“Hey yourself.” I shift my bag higher on my shoulder. “So. Contract stuff.”
“Yeah.” He steps aside. “Elena and Rahul are already here. We’re set up in the library.”
I enter and he leads me toward the library.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. A text from Ethan:You there yet?
Right. The promise.
Marco glances at me.
“It’s Ethan,” I explain.
I fire back:Just arrived. Marco answered the door. Still has his face. Still stupidly attractive. Send help.
Ethan sends:That’s not funny.
I reply:Wasn’t trying to be funny. Reporting facts as promised.
Ethan:Text me when you leave.
Me:Will do. Love you too, my overprotective brother.
He sends back a middle finger emoji, which I’m choosing to interpret as affection.
“What did he say?” Marco asks.
I show him, and Marco suppresses a smile. “Typical Ethan.”
We reach the library. Elena Park, his lead counsel, sits at the table with her laptop open and several color-coded folders arranged in front of her. Rahul Desai, Marco’s CFO, is next to her, reviewing something on his tablet.
“Jessica.” Elena stands and offers her hand. “Good to see you.”
“You, too.” I shake her hand and slide into thechair across from them. Marco takes the seat beside me.
“All right.” Elena opens the top folder. “Let’s talk Brave Kitchen first.”
For the next forty-five minutes, we go through the details. Independent contractor status. Micro grants routed through Lucy Hammond-Blackwell’s foundation so there’s no direct financial tie to Marco.
“You maintain creative control,” Elena explains near the end. “Marco provides support without oversight.”
“It’s your show,” Marco adds quietly.
I glance at him. He’s staring at the contract like it contains the secrets of the universe instead of just a bunch of legal jargon about IP ownership.
Rahul slides another document across the table. “This is the support agreement. It funnels resources to your programming but you’re under no obligation to report metrics or outcomes. You run it how you see fit.”
It reallyismy show.
I scan the numbers. They’re generous. More than generous.
“This is a lot of money,” I say slowly.
“It’s the right amount,” Marco replies. His tone leaves no room for negotiation.
Elena points to a clause halfway down the page. “There’s also a provision here that if at any point you feel the arrangement compromises your independence, you can terminate with thirty days notice. No penalties.”
I read the clause.
