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One
There were days when Evan McCain wished he’d never met the Lassiter family Today was definitely one of them Thanks to J D Lassiter, at thirty-four years old, Evan was starting his professional life all over again
He pushed open the door to his ehts, he should have sold the co to Pasadena, but it was only a block fros turned out, he was very glad he’d kept it
He had no intention of touching any of the money left to him by JD The bequest in his for participation in JD’s coelica, Evan’s ex-fiancée She’d eventually passed the test, proving she could balance her work and her life, and replaced Evan at the helm of Lassiter Media But she’d failed Evan in the process, ending both their romantic relationship and his employment at Lassiter Media
He dropped his suitcase in the reception area, hit the overhead lights and ot a dial tone and mentally checked off two steps in his implementation plan He had electricity, and he was connected to the outside world Those were the basics
The blinds on the glass door rattled as someone opened it behind him
“Oh, how the -time friend Deke Leamon
Evan turned, blinking against the streaht, baffled to see Deke silhouetted in his doorway “What on earth are you doing on the West Coast?”
Deke grinned, dropping a red duffel bag on the vinyl reception seat beside Evan’s suitcase He was dressed in faded jeans, a Mets T-shirt, and a pair of scruffy hikers “We did it before We can do it again”
Evan stepped forward to shake his forain? Seriously, why didn’t you call? And how did you know I’d be here?”
“Educated guess,” said Deke “I figured there’d be too ical place I assu to live upstairs for a while?”
“Good guess,” said Evan
The upstairs apartment was small, but he’d e of scenery Luckily, despite its proximity to don LA, Santa Monica had a personality all its own
“Figured yousorry for yourself,” Deke continued “So, I thought I’d wander over and give you a kick in the ass”
“I’ sorry for myself,” said Evan
Life hat it was, and no a else It was a hard lesson, but he’d learned long ago that he could roll with the punches On his seventeenth birthday to be exact, he’d realized just how resilient he could be
“And you don’t wander,” he finished
His friend was contemplative and deliberate in every action he undertook Deke didn’t do anything on a whim Now, he dropped into one of the vinyl chairs and stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankles
“Okay, so I flew here on purpose” He glanced around the eht I could probably lend a hand”
Evan leaned back against the reception countertop, bracing hi what, exactly?”
“Whatever needs doin’” Deke glanced around the office “So, what’s the plan? What happens first?”
“The phones are up and running” Evan realized that he was still holding the cordless receiver, and he set it down
“Good start You got any leads? Got a website?”
Evan was both touched and a “You don’t need to be here”
“I want to be here I left Colby in charge at Tiger Tech Told him I’d be back in a month or so”
Colby Payne was a young, innovative genius who’d been Deke’s second in command for two years
“That’s ridiculous” Evan wasn’t about to let Deke make that kind of sacrifice “I don’t need your pity Even if I wanted you here—which I don’t—you’ve got a business to run”
Deke’s o was filled with everything fro innovators turn their ideas into commercial products His unique brand of savvy and entrepreneurship had launched dozens of success ventures
Deke shrugged “I was getting bored I haven’t taken a vacation in two years”
“Go to Paris or Hawaii”
Deke grinned “I’d go stir-crazy in Hawaii”
“You’ve seen the tourisirls in bikinis?”
“There are girls in bikinis right here in Santa Monica”
“I can take care of myself, Deke”
Sure, it was a blow, su his job with Lassiter Media when JD’s will codicil kicked in and gave control of the coelica But he was already on the road to recovery