Page 60 of Beautifully Complicated

“If we work for other people that’s true, but if we work for ourselves, we can have the same title or rank or whatever you want to call it.”

Aiden’s lips part slightly as he blinks his eyes, not a single line visible on his angelic face. It makes him look even younger, although that thought is secondary to how beautiful he is when he’s shocked and flattered.

“You’d… But that’s… I’m not qualified,” he sputters.

“Of course, you are. You’re already collaborating with me as my equal.”

“I’m just doing the math,” he tries to object, but I shake my head firmly.

“You’re hypothesizing, identifying variables, and testing the algorithms. Those are things I’d be teaching you how to do if you were just an assistant. Instead, you’re doing them on your own and then sharing your findings. I’d be an egotistical jerk if I considered you anything other than a partner.” I squeeze his hand to reinforce my words.

“I… But… What we do requires tens of millions of dollars of equipment. More probably. We can’t just—”

“We aren’t. At least not yet. That’s what my meeting was about.”

The tiniest crease appears between his brows. “I don’t understand.”

“A few years ago, I met a guy who wanted me to start a medical research company with him. At the time it wasn’t a good fit, so I declined, but when I was trying to solve our predicament, I thought he might be a good resource. We had dinner in Denver, and I told him what I was looking for. While he’s not opposed to it, since he didn’t pursue it after I turned him down it’d take some time to resurrect. Time we don’t have if we need to have jobs or grad school locked down by the time you graduate.”

“I thought you said this meeting went well.” Aiden looks at me like I might be losing it.

“Still not finished,” I tell him wryly. “Anyhow, the meeting made me realize that while we might not have the materials we need for our own company, we have the knowledge, and that’s a commodity we can capitalize on right away. We can form our own consulting company and hire ourselves out to the businesses that will support our research. We’d use their facilities, and while they’d own the IP for the work, as a partner of theirs rather than an employee, we might be able to negotiate a percentage of ownership for the work we do. But the most important factor in all this is that they hireourcompany, the one we own together.”

“That’s…” Aiden trails off, staring at me in disbelief. “What value do I bring to this? Putting aside what you said about us collaborating, to the outside world I’m a nobody. Doesn’t my involvement make it harder for this company to be legitimate? People will just assume you’re bringing your boyfriend along for the ride, and they might object to paying for a consultingteamwhen they could haveyou.”

Even though he’s poking holes in my plan, I’ve never been more proud of him. This is why I want him as my partner; his mind is constantly firing.

“Some people might think that, yes. But I have two responses for anyone who raises that objection.”

“And those are…” Aiden prompts when I don’t immediately volunteer my ideas.

“First, we don’t have to disclose our personal relationship to the people that hire us. They can think I found you so brilliant I just had to make you my work partner, which wouldn’t be wrong. And second, anyone who knows me knows I wouldn’t go into business with someone on a whim.”

“They might, if they know who I am to you.” He worries his lip in a way that makes me want to soothe it with my own.

“Even if they know that, they know how important my work is to me, so they’d come to the conclusion that I found my perfect match.”

“They wouldn’t say he’s thinking with the wrong head? Going through a midlife crisis and trying to reclaim his youth. Now I get why you were so worried about my age.” He goes on a mini rant.

“If anyone does say that they don’t really know me. And once they meet you, they’ll know why I fell for you. Personally and professionally.”

Aiden’s lip seems to tremble as he takes a shaky breath. “You really want to start a business with me? That’s a pretty permanent step.”

“Isn’t that what we are? Permanent?” That’s not a fair question considering neither of us has knocked down the last barrier between us, but I’m asking anyway. He’s the one that’d be giving up his freedom at such a young age, and I want him to be certain, without any influence from me.

“I’d like us to be,” he whispers.

“I’d like that too.”

He gasps softly, almost as if he’s surprised by that. Or shocked that I admitted it. “Does this mean we don’t have to hide anymore?”

“No.” My heart seems to miss a beat as his face falls. “We still have to start the company, and I’d prefer not to have any scandal about us come out before that’s official.”

“Okay.” He puts on a brave face. “But can we at least celebrate the fact that you love me? Maybe with a New Year's kiss?”

Apparently we don’t have to worry about that last barrier anymore.

“I never said that.” My attempt to keep a straight face is futile, and Aiden grins almost wickedly when he catches me trying to reel in my own.

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