The Chemistry of Love(66)

“What little kid is playing with his trucks and says, Someday I hope to be a CEO?”

“The kind who grew up with my father,” he said. “There was an expectation. Even when Tracie started pushing for Craig to take over, my dad still wanted me to follow in his footsteps. And if I’m being honest, there is some part of me that wants to spite Tracie. I felt like she took so much from me that I don’t want her to have this, too. I know that isn’t good or healthy.” He paused, looking at me. For judgment? I wouldn’t judge him for that. He added, “I don’t think I’ve ever said that out loud before. And it’s not the main reason I want the job. KRT Limited has been a family business for generations, and I don’t want to be the weak link in that chain.”

“Maybe you were meant to have a different kind of job. You could be one of those football guys who pushes people around.”

“A lineman?” he asked, a little confused.

“Yes.” If those were the big guys who stopped the other players, because Marco definitely had the physique for it.

“I’m probably past the point in my life where I could play professional sports. Also, do your sports homework.”

“I’ll do my sports homework,” I promised. “You could do something else, though. Isn’t there anything you’d like to try?”

He took my question seriously, pondering it. “I always thought I’d like to do what my great-grandfather did—start my own company and make it successful. But I won’t. Like I said, my career’s already been laid out for me.”

“That seems a little sad,” I told him as I took my turn.

“Enough about me,” he said. “What about you and your secret project? I’ve really wanted to know what you’re working on.”

There was a burning desire to tell him. I knew I could trust him. So I did. “Keep this between us—I’m developing a lipstick that changes colors based on body temperature and pH.”

“Doesn’t that already exist?”

“The kind you’re thinking of is static. They respond to an individual’s pH, but the color doesn’t change once it’s applied. There’s also one brand that changes from external temperatures. Mine will respond to temperature shifts, but it will also change colors depending on the person’s physical reactions.”

“A mood ring lipstick,” he said, quickly putting our conversation from Catalina’s party together with what I was talking about. “That’s so brilliant. I can’t believe no one’s thought of it yet.”

His words warmed me. “There should be an issue with toxicity from the thermotropic liquid crystals, but I’ve found a work-around.”

He leaned forward, excited. “Are you going to tell me what it is?”

“No, Mr. Competitor. Because it will work due to a proprietary combination of ingredients. If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret.” And then every cosmetic company in the world would copy me.

“You know, I could just reverse engineer it from that list you gave my assistant.” At my expression, he hurried to add, “But I won’t! I’m completely joking. Although, can you imagine a product with this level of innovation being undone by a shopping list?”

He sounded so impressed, and that made me feel ridiculously proud. “You think it will be successful? I haven’t found the right solidifying agent yet, but I think I’m close.”

“You will find it, and you’re going to make a fortune, Anna.”

Why did his approval mean so much to me? “Someday. When I save up enough.”

“You know, you don’t have to save all the money yourself to start a makeup company. You could find an investor.” He took his turn, landed on one of my planets, and gave me the credits he owed.

“Where would I find an investor?” I asked, adding his money to my ever-growing pile. “Is there some Investors R Us downtown that I don’t know about?”

“I happen to be related to one. Who already owns a makeup company.”

“Your dad?”

“I could get you on his schedule.”

I shook my head, unable to believe that this was actually happening. “What does that even entail? I’m pretty sure it’s not showing up at his office and saying, Hi, can I have some money, please?”

“It is more detailed than that,” he said. “But I could help you.”

“Why?” I seriously didn’t understand why he’d stick out his neck for me like that.

He frowned slightly, like now he was the one confused. “I want you to be happy, Anna. I want you to succeed.”

But again I asked, “Why?”

He gave me this look, one that I couldn’t have explained to someone else, but I felt it in my gut.

Then he said he was going to get another drink and asked if I wanted one. I told him I was fine, and he went into the kitchen.

Only I wasn’t fine. Not even a little. That exchange left me shaky and unnerved, and I wasn’t sure what to do with myself or how to process what had just happened.

Because much as I tried to deny it, something was happening here.

But when he came back, he was full of smiles and jokes again, and it was a relief. He started chatting about Craig, about his likes and dislikes. I asked specifically if Craig liked any of my favorite movies, and Marco shook his head.