Chapter 37

Dean’s POV

The vendor calls at nine, already talking loudly before I've even said hello properly, going on about some sudden price increase and a delivery that got pushed back to Friday instead of Wednesday. He's got that particular tone guys get when they think they can bury you in details fast enough that you won't catch the parts that don't add up.

I let him finish talking. Pull the contract up quickly on my second monitor while he's still going, scroll straight down to the delivery clause without needing to search for it, because I've read this thing so many times by now that I basically have it memorized.

"Pull up your copy," I tell him, once he finally stops to catch his breath. "Page two. Pricing's locked for the full contract term, no adjustments without written sign-off from both sides in advance. So whatever email you're talking about, unless I personally signed off and approved it, that two do