Page 12 of The Fake Dating Plan

This time, Laura and Dylan went quiet. They both turned to me. “Can you give us the room?” I said to Ax. We need to think this over.”

“Sure,” he said and led his people out. When we were certain they were out of earshot, Lauren said, “Absolutely not. We don’t have to work with them. We could look for another investor.”

Dylan cut in. “Where? Remember the ticking time bomb Heron gave us. If we don’t buy him out at the end of the month, he will sell us to the highest bidder.”

I could feel that invisible weight crushing me again. The offer felt like a monkey’s paw. It could work well for us, but it also couldn’t.

“I knew this would happen. I knew not to trust him.”

“What should we do?” Laura said.

We couldn’t look for another investor. Heron had blocked all our opportunities to do so and every Venture Capitalist in town had shut their doors to us. When I came to Ax, I knew he was the last resort. But more than that, Ax wanted us. He needed us. And that was the leverage I knew I had on him. Besides, better the devil you knew rather than the devil you don’t right?

“Call them in,” I said.

As soon as Ax strolled in, he said, “Have you reached a decision?”

“Let’s do it.”

He gave me a confident smile that said he knew I would accept.

Not so fast, Ax. “But with one caveat.”

“We get to choose how our products are presented, and the stores they’re sold in.”

His eyes narrowed. He bit his lip in thought, reminding me of how he would look when he clima—I shut down that thought fast.

If I was going to get into business with him, it was going to be just that; business. At least he hated me. The only feelings I had to conquer would be my own and not the brutal force of Axel Reid when he’s set his sights on you.

“Fine,” he said, “Deal.”

We were all filing out of the room, when Ax said, “I would like to have a word with Miss Harris please.”

I remained frozen like a statue as I watched everyone else move past me until it was only him and I in the room. With more confidence than I had, I pulled open a chair and sank with my back straight, staring back at him.

“What’s the word?”

He took the seat opposite mine and said, “I have another proposition for you.”

“I knew it wouldn’t be as easy as this.”

He shrugged. “If you say yes, I can let you do whatever you want,” he said clasping his hands, “Isn’t that what you said?”

Note to self: Never make promises while you’re hanging on a ledge.

“And I assume you’ve come to collect?”

“I wouldn’t put it like that. Actually, I need your help.”

“With what?” I could see a scenario where he would need my help with anything. He looked like he had his shit figured out.

“My mother.”

What was this now?

“You can drop the cocked eyebrow, it’s nothing big. I just want you to say yes, the next time she comes to you asking questions. She might come to you asking… things. About us.”

I didn’t notice that my eyebrows were raised, but this strange request made me frown even more. I crossed my hands. “The past us or the current us?”

---