Jamie took a sip of coffee and closed his own computer.“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Moving here.To Columbus?”
Joesph took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.“I’ve thought about it.I really have.”He looked Jamie in the eyes.“I just don’t think I’m ready to strike out on my own.Money is a big factor, too.”
“How much do you think you’d need?”Jamie took a sip of his coffee as he studied his friend.
“A lot,” Joesph said.“If I took all my savings, cashed in my 401(k), even if I sold Belinda, I’d have to have a major loan and I...I don’t think I’m ready to go down that road.”
“I get it.”Jamie sighed.“I did something really scary by deciding to move back here.While I have some great memories of growing up here, I also have some...demons that I’ve already had to deal with.”
“Yeah, that HVAC guy?”
“Yes, him, and another.”Jamie shook his head.“But, with the other one, it was good.He apologized for making my life miserable.Hell, he even married my best friend from high school, and she wasnothis biggest fan.”Jamie chuckled.
“Wow, that’s pretty cool.”Joesph smiled.
“Yeah, it was cool.”Jamie leaned forward, leaning his elbows on the table.“So, how much?Give me an approximate amount.”
“I have no real idea.I don’t know what the real estate market is like here.While you can start up a designer business without a showroom, it takes a lot longer to establish a clientele.”
“I’m going to tell you something that almost no one knows about.”Jamie took another deep breath.“So, I’m going to ask you that you tell no one.I need you to swear on Belinda.”
“Oh, I don’t think I want to know, especially if it will cost me Belinda.She’ssacred!”
“And what if I told you that you could have a backer to open your own business?”
Joesph cocked his head to one side, his eyes heavily lidded.“Oh yeah?You got yourself a Daddy Warbucks now?”
“No.”Jamie smiled.“IamDaddy Warbucks.”
“Do what?”Joesph was sitting ramrod straight suddenly.
“Well, my grandparents left me some money.”
“Jamie, mydarling, I’m not talking about a few grand here.It would be a lot more.Besides, I’m not going to take your inheritance.”
Jamie leaned forward and looked over his shoulder before facing Joesph.“I’m rich.Like, really,reallyrich.”
