Page 40 of Made For You
“I’m…. Really? You mean it? You’re not just messing around with your old grandma?”
“Why would I do that? Of course I’m being serious. Dean has a good plan, and with his large investment, I won’t need grandfather’s approval.”
“I was certain you’d turn it down. I even told Dean so. You know how much your moth— I love that place,” she said with a shaky breath. “What convinced you?”
Dean spoke up again, “A girl.”
I glared in his direction, the expression deepening when I saw Olive stiffen in her chair. I’d been so distracted by Gigi’s teasing that I didn’t notice my assistant hadn’t closed my door after bringing Dean his drink. I nodded to my friend and he quickly made work of shutting the door and locking it.
“It’s getting serious then. I can’t wait to meet her. How did you meet? Where is she from?”
Not getting the hint that he needed to shut his trap, Dean answered, “Ironically, she lives just an hour outside of Knoxville.”
My grandmother squealed in delight. I imagined her delicate cheeks turning a pinkish hue like her favorite carnations.
“Gigi, I’ll call you later. Right now, I need to kill Dean.”
“Okay.” And then after a pause, “Don’t hurt him too badly, Dean. He’s my favorite grandson.”
Throwing my hands in the air, I looked over at my cackling friend as Gigi ended the call.
“What the fuck was that about? When were you going to tell me that Aurora lives only an hour away from the hotel?”
“Because you’re a genius who has access to a map and her address. I didn’t think I needed to hold your hand when it came to locating your wife.”
“Well, is there anything else I need to know?”
“Maybe, but I don’t think you’re ready to hear it.”
“Dude, you’re pussyfooting around me like I’m a fucking child.”
“What does pussyfooting even mean? It’s a terrible term.”
“It’s like… being cautious,” I said without thinking. “Seriously, Dean. Are there any other surprises you should share?”
He shook his head without breaking eye contact. The fact that he was picking at the fabric of his pants while doing so told me he was lying. But I was too worked up to push him on it.
Breaking the tension in the room, I began sifting through the email Dean sent. His budget was large but timeframe slim. As in, he wanted to get started as soon as possible. I wasn’t even sure where I was going to find a construction crew on such short notice.
“Dean, this timeline isn’t reasonable.”
“Yes, it is. I already have everything lined up, waiting for your go-ahead. The money is being transferred over as we speak.”
“Were you planning on me saying yes?”
“No, just hopeful. And I knew you’d see it was a good business decision. Wilder Hotels needs to continue to branch out from the beachside oasis.”
“Based on your timeline, I need to have a crew ready to go next week. I’d need to be onsite for most of this.”
“Look, Talon. All of these hotels run like a well-oiled machine. That’s thanks to you and your ability to hire the best managers. You turned the entire chain around in less than a year.Youdid that.
“You don’t need to be in this office every day to do your job. All you need is a computer and a phone.”
“What will you do?”
“I’ll be a silent partner, mostly. But I may come visit every once in a while to see the progress. I like to know how my money is being spent.”
“Fuck, I guess I should figure out some temporary living arrangements.”
