At Any Price

He smiled. “Can we grab something to eat? I’m feeling pretty hungry myself.”

We walked to the sandwich shop at the end of the street. It was a little diner with tables on the front patio under a slatted wooden cover. On a breezy spring day in early May, it was the perfect place to sit. Drake and I ordered our sandwiches and sat while waiting for them to be brought out.

My heart was doing its weird offbeat fibrillation again and when I swallowed, there was a cold excitement in my throat. Christ…just from sitting at a table with him? This guy was pure danger to my senses. What was it about him that set me on edge like this?

I cleared my throat and began. “I don’t think you’re aware of this, but my blog is my livelihood.”

“I’m aware of your blog, Emilia. I have been for quite some time.”

This caused me to sit back against the chair. The cold of the metal back seeped through my T-shirt. “Is that so?”

He smiled. “Why does that surprise you? Considering the industry I’m in and yours is one of the best blogs out there reviewing gaming material.”

I glanced at him skeptically. “Thank you for the compliment, but that’s just not true. GameShopper. GeekWorld. All of those other multiauthor platforms far outproduce me in content and hits.”

“But they reference you often enough.”

I shook my head. “I can’t wrap my head around the idea that you even read the blogs.”

He laughed. “I’m a normal person, just like everyone else.”

“But you’re busy CEOing and designing and stuff.”

“I was an architect on the game once and take an active interest in my product. I’m always looking for ways to make it better. What’s been on my mind a lot lately is appealing to a certain demographic that we seem to have trouble with.”

I knew how he’d answer before I asked the question, but I had to ask it anyway. “What demographic?”

“Female, sixteen to twenty-four.”

It was my turn to crack that sarcastic smile. “Ah, I get it. So I’m research for you, am I?”

He laughed. “No, but your blog is.”

I nodded. “It’s comforting to know that all my snarking is being noticed by those who count. Maybe someday you might take a comment or two of mine to heart.”

His tilted his head, studying me. “I think you have a lot of valuable insights to provide to the gaming community from a young woman’s point of view. We need more female gamers speaking out about what they want.”

“Great. So then you understand why I’m stopping this.”

He shook his head. “It’s an unfounded worry.”

“But if I’m reviewing your game and you and I are—how could you not see that as a conflict?”

“Because there are ways you can handle it that you haven’t thought of.”

I clenched my jaw. “Oh, is that so? Like what?”

He looked to the side, considering. “You could temporarily go on hiatus with the DE column and find something else to take its place for a few months. Or you could get a guest blogger to handle it for you.”

I laughed. “Are you actually suggesting I drop the free publicity of your game? I can’t believe my ears.”

But he’d planted the seed of an idea in my mind. One of my closest gaming friends, Katya, who played as Persephone, had been wanting to guest post for some time. I’d never met her in person but, as with FallenOne, Heath and I played regularly with her. I could probably set her onto the task. She was a diehard DE fan.

Still, I hesitated. And at that moment, our sandwiches were delivered to the table. I dug into mine—turkey and avocado on a wheat roll—with gusto. I hadn’t had breakfast and was running low on groceries, as usual, and I was still a few days out from the next paycheck.

“I’m still not convinced it’s a good idea.”

“Then let me to resolve your other concerns,” he said, taking a bite of his spicy chicken po’boy and commenting on how good it was.

“I don’t think you can.” I said in between my next bites.

“Try me.”

“I don’t think we’re compatible.”

“How compatible would we have to be for one night?”

I shrugged. It wasn’t what I’d really wanted to say. It wasn’t compatibility that concerned me. It was this scorching sexual tension that crackled through the air whenever we were near each other. Or at least that’s how it was for me. I had no idea what he was feeling. He seemed as calm, cool and collected as on the day we met.