“Mandisa, you’re looking for an investor. It’s not really Venus’ style to invest in other companies. We don’t want partnership, we wantownership.”
“What?”
“We want to purchase your company and bring you and it on board to the Venus family. Sweet Sadie’s is a success because of your formula. We want to bring you on as the lead chemist in a new line targeted for people ofcolor.”
“So, instead of owning my own company, I’d just be another employee at yours?” If the way she flinched when she finished her sentence was any indication, he understood how she felt about that without her having to say it. “Why would I come work for you when I can just continue to work formyself?”
“Because according to the conversation we had last night, you don’t really want the burden of running your mother’s companyanyway.”
“You know what, Slade? Fuckyou!”
He smiled, his charm seemingly unfazed by her directive. “Been there, done that, hope to do it again. But that’s not the point. The point is you told me last night that running this business was never something you wanted. It was always your mama’s dream. You just wanted to use your science to makethings.”
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest before she spoke. “I told that to Slade, a nice man who was showing me a good time and allowing me to relax. I wasn’t talking to the director of a company that’s looking to buy meout.”
“As luck would have it, those two men are one and the same. Mandisa, last night I told you I wanted nothing more than to take all your worry away. That I wanted to show you how peaceful and fulfilling life could be when you’re focused on the important things. We didn’t know I could help you then. Let me do itnow.”
She watched him, watched sincerity paint his features and twinkle in his blue eyes. It was there last night when they were naked, eating burgers and fries in his bed, and she’d believedhim.
But can I trust himnow?
“Slade, you can’t just whisk me away and magically take away my life, myresponsibilities.”
“Darlin’, you don’t know this about me, but I can pretty much make anything happen if I put my mind to it. Let me show you there’s another way, a betterway.”
“What are yousuggesting?”
“Spend some time with me. Come down to Austin, let me show you all the reasons why I love my city. Let me take care of you. If you aren’t fully convinced that selling your business to me is the best thing you could do for yourself afterwards, then I’ll bring you back home. No harm, nofoul.”
If only it were that easy. The idea of spending her days with Slade, not worried about spreadsheets, account balances, inventory, and government regulations regarding the creation of cosmetic products was tempting. Considering how magical their night spent together had been, the idea of running off to his quaint little ranch, living a simple life, appealed beyond goodreason.
“Slade. I can’t do this. I have a life here, a business. I can’t justleave.”
“You have employees, a manager perhaps? There has to be someone you can trust to look after your stores. Let the people who work for you do their job, and you go have some fun. Three weeks. That’s all I’m asking. It’s not an eternity, and it’s not enough time to do any damage to yourbusiness.”
He was right. Kandi was phenomenal at her job. She could handle all five stores for any length of time, but that wasn’t the issue. Mandisa belonged in Brooklyn running her mother’sstores.
“Slade, it’s a ridiculous idea. Nothing you say or do in Texas is going to impact my decision. I’m not selling SweetSadie’s.”
“You really do underestimate me, darlin’. How about we make a little wager? You come spend three weeks with me in Austin. I’ll show you all the city has to offer. I’ll even take you to visit my little spread of land and my horses for a few days. You completely extract yourself from Sweet Sadie’s. The only time Kandi will be allowed to contact you will be in emergent situations. When those three weeks are up, if I’ve made my case, and you love everything about what I’m offeringyou—”
“A lowly job versus the ownership of my owncompany?”
He shook his head. “Your freedom,” he answered. “If you don’t absolutely love being free of all of this and just getting back to the science, getting back to the thing you love, then I will double your asking amount of investment capital for the same percentage you originallyoffered.”
Double?
She’d asked him for a five-million-dollar investment for fifteen percent of her company. Could she really afford to turn down the ten million dollars winning this bet wouldyield?
“What’s the matter, darlin’? You scared you’lllose?”
Three weeks in Texas with him, and she’d walk away with ten million dollars in hand for Sweet Sadie’s. It should’ve been the easiest decision of her life, but it wasn’t. The decision was hers to make, but somehow, she felt Slade’s powers of persuasion might be dangerous enough to become a problem forher.
She shook her head. She couldn’t overthink this. Her company needed this money, and it was being laid at her feet. All she had to do was sayyes.
“So what’s your answer,darlin’?”
