Page 33 of Timeless Pages
Daniel's full-bellied laugh echoed around the room. "Understood. I'll be in touch when I have any new information. Isa, I doubt this will be an issue, but don't go anywhere alone. Until Morris is arrested, it isn't safe."
"She won't be going anywhere without us," Nate assured him. "We will hire bodyguards if necessary, but right now, I can't think of anything that would cause her to need to be alone."
"I didn't think so, but I needed to remind her anyway. Have a good day. Hopefully, I'll have good news soon."
I was still looking at Dom in surprise. "Better close your mouth, Beauty, before you catch a fly," Dom suggested. "And before you say anything, nobody calls you a good girl but us. You're our good girl." This time, I shifted in Evan's lap. Yep, it was definitely a them thing. Dom smirked in satisfaction as Evan squeezed my hips to hold me still with a light groan.
"How do you feel about the charges?" Nate asked me.
"I don't know. I mean, I think I'm shocked. Nobody has ever believed me before, so it's a little surreal that he is being held accountable now," I replied. "I also feel like I'm waiting for the second shoe to drop. Father won't go down without a fight."
"We'll keep you safe," Evan said, hugging me. "Any ideas about the bookstore?"
"I don't know," I admitted.
"We'll help you when you're ready," Nate said. "You don't have to figure out what's next yet. You have all the time in the world."
His words struck a chord within me. For the first time in my life, I have the chance to spread my wings and choose my path.
The world was my oyster and all that shit.
Chapter eighteen
Dom
Isat at my desk, staring at my computer screen as I thought about Isa. She hadn't known what she wanted to do next, but I could see the excitement in her eyes. An enthusiasm that hadn't been there when we met her. I had an idea, though, one that I didn't think I'd have trouble convincing Nate and Evan of. Deciding I wasn't going to get any work done until I found out, I went searching for them. I found Evan and Nate in Nate's office.
"What are you guys working on?" I asked as I sat down in the empty chair beside Evan.
"We're discussing the Underwood Mall," Nate replied.
"Everything ok with it?" We had recently purchased the mall. Mall management was a new venture for us, but it was proving to be lucrative.
"The movie theater is pushing back on the increased rent," Evan sighed. "But I don't anticipate them holding out much longer. It's a good location, and if they pull out, it shouldn't take long to have another theater take its place."
"Yeah, but that's a big chunk of revenue we would miss out on if they do." I pondered the issue briefly before offering a suggestion. "Why don't we offer them ten percent off the rent increase for the first year, five percent for the second, and full price for the next three years at the fixed rental rate? It keeps everyone happy and locks them into five years. At the end of the five years, we won't be the new owners and we'll have improved the mall enough to support any other rent increases we might issue in the future."
"That's not a bad idea," Nate responded. "I like it. Evan, if you're on board, make the call."
"I like it, too. I'll go get on the phone with them now," Evan replied, moving to stand.
"Before you do, there was something I wanted to discuss with you both." Evan retook his seat, and they both looked at me expectantly. "As you know, the buildings around Isa's bookstore are ours. We will need to file claims with our insurance company. Once that is finished, I think we should give the entire block to Isa."
"Give the entire block to Isa," Nate repeated. "We had plans for that block. Plans that we've been steadily working toward for almost four years now."
"I'm aware of that." Convening them wasn't going to be as easy as I expected.
"I love the idea," Evan announced.
Nate glared at him and opened his mouth for what I assumed would be a tirade about Evan wanting to preserve the bookstore for Isa from the start, but I quickly interrupted him before he could. "The way I see it is that Isa can turn that block into something far more productive for the town than we ever could. We're never going to take the property from her, and our plan won't work without it."
"Good business isn't throwing away a multi-million-dollar project," Nate replied.
"Good business is knowing when to pivot. It's time to pivot. What's more important to you? The project or Isa's happiness?" I knew it was a lower blow than the situation warranted, but I wanted this. I wanted to do this for Isa.
"I'm going to let that one slide," Nate replied ominously. "Don't suggest I care more about money than Isa's happiness ever again."
I sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. That was out of line. I know you care for Isa, which is why I also know once you get past your unhappiness at not completing the project, you'll see that this is the right thing to do."
