed.

"What?" He asked. "Do you want me to lie to her as you did?"

"She's a fish in a tank full of sharks. Everybody starts from somewhere and I think she'll have a great future if Lodge and Bass Enterprises back her."

He laughed. "No way I'm wasting the company's money on banana-flavored chocolate. We aren't even in the food industry. We produce freaking technology!"

"But she was so nice," I frowned.

He stood up before patting my head. "And this is why daddy doesn't allow pumpkin to run the business on her own."

I gave him a playful slap on the chest. He held his chest and pretended as if it hurt but I knew it didn't.

"I'm going to La Rosa. Do you want to come?"

I looked up at him as if he had asked me the dumbest question ever.

"When have I ever refused to go to La Rosa?"

He laughed, "touché!"

...

"Thank you," I said to the waitress who placed a burger, my favorite food, in front of me.

Hunter smiled as he shook his head before digging into his steak.

I raised my eyebrow. "What?"

"You haven't changed one bit."

I pointed to his steak with my knife. "You shouldn't be talking. You have been ordering steak from me since I knew you."

"Fair enough," he laughed before his face turned serious. "Now be honest with me, have you been happy since we broke up? You have to tell me the truth, Sophia."

I shifted in my seat in discomfort. "Why do you want to know?"

He stretched over his hand to hold mine on the table. "Please."