Page 74 of Soft
I knew that for the long road ahead, I would be there for him, just as I knew he'd be there for me if the roles were reversed. Now it was just about convincing him to let me help.
For such a sweet, soft boy, he was really bullheaded.
CHAPTER 24
Grizzly
Moseley had rearranged the conference table three times.
I knew this because I had walked past the glass wall of the space three times in a half hour span. Each time there was some slight difference to the arrangement. Whether it be the chairs or the mobile refreshment stand, he’d done multiple maneuvers, like he was a realtor trying to stage a home or something.
He’d also, at some point, changed his shirt. I hadn’t commented on any of this. Some things were better handled without acknowledgment. Moseley's feelings about Auden Keyes fell firmly into that category.
I had known since the first time Moseley mentioned Auden in professional context. At first it had been legitimate. Auden was a midsize agency agent out of Atlanta who represented a handful of clients with some overlap in our circles. They’d been a great suggestion when I thought about bringing someone else on to help with clients.
But the talk of Auden continued past the point of necessity. Moseley had started referencing things Auden had said in ways that suggested he had read the emails more than once. He had asked me a week ago whether I thought it would be appropriate to follow Auden's professional social media account. I knew what was actually being asked.
Rather than tease him about it, I figured I could let things play out. I already knew Auden planned on making a trip to Bellport. Once I told Moseley, I was sure there would be even more panic though.
He had saidright, yeah, totally, obviouslyin a tone I suspected meant he’d be following said pages the minute he was out of sight. It was rare for my intern to keep his cool for long.
The in-person meeting had been Auden's idea, framed as a business development opportunity, which it was. Part of me wondered if they somehow knew about Moseley’s crush. Maybe an interaction had tipped them off?
Either way, the time had come for all of us to be in a room together. This would be interesting.
"The table looks fine," I said, sticking my head through the open doorway.
"I was just checking the views."
"From where?"
"From… from Auden's seat. To the whiteboard." His words were mumbled, as if an afterthought than a true plan.
"We're not using the whiteboard."
"Riiiight." He looked at the table. "Do you think the chairs are too formal?"
"Moseley."
"Yeah?"
"Auden is coming here to discuss whether there's a collaboration structure that makes sense for both agencies. That is what this meeting is. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
He nodded several times. "Totally."
"Good."
"Should I have gotten flowers?"
I shook my head and walked back to my office.
Auden Keyes arrived fifteen minutes early. It was a great way to start things.
Early arrivals in the industry came in two varieties: the anxious, who needed to orient before the meeting started, and the strategic, who arrived early to see how the other party behaved before the formalities began.
The way Auden came through the door made me question my opinions. They were unhurried, each step a steady flow from head to toe. They had close-cropped natural hair and wore a linen blazer paired with billowing wide leg pants. It was a showstopper of an outfit.
Cheyenne stood from her desk and extended a hand. "Auden. Welcome. I'm Cheyenne."
