Page 25 of A Love Like That

“Her yacht?” I asked.

He nodded. “It’s a good opportunity to network. Even if it doesn’t pan out with Celeste, you might be able to secure someone else.”

“Over the Fourth of July?” The AV always had a big event downtown. They blocked off the streets and had live music and events. The kids loved it. It was tradition.

“Yes. You’d be gone two nights and three days.”

I let out a sigh. That long?Fuck.

“Try to change it to a lunch. And move up the date. July is too far away.” I didn’t want Celeste to get the wrong impression. This was business, nothing more.

“Lunch?” He shook his head. But when I said nothing, he added, “Tristan, most people would kill for this opportunity.”

I groaned and turned my attention to my computer, wanting to be done with this conversation.

“She’s our best shot at the moment. You can’t…” He smoothed his tie and forced a smile. “We shouldn’t piss her off.”

“I have an idea.” I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers beneath my chin. “How about you go for me?” Olen knew the company and our technology inside and out.

He laughed, at least until he realized I wasn’t joking. “Um, no. I have a feeling she’d be far from satisfied with that solution.”

Yeah. So did I.

He was right, though. Lockwood Industries was my baby. I was the CEO. And if we were going to secure investors, I needed to be the one to make the pitch.

I tapped my pen to my chin, spinning so my back was to him. I stared out the window at the valley. Sunlight radiated off the vines the region was known for. The vines we were helping make more productive and sustainable. I really did not want to go, but I also didn’t see a way out of it.

“I’m not sure I can leave the kids for that long,” I said. Before Tessa’s death, a business trip wouldn’t have been a big deal. Before her death, a lot of things hadn’t seemed like a big deal.

“It’s a business meeting. You can’t take them.”

I stood. “Let’s see what develops in the meantime.”

“Regardless,” Olen said in a patient tone that grated on me. “She’ll expect an answer. Soon.”

“Stall by playing to her sympathies,” I said, softening. Olen was just trying to do his job. “Remind her that I’m a single dad, and it’s during my children’s summer break.” I spun on him. “No. Not that. Do not mention the word ‘single’ in connection with me.”

“Be honest. Do you have another potential investor?”

I sighed.

“That’s what I thought.” He nodded. “You can’t afford to upset Celeste. Not when she’s our only real option at the moment.”

“She’s not—” I growled. I knew how important this was. I didn’t need him to remind me.

Fuck. The mortgage statements in the mail were reminder enough. As were the loyal and smiling employees I had to walk by every day. Employees who would be out of a job if I couldn’t seal the deal with Celeste or someone else.

“So, is that a yes to Celeste, then?” he asked.

Whatever face I made must have shown my displeasure because Olen said, “Tristan, please. You just need to play nice for a few days. At a party. On a superyacht. It’s really not that awful. Besides, we’resoclose.” He placed his palms together as if in prayer.

I knew he was right. Like it or not, we needed Celeste’s financial backing even more than Olen realized. I had too much riding on this.

How far was I willing to go to save it all?

SEVEN

I walked my bike around the path to the back of the house, pausing at the sound of Tristan’s laughter. Several others joined in, and I hung back for a moment, watching. For the first time since I’d moved in a few weeks ago, Tristan seemed relaxed. Happy almost.

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