father.
“Drake said he’d called you a few days ago.”
“He did. Earlier than I would have liked.” Similar to a certain person who’d also called before normal business hours. Venus glowered at the kitchen clock. Seven fifteen.
Grandma waved a careless hand. “Oh, you’re always up.”
“I hadn’t even finished my coffee. I wasn’t exactly in the right frame of mind to decide my future at six thirty in the morning.”
Grandma shrugged. Not her problem. “When I spoke to him, he indicated he’d still like you to work for his sister’s company, even though you’re going to start up your own game development company. He knows it’s only a temporary position for you.”
Grandma had gone through an awful lot of trouble about this. Venus regarded her through narrowed eyes. “Why do you want this?”
She flung her hands up in disgust. “Want? I’m trying to find you a job. Do you see any benefit in this for me?”
Venus wasn’t one to be intimidated by her grandmother’s apparent frustration. Grandma could go into dramatics like the best of them in order to get her way.
Sure, Grandma was helping her. But why? Offering to help her with Hudson, calling Drake…
Wait a minute, why Drake? Venus didn’t buy that it was just because she’d gotten wind he was going to offer Venus a job. After all, his sister’s company was only a small startup.
“Are you matchmaking ?”
Grandma’s hand flew to her chest and her shoulders drew back. “Me? What in the world made you jump to that conclusion?”
Even Grandma’s nose quivered with her indignation, but she didn’t fool Venus for a second. Drake Yu, CEO of four successful startups, oldest son of Paul Yu, one of the most respected venture capitalists in California, if not the entire United States.
What’s not to like?
“I didn’t like working for Drake, Grandma.”
“Why ever not? You’re both smart, handsome—did he not see you before you blossomed?”
Blossomed? Was that how Grandma saw it? Venus only remembered a week of puking because of the stomach virus, followed by six weeks of trying to keep jook rice gruel in her ultra-sensitive stomach, not blossoming. The blossoming came weeks later after her new exercise program and stricter eating had kicked in.
“He saw the before and after, Grandma.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders sagged a little, then snapped back into place. “Well, now you’re even more improved. The two of you should work wonderfully together.”
“Because we’re both smart and handsome? Grandma, what are you smoking?”
She frowned at Venus, her eyes betraying her confusion, but aware that Venus was mocking her somehow. “You both have excellent work ethics. I should know. Are you going to refuse to work for him just because I like him?”
Put that way, it sounded completely idiotic for her to object. “I didn’t like working for him—”
“That was years ago. You don’t know if he’s changed for the better. And where else are you going to find a good, yet temporary job while you start up your business?”
“Am I even going to have time to work on my own business while I’m with Drake’s company?”
“His sister’s company.”
“Fine, his sister’s company. As CTO, even of a small startup, I’m going to be working the same hours as I did before.”
“I’ll sweeten the deal for you.”
Venus crossed her bare feet, chilled by the tile floor. Or maybe the calculating look in Grandma’s eyes.
“If you work for Drake—yes, yes”—she held up a hand when Venus opened her mouth—“I know you didn’t like working for him, but listen to me. I want you to help him out, as a favor to his family from ours.”
Suddenly Venus felt like a guppy in a koi pond. This was bigger than her own plans—this involved the Sakai family, the Yu family. She could see a glimpse of what Grandma wanted, why she wanted this.
“In return, I will invest money in your company and tell Hudson Collins that I’ve
“Drake said he’d called you a few days ago.”
“He did. Earlier than I would have liked.” Similar to a certain person who’d also called before normal business hours. Venus glowered at the kitchen clock. Seven fifteen.
Grandma waved a careless hand. “Oh, you’re always up.”
“I hadn’t even finished my coffee. I wasn’t exactly in the right frame of mind to decide my future at six thirty in the morning.”
Grandma shrugged. Not her problem. “When I spoke to him, he indicated he’d still like you to work for his sister’s company, even though you’re going to start up your own game development company. He knows it’s only a temporary position for you.”
Grandma had gone through an awful lot of trouble about this. Venus regarded her through narrowed eyes. “Why do you want this?”
She flung her hands up in disgust. “Want? I’m trying to find you a job. Do you see any benefit in this for me?”
Venus wasn’t one to be intimidated by her grandmother’s apparent frustration. Grandma could go into dramatics like the best of them in order to get her way.
Sure, Grandma was helping her. But why? Offering to help her with Hudson, calling Drake…
Wait a minute, why Drake? Venus didn’t buy that it was just because she’d gotten wind he was going to offer Venus a job. After all, his sister’s company was only a small startup.
“Are you matchmaking ?”
Grandma’s hand flew to her chest and her shoulders drew back. “Me? What in the world made you jump to that conclusion?”
Even Grandma’s nose quivered with her indignation, but she didn’t fool Venus for a second. Drake Yu, CEO of four successful startups, oldest son of Paul Yu, one of the most respected venture capitalists in California, if not the entire United States.
What’s not to like?
“I didn’t like working for Drake, Grandma.”
“Why ever not? You’re both smart, handsome—did he not see you before you blossomed?”
Blossomed? Was that how Grandma saw it? Venus only remembered a week of puking because of the stomach virus, followed by six weeks of trying to keep jook rice gruel in her ultra-sensitive stomach, not blossoming. The blossoming came weeks later after her new exercise program and stricter eating had kicked in.
“He saw the before and after, Grandma.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders sagged a little, then snapped back into place. “Well, now you’re even more improved. The two of you should work wonderfully together.”
“Because we’re both smart and handsome? Grandma, what are you smoking?”
She frowned at Venus, her eyes betraying her confusion, but aware that Venus was mocking her somehow. “You both have excellent work ethics. I should know. Are you going to refuse to work for him just because I like him?”
Put that way, it sounded completely idiotic for her to object. “I didn’t like working for him—”
“That was years ago. You don’t know if he’s changed for the better. And where else are you going to find a good, yet temporary job while you start up your business?”
“Am I even going to have time to work on my own business while I’m with Drake’s company?”
“His sister’s company.”
“Fine, his sister’s company. As CTO, even of a small startup, I’m going to be working the same hours as I did before.”
“I’ll sweeten the deal for you.”
Venus crossed her bare feet, chilled by the tile floor. Or maybe the calculating look in Grandma’s eyes.
“If you work for Drake—yes, yes”—she held up a hand when Venus opened her mouth—“I know you didn’t like working for him, but listen to me. I want you to help him out, as a favor to his family from ours.”
Suddenly Venus felt like a guppy in a koi pond. This was bigger than her own plans—this involved the Sakai family, the Yu family. She could see a glimpse of what Grandma wanted, why she wanted this.
“In return, I will invest money in your company and tell Hudson Collins that I’ve
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