“Certainly, there’s a strong chance they’ll try, but when I hang up with you, I’m leaving for New York. I’m doing all the morning shows tomorrow, and there will be writeups in the New York Times, Technology Today, Silicon Valley Business Journal, and the San Francisco Chronicle. We know the news went out over the wires, so it will be picked up worldwide. There will be people who buy fraudulent materials, but they’ll know what they’re paying for.”
“Holy crap, Jackson! That’s amazing. And, not to mention, talk about some incredible publicity. I’m so excited for you.”
“The only thing that would make it better is if you were here, too.”
“Your phones are going to blow up with women asking you out for the rest of the week—or even longer. You’d better warn Ms. Day.”
“I’m scared of her. I don’t want to talk to her if I can avoid it. She does not give me an inch.”
I laugh. I wasn’t assertive enough in the beginning to do that. “Something I should have done myself.”
“You were perfect with the way you handle me—both at work and in private.”
I know where he’s going, but I shouldn’t go there. “I don’t want to keep you.” I turn and look out over the setting sun. “I’m really happy though.”
“You know what that means,” he says. “Your stock options are worth some serious money at this point.”
“All thanks to you.”
We hang up, and a smile engulfs my face. With Jeff Wong out of our hair, life is almost perfect. Now to get this Bobby fanatic out of our life, and all will be good.
Chapter 33
Jackson
This has been one crazy week. I started Monday by flying in from Maui. Wednesday morning, I landed in New York and spent the day doing talk shows and news interviews. Our public relations firm has pulled one hundred and twenty-six different press clippings, which expanded coverage to include other companies who have had similar things happen to them and a discussion of what trade-secret theft by foreign entities does to the world economy. Everyone knows about Soleil Energy and our solar window film. We couldn’t have asked for this level of publicity if we tried and paid for it.
And Corrine was right. My phone blew up, and Ms. Day quit. She couldn’t take the phones ringing nonstop with the silly women, as she called them. I know if Corrine were here, she would have managed it just fine. I now have the twins answering my phones. I don’t really think they’re twins, but they’re odd. They dress alike and look a little alike, and they work together. Whatever. They both sit at Corrine’s desk and answer the phones and don’t get too caught up in all the craziness.
Mason and Caroline have insisted that I join them for drinks at The Big 4 Restaurant in the Huntington Hotel this evening.
I’m actually on time for a change, even though Corrine isn’t here to manage me. Still, Caroline and Mason have beat me there.
They stand to greet me, and I give Caroline a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for the invite out tonight. It’s a nice reason to leave the office at a reasonable hour.”
“After the week you’ve had, I would bet that’s hard,” Mason says.
I shake my head. “The phones are ringing off the hook. I’m stunned at the number of women who call and ask me to marry them or father their children.”
“How is Corrine dealing with it?” Caroline asks.
“Thankfully, she’s in Maui planning the poker tournament.”
Caroline puts her head back and laughs. “You’re in the big leagues now. The microscope you live under will be on high-res at this point.”
I tsk and shake my head, willing her statement to not be accurate.
“It was like that for my twin brother, Trey, when we were growing up. When he met Sara, they had to go up to Stinson Beach and hide just to get time together without a zoom lens.”
She would know, but I still don’t appreciate her perspective. “The only good thing is the value of Soleil Energy has shot through the roof.”
Mason leans in across the table. “I’m not supposed to say this, but if I were you, I’d hold on to being a private company as long as you can.”
A sigh of relief runs through me. “Thanks. All this interest has the sales pretty high right now, and we’re hoping we won’t need the infusion of cash, plus all the chaos going public would bring. I can buy out your options, if you’d like.”
“Right now, don’t worry about it. Let’s get through the launch and see a few quarters of profit before we make any decisions. We’re fine with that. You’ll only be the second company in our history of more than five thousand extremely successful investments where we sell the shares back to the company because they don’t go public. I like the feel of this.”
“You look dead on your feet,” Caroline says. “You headed to see Corrine this weekend?” She peers at me over her martini glass.
I shake my head. “I’m going to try next weekend, if I can.”
“I like her a lot,” she says.
“I do, too. I’m not sure Corrine’s in as deep as I am, but I’m working on her.”
We talk for a short while longer before I give up and go home. I’m so tired, I’m grateful I’m not driving. I can hardly keep my eyes open. I text Corrine before I lose access to all rational thought.
Me: Good night, sweetheart. Counting the days until I see you again.
***
I wake up to my phone ringing. It takes a few seconds for my brain synapses to connect and remind me it’s Saturday, and
