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I sat up taller in my seat. Hell yeah, I’d be willing to do that. And this man hadmoney. I could make up what I’d lost from the Nolan family firing me. “Very willing.”
“I like your spirit, Cara. Your positivity.”
I like that you like that about me.
“So, what’s your price?”
Shit. I’d never been good at this part. The negotiations. I never knew how to price myself in a way that felt fair to both me and a potential client. “Um…well…”
Wesley chuckled.
Screw you, buddy.I narrowed my eyes. “What’s so funny?”
His brown eyes widened. Like warm caramel with flecks of gold. “Not funny. I promise. You’re just very inexperienced, aren’t you? You have big dreams and you’re passionate about your cause, but you aren’tquitethere yet where business acumen is concerned. I understand. That was me twenty years ago.”
Twenty years? How old was this guy? I had pegged him to be in his midthirties.
“Tell you what. I’ll start negotiations. I’ll make an offer and you can counter. I promise, I’ll be fair.” Wesley leaned forward; my eyes caught on the muscular forearms where his white dress shirt sleeves were rolled up.Jesus, Cara. Focus!“You’re going to need about 25 percent of the building cost for a commercial loan to start your day care. That’s at least two hundred fifty thousand.”
I blinked.
“I know you want it. I know you can be good at it if given the chance. I can read people like that. So. I’ll give you that amount up front.” He pulled an envelope out of his suit jacket and held it across the table to me.
I took the envelope carefully, as if it might bite me, and opened it. Inside was an unsigned check for the exact sum he’d specified. “Holy…”Don’t say shit, Cara.
“After two months, I’ll match that amount. I can be a silent partner as long as you’re for-profit.”
It was believable he had this level of money to throw around. After all, he was one of the most high-powered businessmen in the country. What Icouldn’tbelieve was that he was giving it tome.
“This is, of course, all contingent on how you and my daughter get along.”
I looked up at him. I couldn’t believe he was offering me this kind of money. “This is way too much.”
“Not to me.”
“But…why?”
“’Why?’”
“Yeah, why? You can get a nanny, hourly, for a fraction of this amount. You’re offering me five hundred thousand for two months of work. Half a million —” I stopped short. Holy shit. This guy was offering mehalf a million dollars. I felt lightheaded.
Wesley paused, sucking his lower lip into his mouth. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, sizing me up. “I’m not giving it to you. I’m giving it to your business. Yourpurpose. That’s a very different thing. Call it intuition, but I think you’ve got a lot of potential.”
I gulped, remembering all the things my parents said about Wesley Taves the night before. He could use his money to control me. The last thing I needed was another person who thought they could control me.
“And I liked the way you interacted with my daughter. That’s the most important thing. She took a shine to you. I’m not sure why. But if she had a good feeling about you, I trust her instincts.”
My racing thoughts slowed. Though Wesley Taves was a clean-cut businessman who looked like he had everything together, I could tell behind his eyes there was something…troubled. I let my eyes fall to his left hand. No wedding ring. I had to ask. “You’ve discussed this with your daughter’s mother?”
Wesley’s expression hardened, his jaw tensing.Okay.I might have just walked into a minefield. “Lucy’s mother is out of the picture.”
Single dad. A zing of excitement ran through my body. Almost as quickly as that emotion, I considered what that might mean. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “It’s alright. She’s not deceased. It’s not that kind of tragedy.”
Notthatkind. But a different one. That explained the look in his eyes.
“So. What do you say? Do we have a deal?”
