Chapter 17

Adrian lifted an eyebrow. Business talks can get sensitive, but honestly, asking about a contract switch after expiration isn't crossing any lines. So Nelson's question didn't really come off as rude. He hadn't planned on hiding anything to begin with, but when he opened his mouth, he changed his mind halfway. "Well, yeah, XR is definitely in talks. I've heard Vera Quinn used to be your chief designer at Cooper Jewelry, but since the contract's up, it's fair game now, right? Nothing shady going on here, yeah?" "Of course," Nelson replied, slipping one hand into his pocket, thumb rubbing against his index finger. His voice was steady, smooth. "Honestly, I came to CTR today just to see how things are going. If you've already signed her, guess I'll just take the loss and reflect." Adrian's sly eyes curved up into a smirk. "I thought you came to pull a fast one on me for a sec. Had me a bit on edge. Vera Quinn worked with you guys for three years, that's a lot of history. Advantage is your