Page 164 - In Five Years

At this, Jordi busies herself with her water glass. Anya’s eyes narrow. I can
feel Aldridge shift next to me. I have no idea why I’m doing this. I know exactly
why I’m doing this.
“Are you trying to talk us out of this?” Anya asks. She directs her question to

Aldridge. “Because I was under the impression this was a kick-off dinner.”
I look at Aldridge, who stays silent. He is, I realize, not going to answer for

me.
“No,” I say. “I just like to understand motivation. It helps me do my job.”
Anya likes this answer, I can tell. Her shoulders drop perceptively. “The truth
is, I’m not sure. We’ve spoken a lot about this. Jordi knows I’m on the fence.”

“We’ve been at Yahtzee for almost ten years,” Jordi says, repeating what is no
doubt a familiar line. “It’s time for something else.”

“I don’t know why we have to give up control in order to have that,” Anya
says.
The champagne arrives in a flourish of glasses and bubbles. Aldridge pours.

“To Yahtzee,” he says. “A smooth IPO process and a lot of money.”
Jordi clinks his glass, but Anya and I keep our eyes on each other. I see her
searching me, asking the question that will never be spoken at this table: What

would you do?