“Anyway…” I say, tucking the phone out of sight.
Chase’s eyes return to my face. “Are you happy at the gallery?”
I nod.
“Have you ever thought of putting your own paintings on display somewhere?”
My eyes cut to his. “What is this, an interrogation? Or perhaps a business inquisition, Mr. CEO?”
One side of his mouth pulls up in a grin. “Sorry. Bad habit.”
“Shrewd businessman pitted against unwitting artist,” I murmur. “The odds are not in my favor.”
He laughs, full out. “Fine. How about a fair trade — you answer one, I answer one.”
“Okay, but since I’ve already answered, like, five of yours, I get to ask you four in a row.”
“One.”
“Three!” I counter.
“One.”
“Two and a half!” I haggle, my voice rising.
“What exactly wouldhalfa question entail?”
I narrow my eyes and drop my voice low. “Two, final offer.”
“One.” He shakes his head, amused.
“Ugh!” I grunt. “You are so annoying.”
He chuckles again, the big jerk.
“Fine,” I grumble. “One.”
His grin widens.
“But I get to go first!” I demand loudly.
“I was always planning to let you go first, sunshine.”
“I don’t like you,” I inform him, cheerful despite the fact that I’ve just lost miserably at negotiations. You know what they say about bartering with a CEO…
Actually, come to think of it, Idon’tknow.
Is that even a thing people say?
It’s probably not a thing.
Moving on.
I make a big show of lacing my fingers together and stretching them, like I’m preparing to do battle. “Okay, let me think…” I stare at him, trying to keep my expression badass, but he’s grinning at me again and it’s doing a funny thing to my insides. “Oh! I’ve got one! What’s your favorite—”
The sound of a phone ringing cuts me off before I can finish my question.
Chase sighs, pulls his cell from his pocket, and glances at the screen.