Home > Inked Playboy(7)

Inked Playboy(7)
Author: Alex Wolf

Not to mention, I know Dex has been pushing him to work with me, and it’s not like I could afford to turn him down. The payments on my business loans are due soon and it’s a billion-dollar company that’s about to rapidly expand. The thought sends my hackles rising. I’m crushing it for all my clients, but I have the loans and overhead costs, and one client leads to more. It’s an exponential effect if you do good work. My employees enjoy getting paid, or they don’t stay employees.

It doesn’t matter. He hasn’t approached me to work with him and it probably won’t happen anyway.

Focus!

About that time, Dexter walks in. He’s never been here before and cranes his head around, taking in the room.

“Cousin!” I walk over and start to hug him but stop myself and hold out a hand. I have to remember to keep things professional.

“Hey!” He takes my hand and it’s weird. Family are the only people I ever hug, everyone else I keep my distance.

“You ready?”

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

We head back to my little conference room with a table where I do video conferences.

“Where the hell is everyone?” He’s taking in every little detail of my office, clearly scrutinizing every choice I’ve made.

“Virtual employees. You know I don’t like people and almost all my work is done online.”

“Pretty cool.” It doesn’t sound cool the way he says it. It sounds judgy as hell.

As modern as my cousins are, they still prefer face-to-face meetings and talking to clients. I get it. They have a law firm and most of their clients are older, like to have an office to visit. People are afraid to let go of the old ways. We enter the room and take a seat.

I slide a packet across to him and stream his graphs and charts from my phone up on the monitor so he can look at it there as well.

I start to give him my little presentation I cooked up, but he’s still glancing around at everything.

“You just sit here all day, alone?”

“Pretty much, if you’ll look at—”

“Is that healthy?”

“Dex.” I give him the patented stare the Collins brothers taught me. The glare that says stop what you’re doing, or I’ll fuck you up.

He holds up both hands. “Sorry. You know I just care about you.”

I nod. “Oh, I know. Now, here’s what we’ve been doing.”

He shakes his head like he’s trying to rid himself of his surroundings and focus, and his eyes widen. “Okay. Hit me.”

“I installed a Facebook pixel on the website so I can track everything potential customers do on there. If they click on you or the finance department, they’re fed into a custom audience in your ads manager on your Facebook page and immediately get hit with these ads in their newsfeed.” I scroll through the different ads I’ve been testing.

Dex’s eyes get big. “Wow, those look amazing.”

I smile. Now, I’ve got him. This is my wheelhouse. “Right? My graphics designer made the images and I wrote the copy for them.”

“Fuck, I want to click them just looking at them and see what kinds of services my own firm has.” He laughs. “How the hell do you do that?”

“Lots of practice. I identify a problem, a pain point with your potential client, then offer up a solution.” I flip to another screen. “I also started a newsletter for you, so you can get people interested. Do you have associates or paralegals who can create some content for me? Maybe do little tax and finance articles people might be interested in?”

“Definitely, I have them doing research, staying ahead of the curve. They’re young and know how to do blog articles and all that shit.”

“Perfect. The content will seem like you’re one step ahead of everyone at all times, on top of the changes. Clients love that stuff, knowing you’re monitoring their personal situations for them. Makes them seem like they’re being taken care of.”

Dex leans back and grins. “I have to tell you, since you started this, our initial consultations have damn near doubled. Decker’s been praising me nonstop. People are noticing.”

“Well tell that dipshit to let me take on the whole firm.”

Dexter leans back and laughs. “Oh, I told him. Trust me. You’re doing great. I’m super proud of you.” He stares around and frowns. “My only concern is you holing yourself up in here all day, staring at a screen. At least try and get out and meet with some people once in a while. Take a walk or something, fuck.”

“Dex—”

He cuts me off, holding up a hand. “I know, okay? You fucking hate dealing with actual people. It’s easier when you have a buffer and you can email or text or whatever. I’m not saying you have to deal with anyone, just…” He leans in. “Just make sure you’re getting out once in a while. Get some fucking sunshine for thirty minutes, whatever. I’m serious, Harlow. It’s important.”

“I work out five days a week. I promise I’m getting exercise, Dad.”

We both crack up.

“That’s great, and yeah laugh it up, smartass. I bet your dad tells you the same thing.”

I take a deep breath. “Oh, he does.”

“Where you working out at?”

Ugh. I don’t want to bring up Cole Miller, but I don’t see any way around the question. “Curve.”

Dex frowns. “He’s not trying any shit with you, is he? I saw him at the reception. I told him—”

“I can take care of myself, but thanks for the concern. And I never see him, I go to the one right up the block. He’s never in there.” I really don’t know what I’d do if I ever did want to date a guy. Cole is Dex’s best friend and he looks like he wants to choke him out. “Anyway, thought you wanted me to work with him?”

“I do. I want you to have every opportunity possible for your business to succeed.” He sighs. “I just, I don’t know. I see the way he looks at you.”

I reach over and put a hand on top of Dexter’s. “I really appreciate it, but it’s okay. He’s been nothing but nice to me.” It’s not a total lie. He did make me feel really good. “I’m not eight anymore, okay?”

“I know, it’s just…”

“You guys taught me how to take care of myself. I’ll put my foot in his nuts if he tries anything.” Why does lying to Dex feel so bad? If he knew what happened the other night, he’d go ballistic. I hate this. Hate it! Dex and his brothers are like my best friends.

“Good to hear.” He shakes his head again, like he’s trying to focus. “Anyway, I’m super proud of you. I said that already, but I mean it. You’re killing it. Keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll talk to Decker. Cool?” He stands up like the meeting is being concluded on his terms.

I stand up too, because I just want him out of here before I blurt out a stupid Cole thought in front of him. “Deal. And thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. You kick ass, you get rewarded.”

I walk him back to the front door and he doesn’t look back as he walks toward it. “Get some plants or something in here, for fuck’s sake.”

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