Chapter 26 Private Tables
Finished
But when it came to a couple that had already gotten divorced, all Chase could feel was unease.
“Waylon!”
He hadn’t even made it to the private room when he saw someone on the phone outside. Chase called out, excited. The man raised a hand in greeting.
“Yeah, I got it. Keep an eye on him. Don’t act unless I say so.”
Waylon hung up and walked over, looking Chase up and down. He knocked Chase on the forehead twice.
“You haven’t changed a bit these past few years–except you look a lot duller. What, married aged you that fast?”
getting
Waylon was Chase’s childhood friend. They’d grown up in the same courtyard. Later, Waylon enrolled in the police academy while Chase went to med school. There was even a time Chase had considered switching to forensic science–just so he could help this big brother of his.
The Watering Hole was a private dining club–only ten tables per night, and all tucked away in separate rooms for privacy. It was a favorite for people in business: great food, total discretion.
Waylon had just returned from an assignment overseas. He’d been gone half a year.
“Forget me,” Chase said, a little embarrassed. “You’ve been gone for months. You even got a tan. What took so long?”
“That case dragged like hell. Still unfinished, actually. Guy slipped through our net.” Waylon lit cigarette and studied Chase. There was something off something shifty in the way Chase avoided his eyes.
“You got something to tell me?”
They’d kept in touch every month, even when Waylon was abroad. But Wendy had never even heard of him. Back then, she hadn’t cared about Chase’s life or friends. There were several times Chase had wanted to invite Waylon over for dinner and introduce him to his wife–never got the chance.
And now…
Chase laughed weakly. Waylon never missed a thing.
“I got divorced.”
Waylon’s expression hardened. “That woman from Quinn Group? I thought you really liked her. What happened?”
He’d seen something about the Quinn Group scandal in the news–rumors of cheating?
Chapter 26 Private Tables
Noticing Waylon’s sudden sharp look, Chase quickly waved his hands.
“No, no, it’s not that. We didn’t have anything left between us. I didn’t want to stay married anymore. She didn’t get involved with that guy until after we split. Don’t get mad.”
Waylon burst out laughing. “Look at you, rushing to defend her before I even said a word.”
Finished
He flicked his ash into the tray. “Divorce isn’t the end of the world. I didn’t think you should’ve married her in the first place. You had a scholarship to study abroad, remember? That marriage cost you your shot.”
Chase nodded. “I’m working at Cloud Hospital now.
“Good. A man should have his own career.
The server brought their food while the two kept chatting. Waylon told him about his time abroad, the kind of danger he couldn’t talk about publicly. Now that he was back, his family didn’t want him out risking his life anymore.
The Fred family, like the Quinns, was one of the city’s old–money families. They’d been in business for generations. Waylon was the only one to take the civil service route. His family had never stopped him.
“What about Lemon? Haven’t heard anything about her in a while.”
Waylon’s younger sister ran the family’s entertainment investments. She rarely showed up at events, but Chase had seen her at a few banquets he’d attended with Wendy.
“She’s abroad for a summit. Should be back next month.”
They were reminiscing over childhood stories, neither aware that, at the end of the hallway, Wendy was also in a private room at The Watering Hole–right in the middle of sealing business deal.
a
Her team and the other company’s PR teams were deep in the drinks already, both sides doing their part. Wendy hadn’t needed to lift her glass once. Between her and Sam playing tag team, the terms were pretty much finalized. Even the legal team was working between bites, editing the draft contract live.
Quinn Group’s deal teams were always top–tier.
The manager of The Watering Hole had been attending Wendy’s table personally. When he saw her, it jogged his memory–he’d just seated someone else familiar not long ago. Remembering recent headlines, he put two and two together.
As he set down fresh dishes, he lowered his voice and said, “Ma’am, your husband’s here too. He’s in room 230,”
Wendy dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin and raised her eyes.
Very few people knew it, but The Watering Hole was a Quinn Group asset.
Chapter 26 Private Tables
Finished
She’d opened this club to catch the latest gossip and intelligence. To the public, the owner was someone from out of town. But in reality, only the manager Ash knew Wendy was the true boss,
“With who?”
Ash hadn’t recognized Waylon–he just knew the guy looked important.
“Some man. Got here early. Carried himself like someone in politics.”
Chase knew people like that?
Wendy was silent for a beat, then nodded.
Were
Both sides of the table being handled by pros–no need for the bosses to dirty their hands with drinking. Wendy and Sam kept the pacing tight, and her legal team was always ready to jump in.
This was how Quinn Group did business.
Send Gifts
