“Well, I guess it’s your lucky night.” Mitch turns to the bar and calls a server. “Three tequila sodas.” Another man comes over to us from the other side of the bar and Mitch hands him one of the drinks. “Ian, I want you to meet Gavin Scott, our top seller. Gavin, this is Ian Thompson.”
Ian Thompson is the youngest partner AngelBak has ever had. He’s thirty-five and has already backed three start-ups through their IPO. He literally has my dream job. Possibly my dreamlife. You can just tell by the way he carries himself that he doesn’t go home at night and stress about paying the rent. He probably owns. And he probably paid all cash.
“Great to meet you, Ian,” I say, shaking his hand. “I’m really fascinated by what you do at AngelBak.”
He responds with a raised brow and not much else, so I continue. “I sort of fell into sales after college. But talking to so many different companies each day, I’m always thinking about what makes them successful, or what might make them fail. Especially when I look at their growth trajectories and?—”
“Truly. He won’t shut up about it,” Mitch says. “The kid’s gonna be working for you one day, as much as I’d love to convince him to stay. Pulled in ten million this year.”
Mitch claps me on the back and walks away, seeing someone who’s apparently more interesting than me or Ian.
“So, you’re looking for a job?” Ian asks, his voice tinged in mockery.
“No? Sorry if it came off that way. I really just find it interesting. I’d love to work for a VC firm one day, but I’m happy at Sizzl for now.”
“Where’d you go to school?” he asks.
“UC-Davis. With Daanesh, that’s how we know each other.” I smile, hoping my friendship with our CEO can make this conversation a bit less awkward.
“That’s how you got the job? You guys are buddies?”
“Umm, sort of. That’s how I got the interview at least. I’d say it’s worked out well though.” Did he not hear Mitch just mention the ten million dollars I closed this year?
Ian licks his teeth, his face overtly smug. Suddenly I want nothing to do with this conversation or this guy. There are plenty of firms around the Bay Area; I’ll have to pick a different one to strive for.
My eyes snag on Olivia for the zillionth time since I was dragged away. I’m going to blame her dress that keeps catching the light.
“What about grad school?” Ian says, surprising me.
“Oh, no grad school. I started working right after college.”
He smirks again. I’m really starting to hate this guy.
“You might wanna stick to sales with that background.”
Fuck this guy.
I hope by some miracle he plays rugby because I’d love to see him again on the field. Considering his firm is our largest investor, it might not be a good look if I punched him in the face right now.
Olivia’s dress catches my eye again. At least I have that conversation to look forward to when I can get away from Ian.
“Who’s the girl you keep looking at?” Ian asks, thankfully changing the subject.
“Olivia? She’s the newest member of our team, started a few months ago.”
“You sleeping with her?”
“What? No, why would you say that?”
“You want to sleep with her, then. I don’t blame you. Nice rack.” Now we’re both staring at her and I’m praying she doesn’t notice.
“Gav, come on. We’re getting a group pic,” Daanesh shouts over my shoulder. “Oh, hey Ian. Mind if I borrow this guy? Sort of a tradition for the original eight.”
I raise my glass as a farewell to Ian the Asshole and follow Daanesh to the area with a photobooth set up.
It is tradition. Every year since I started here, we all take a ridiculous photo together and then do a shot of Don Julio 1942. Though I would have left that conversation for some questionable moonshine.
“Ian’s great, right?” Daanesh asks after the second round of shots. “I really think he’s gonna take us to the next level.”
