Page 25 of The Bargain
“Fine for me, but I can tell it’s not so fine for you. Stuff with your family again?”
He seems to hesitate, but only a moment, before he leans in closer and lowers his voice. “My brother tries to compete with me and earn my father’s praise, and I don’t need that praise. I never have. I never will. And I’d happily help my brother succeed if he didn’t make it so damn difficult to even want to help him.”
“The Anna thing—”
“No. I mean, it was shitty. Brothers don’t do that kind of thing to each other, but ultimately it was a blessing for me and a curse for him. She’s a user. She will use him and throw him out, with a wad of cash in her bank account when that happens. The thing about him is, he knows. He doesn’t care. He’s looking for a way to one-up me and find instant gratification, which brings me to the current problem. Anna tells me he’s gotten us involved in something shady.”
“Do you believe her?”
“Yes. And only because she’s worried about that wad I mentioned. If we end up in jail, she might get pulled in with us.”
I want to ask for details but think better. “You told your father?”
“He doesn’t believe me. And the truth is that there was a time I’d fight him, find proof, and end this to protect the company. Now isn’t that time.”
My brow furrows. “What do you mean?”
“I’m one foot out of the door with the family business, focused on Dalton Vault. My father isn’t pleased, but the sibling dynamic is not working. It’s time for me to step aside. I tried to tell my father before I left New York, and now I’m realizing that was not productive for either of us. I’m leaving. What I’m saying is, I’m going to need us to detour to New York on our way to Paris. I’m going to force my father to buy my stock or risk losing control of the business.”
I glance around to ensure no one is in hearing range. “Are you sure you want out, Ethan?”
“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. This has been coming. My brother’s bad behavior has simply escalated my actions by about six months. And, sidenote, we both need to think more fashion-forward anyway. I’ll set-up some industry meet and greets while you’re there. I want the industry to know you’re someone to be on their radar.”
“That all sounds incredible. How long will we be in New York before we go to Paris? I need to plan for my store to stay open. I feel nervous. Lily’s in college and dividing her time.”
“We can hire a manager for your store, and we probably should. You have to think about the bigger brand and its future.”
“I’ll talk to Lily tonight. I probably need to give her a raise.”
“No matter what, we’ll figure it out. And I’m glad you’re excited about Fashion Week. Maybe next year we’ll be showing the Zoey brand.”
“That would be incredible, but I need to get that Paris vote of approval first.”
“You will. If I didn’t think that was going to happen, I wouldn’t have pushed for the brand.”
My cellphone rings, and I glance down to the local number. “Hopefully, this is my passport.” I answer to find it is indeed the passport office but soon discover it’s not good news. The call is short, and I hang up disappointed. “Tomorrow morning.”
“I had a feeling. Let’s just plan to leave the day after tomorrow, if that works for you.”
“That’s good. It gives me time to work things out with Lily. She wants to be a part of the future of the brand. It’s just a matter of not overworking her while she’s trying to finish school.” I think of how supportive she’s been and add, “It’ll work out.”
He slides his MacBook into his briefcase and glances at his Rolex. “It’s four. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Why don’t we grab a bite close to your place?”
My place. My very small, very humble place. I try not to think about it. I worked hard for my duplex. I need to be proud of it and my accomplishments. And if he doesn’t see that, he’s not the right man for me. “There are lots of amazing places close to me. That’s why I chose that neighborhood to live and work.”
“Take me to your favorite spot.” His eyes are warm, his voice warmer, and I melt.
I’m falling for him. Hard. Devastatingly hard. And suddenly, our two worlds are different in ways beyond money. He’s had stunning women like Anna who he’s walked away from. I’ve had barelyanyone. He says we’re not a fling, but I caution myself that I’ll soon be deeply embedded in his life and his world. But I’m visiting. And it’s important to remember that we’re going on an adventure together, creating a brand and a business that benefits us both. In the process, I’m a visitor who gets the rare view of his private life. And visitors go back home.
Sooner or later.
Chapter Eighteen
Sofia
Thedriverdropsusat the door of my favorite Italian restaurant, but the wait is ridiculously long, and I know from my conversations with Ethan today that he left New York at five in the morning. He needs rest, and I find myself waving off the woman adding us to the waitlist and motioning Ethan outside. Once we’re on the sidewalk, we step toward the wall, out of the way of foot traffic. “Do you want to try someplace else?”
I have a fleeting moment of worry over my humble home versus his luxurious lifestyle, but I push past it, hard and fast. I love my little place, and I earned it myself. I’m not going to allow myself to be intimidated by his wealth. “My place is a few blocks away,” I say. “Let’s order pizza. It’s been a long day.”
