And Reese, more and more these days, felt a little bit like she was drowning.
Regardless of her excitement at the possibility Stan was opening up before her, she didn’t think it was realistic. “As far as I know, you’re also working with The Devereux Group. Don’t you think that’s a slight conflict of interest?”
Stan took a long sip of his beer before meeting her stare. “That deal’s paused. I met with Tripp yesterday about it. We have some financial questions that need to be worked through. At best, I’d be able to pick it up early next year if their annual projections come to fruition. Longer if it takes the terms of the divorce to materialize.”
So Stan did know about the divorce. She doubted that there was much that got past him.
His language was couched, but it was clear he had misgivings about going into business with The Devereux Group for a varietyof reasons. And that, for all her dad’s bravado about the success of the company, it wasn’t doing as well as he let people believe.
“I am sorry to hear about your parents, by the way. It’s never easy when things change.”
“But sometimes it’s for the best,” Reese said, leaning forward. “From one businessperson to another, I’m surprised you didn’t have their projections and earnings statements already. Earlier this summer, I was told that the deal would be closed by now. Seems like it all fell apart right at the end.”
Which, Reese knew, could always happen. People got cold feet all the time in multimillion-dollar transactions, but she didn’t take Stan for the type of man who didn’t dot all hisi’s and cross all hist’s well ahead of schedule.
She could see Stan considering how much to tell her, and as he placed his hands on the table, she waited to hear what decision he’d come to. “Between us, I waited longer than I initially would for some financial documents, as a courtesy to your father because our children were getting married. Regardless of that marriage, I won’t enter into a deal without the necessary information—and that information making sense from a business standpoint. No matter how close to the finish line we are.”
Reese leaned back in her chair, trying to hide her smile. “That makes sense, and I appreciate your candor.”
“Brynn’s spoken very highly of you,” Stan said, and Reese’s whole body snapped to alert. They couldn’t be talking about the same Brynn, to whom Reese had broken the news to that her fiancé was a philanderer. And that she’d been an unknowing party to it.
But she wasn’t going to bring that up to Stan, regardless of what he may know already.
“I haven’t talked to her since the bachelorette party. How is she doing?” She was here if Brynn wanted to reach out, but she wasn’t going to bring it up again, given that she’d already said her piece, and with the admission hanging between them, there wasn’t a whole lot else for them to talk about.
“Thinking a lot about her future.”
A look passed between them, but Reese held herself back from asking more. “Seems like there’s a lot of that going around these days.”
“All I want is for my daughter to be happy. She’s so brilliant and focused, and she has this genuinely positive outlook on the world that her mother and I never want to see dampened.”
“It is a rare quality,” Reese agreed.
Maybe believing the world was a good place wasn’t realistic, but that outlook only had consequences when other people abused it.
People like Grant.
And it rankled Reese all over again. That he walked through the world, using people up and spitting them out when they were no longer convenient for him.
“It is. So, whatever she decides to do, her mother and I will support her,” Stan said pointedly.
“I’m glad she has you in her corner. And she always has me, too,” Reese said, meaning it. “IfI do decide to build a portfolio, the inn will be going through a lot of transition soon. I’m not sure it’s the right vibe for a curious intellectual, but I’m always happy to find a place for Brynn there.”
Stan smiled then, his eyes bright. “I started as a porter at a hotel I eventually went on to invest in for a majority share. Regardless of where Brynn ends up, a little more hands-on practical application in the world may not be a bad thing.”
“Well, if she’s interested, have her call me. I can’t promise it will be glamorous, but it’s an option.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Stan said as the waiter dropped off their lunches. Placing his napkin on his lap, Stan looked at her like they hadn’t just run a conversational marathon. “Now, tell me all about you. I like to know who I may be getting into business with.”
Reese’s lunch with Stan had given her a lot to think about. Namely, if she did decide to expand her footprint in the hotel space, how would she make sure that The Stone’s Throw was taken care of? She had no plans to leave Hallie, or anyone else who worked there, in a lurch. It was antithetical to who she was as a person, and she couldn’t imagine doing something like that to Sydney on top of everyone else who’d be impacted.
Which was why, when she got back and found Hallie sitting at the front desk, eyes focused on the tablet in front of her, she decided to test the waters.
“Got a minute?” Reese asked. “In the office?”
Hallie looked up at her, confusion drawn across her features. “Sure. Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. I just want to run something by you.”
