Page 17 of The Romance Library

I was here to get this property, not get stupid ideas in my head about some woman.

If she thought she hated me now, she was going to despise me by the time I closed this deal.

And I couldn’t wait to do what I did best: win.

5

Jess

What a shitshow.

As I climbed into the passenger seat of Cecil’s car, I replayed the disastrous meeting back in my head.

I’d messed up. Cecil had hired me to represent Mrs Davis’s wishes. To hype up the idea of the library and sell her vision. And what had I done? I’d stuttered like an idiot and made it sound like the worst idea ever.

And that annoying Theodore loved every second of my humiliation. He sat there in his tailored suit with his annoyingly handsome face and intoxicating scent and grinned.

When he’d asked what market research I’d done, I wanted the ground to swallow me up. Yeah, I wasn’t a businesswoman, but anyone with common sense knew that to start a business you had to have done some kind of planning or analysis.

Obviously given the short notice, I couldn’t have been expected to have done anything extensive myself, but I should’ve at least taken two minutes to get some rough figures on the size of the romance market.

I could’ve asked Cecil if Mrs Davis had looked into it so I could’ve said something better than ‘a lot of women read romance books.’

Fuck’s sake.

And if all that wasn’t bad enough, when I went to the toilet and saw myself in the mirror, I realised I’d buttoned up my blouse wrong. So I’d sat through that whole meeting looking like a child who’d gotten dressed in the dark.

Reason one million and one why it was a good idea not to accept the offer to run the library.

‘So that was interesting.’ Cecil started the engine, then pulled out of the car park. Thankfully he’d offered to give me a lift home.

‘It was a disaster. I’m so sorry I let you down. Of course I don’t expect to be paid for today.’

‘Nonsense. You’ve earned every penny.’

‘Hardly.’ I knew a lot of people would just agree, take the money and run, but that didn’t feel right. ‘I was late and I didn’t say anything useful.’

‘Don’t be so hard on yourself. This has all been sprung on you at short notice and you had no time to prepare. Especially given the fact you’re juggling multiple jobs. Despite how you feel it went, I think the vendor is interested.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Yes. He likes the idea of the library. He can see it has potential. If he didn’t, he would’ve just accepted the offer from Eaves Enterprises. By inviting you to formally pitch, he’s giving you a chance to prepare a proper presentation.’

‘You mean he’s giving you or whoever you hire the chance to prepare.’ I frowned. I’d already said today was a one-off.

‘Jessica.’ Cecil pulled over on a side road, turned off the engine, then turned to face me. ‘Accept the offer. Just think: you’ll have the opportunity to create something really meaningful. You’ll honour Meredith’s dying wish. You’ll create a legacy for her and for yourself. And you won’t have to work three jobs anymore. You’ll have a proper salary. Enough to rent somewhere nice and get a new car that won’t break down. I’ll even throw in a new smartphone. What do you say?’

Hmmm.

I paused. I had to admit, he’d struck a nerve and made some good points. If I took this job, I wouldn’t have to deal with any more sleazy customers at the bar. And there’d be no more cleaning offices or people’s bottoms.

I hated where I lived. My car was a piece of shit, and don’t even get me started on my crappy phone.

Mrs Davis had given me a lifeline. An opportunity to change my fortunes and create something special.

Now I understood why she’d asked me all those questions about my hopes and dreams.

I’d told her I’d be happy just to have a decent job and salary. So now I had that chance and the option to live a less stressful life, I’d be crazy to turn it down.

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