Hell, if there were a problem with the Delgado deal, with her connections, she’d know before he did. He wouldn’t have a clue ‘til she sliced his head from his shoulders.
Still, he played along. “All systems go there. No, this is more of a... personal matter.”
She nodded. “Right. The supermarket site on 57th.”
He goggled at her. “How’d you know?”
Her lips twisted into a smirk. “Do you honestly think anything goes on in this office I’m not privy to?”
Apparently not. “So, what do you think?”
The smirk became a crocodile smile: predatory and dangerous. “What do you think?”
Tread carefully.
He chose his words with purpose, exactly as he’d rehearsed them for the last two days. “I’d like to pursue the possibility of acquiring it. I won’t know if I’m definitely interested until I contact the selling agent and discuss some of the site’s details. I’ll need specs, particularly of the interior layout. It’s a bigger space, which allows for more possibilities for what we want to do, but possibilities becoming realities will depend on a lot of X factors. Right now, Marcus and I’ve only checked out the exterior. Who can say if it’s going to be the right property for us until we’ve done our homework?”
She folded her arms over her chest, her posture deceptively languid. “You haven’t contacted the agent yet?”
“No.”
“But you know who the agent is?”
“Yes.”
“And you still have the gall to come to me.”
He held up a hand to stem the tide of vipers or locusts she planned to send his way. “I won’t do anything unless you’re okay with my doing business with that particular firm.”
He didn’t have to say the name; they both understood the identity of the agent and why there was an issue. Why rub salt into Susan’s open wound?
“But before you say no or threaten to toss me off the GW Bridge for daring to even ask, I thought you might want to consider representing my and my partner’s interests in the transaction.”
The first crack in her veneer appeared. Her eyes widened just a bit, then narrowed again. “Why? You’re quite capable of representing yourself.”
“That’s true. But then, you wouldn’t get the lion’s share of the commission or the opportunity to show your ex-partner that you’re still at the top of your game.”
Her posture relaxed, and she whipped the blazer off her shoulders, tossing it onto the seat of her chair. “You know, should you decide to pursue this, I’m going to low ball the crap out of her. I will cut her into a thousand pieces and bury her in paperwork. It could be months before this deal is done.”
He shrugged with nonchalance. “I figured as much.”
With her hands now clutching the edges of her desk, she leaned forward at the waist. “Your partner’s okay with you wasting valuable time to entertain me?”
“He’s allowing me to run this deal as I see fit.”
“And you see fit to let me play in your sandbox so I can get some misguided revenge.” He nodded. “Why?”
“Because we all have to face our demons at one point. You made me face mine by pushing me to handle the Delgado deal. I thought I wasn’t ready. I kept telling myself I’d face Cam when I was as successful as she is. Without your prodding, I’m not sure I would’ve ever been ready. Because the truth is, I might never be as successful as she is—at least, not in the business world. In my personal life, I’ve conquered mountains most people don’t dare climb. That makes me successful in my own right.”
He pointed at her. “You gave me back my self-confidence to see myself as Cam’s equal—not because of the money in my bank account, but because after all life threw at me, I’m still standing.” He glanced down at himself in the chair. “Figuratively speaking, of course. Now I’m going to give you the opportunity to face your demon. If you want it.”
“Oh, I want it. But you already knew I would, didn’t you?”
“If I say yes, will that get you onboard faster?”
Her laughter scraped his spine. The last thing he’d ever want is to make this woman an enemy. She was a much better ally anyway.
“I’m onboard, regardless. Now I know how you got Cam Delgado on your side. You take no prisoners. I’m impressed.”
Good thing Cam wasn’t around to hear that praise. He doubted she’d agree. Funny. He hadn’t considered how much facing her and putting this deal together had meant to his well-being until he’d verbalized it for his boss. But he meant every word he said.
Cam hadn’t been his demon after all. The dragon he’d been forced to slay was his own stubborn pride.
Chapter 12
Two weeks later, Cam looked around from the head of the table in the foundation’s larger conference room. Val sat to her immediate right in her first official task as assistant director, flanked by the foundation’s team of lawyers and financial officers. They all, even Val, wore expressions of cool confidence. All except Cam.
Despite her simple emerald silk tee and white linen slacks, she couldn’t get comfortable and squirmed in her seat, seeking a position that would ease the tension building up inside her. A wave of heat bathed her skin, leaving a light sheen of sweat to bead her pounding forehead. Her insides tumbled in freefall. Her symptoms didn’t come from any lack of air conditioning or a fever. Nor was she nervous about the transaction. No, her discomfort came from the presence of one man.
Jordan sat with his legal representatives to her left. She hadn’t seen him since that night at Brady’s Place, the night he’d kissed her. A tingle lingered on her lips whenever she recalled that moment.
God help her, she still loved him. Would always love him. She wouldn’t tell him, couldn’t humiliate herself to bear his laughter
