Peter opened the office door and smiled. “We’ll see.”
Andrea handed Paris and Diana a copy of the contract David had sent her. Having dinner at The Lakeside Inn had been a wonderful idea. After a busy week, and an even busier Saturday, she was enjoying her friends’ company.
“The proposal seems straightforward, but I’m worried I’m missing something.”
Diana ran her finger down the bullet points. “At least it’s easy to understand. Some contracts I’ve seen are pages long and full of words I don’t understand.”
“Like my last publishing contract,” Katie murmured. “I had to ask Peter what it meant. Do you think you should talk to a lawyer?”
Andrea sighed. “Apart from not being able to afford one, I don’t think it’s necessary. From what’s written in this agreement, David wants a five percent share of my profit until I’ve paid back the money I borrowed from him. When all the money’s repaid, our contract expires and we’re not business partners anymore.”
Katie nodded. “That’s what I think it says, too. What about you, Diana?”
“I agree. What I don’t understand is why he only wants five percent. He could have asked for a lot more.”
“From what I’ve seen, David likes helping people.” Andrea picked up her calculator and punched in some numbers. “If I use the projected profit figures in my business case, and only borrow the bare minimum from David, it will still take me years to repay him.”
“You can repay him faster, if you want to,” Diana reminded her. “You might even want to refinance your loan with the bank in a few years and pay him back even sooner.”
“I didn’t think of that.” Andrea’s phone pinged. Picking it up, she smiled at the video Penny sent her. “Andy and Charlie are enjoying their walk around the lake.” Diana’s two boisterous dogs were chasing after the stick the boys threw into the water. The largest dog was a Golden Lab, also called Charlie. Until Gonzo arrived on the scene, he was her sons’ favorite dog. But little Gonzo had stolen their hearts and had inspired many conversations about getting a puppy of their own.
She showed Katie and Diana the video. “I don’t know who’s enjoying the water more.”
Katie grinned. “Gonzo turns into a crazy dog when he gets close to the lake.”
“He loves company,” Diana said with a sigh. “Deciding to live here was the best thing we ever did.”
Andrea knew how much Sapphire Bay had changed Diana’s life. Not only had she left an abusive marriage to help her sisters renovate their late grandmother’s home, but she’d found love in the most unexpected way.
Finding the love of Andrea’s life didn’t appear anywhere on her five-year plan. But neither had working with a partner in a café she never expected to open. “The only thing I’m worried about is how the partnership will work. David said he’ll be a silent partner, but what does that mean?”
Katie reread the contract. “All it says is that he’ll give you ideas on how to maximize your profit. It doesn’t say you have to do what he says.”
“If you disagree, you’re still in charge.” Diana pointed to another bullet point. “Look at the sixth paragraph. If something major happens, you can repay the loan and end the contract.”
“That’s okay if I’m able to do that. But that won’t happen for another couple of years.”
Diana handed Andrea her copy of the contract. “Then you have to look at what’s best for the café and compromise.”
“That’s what I did for my entire marriage and look how that turned out.”
Katie frowned. “Your husband wasn’t interested in working together. He told you exactly what you should do and when you had to do it.”
And if she didn’t, he hit her. The pain of those beatings went far deeper than the bruises that had covered her body. It destroyed her confidence, her self-worth and, most importantly, her sons’ perception of the world.
Diana’s fingers wrapped around hers. “It’s over. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
Andrea took a deep, shaky breath. “You’re right. If I have an issue with something David says, we can discuss it like mature adults.” Picking up a pen, she quickly signed her name on the bottom of the page. “For better or worse, I now have a business partner.”
Katie threw her arms around Andrea’s shoulders. “Good for you. Now you can buy all the appliances you need.”
“Congratulations,” Diana added. “I can’t wait to become one of your regular customers.”
Andrea hugged her friends. She’d need a lot of regular customers to make her business a success. But, with David’s help, she could now open her café and build a better future for herself and her sons.
After she left the inn, Andrea took the boys home and waited for them to fall asleep before she went through her budget for the hundredth time. It had taken longer than usual for them to settle. They were excited about spending time with Diana’s dogs and Andy, bless his heart, was even more besotted with Gonzo.
Not that she could blame him. The scruffy, brown-haired dog of many breeds, had stolen a little chunk out of her heart, too. Hopefully, once the café was up and running, they could go to the animal shelter and find a dog that needed a forever home, just like Gonzo.
