Kyle sat back in the booth, the last bite of breakfast settling in his stomach.
He was surprised. Not by the food—though that had been excellent—but by how fast everything had gone. He had expected more bargaining. Maybe a board of directors. A presentation. Some corporate dance where they sold him on the project.
Instead, Anthony had just… been himself.
No pretense. No inflated promises. No desperate grasping for a deal.
He won me over without even trying.
Kyle glanced across the table. Anthony was scrolling through his phone, completely at ease. An older man—grey hair, wrinkled face, clearly past sixty—but down to earth in a way that felt genuine. Not performative humility. Just… normal.
Kyle appreciated this more than he realized.
