“Why would you do that for me?”
No missing the suspicion in those words.“Why?Because I owe you, and if I can help in some small way, then I need to do it.I reallycando this.”
Katie sat back in her chair, rubbed her temples.“You give me a headache.You speak with such sincerity that I want to believe you even though I know I shouldneverbelieve anything you say again.”Pause and a sharp, “Do you think I’m desperate?”
Ian contemplated the question.“Desperate?Not yet.But investors want results, and if you can’t deliver them soon, you could start doing things that put you and the company at risk.”
“So, I’ll become careless.I’ll start trying anything, lose focus, and I’ll fail.That’swhat you’re saying, isn’t it?If I don’t enlistyourhelp, I’m going to fail.”
Damn, he did not want to say those words, but it was the truth.Shewouldfail, and then he’d have a choice as the silent investor to either fix it without her finding out or shut down the project.Both were bad options, for herandfor him.If she’d only let him take a peek, he could show her what would work to make her profitable.
The engineer might not have to show up…she might not have to find out who that engineer was… or the fact that Ian had invested in her company.Eventually, yes, shewouldhave to know, but not until they’d had a chance to spend time together…maybe see if they could find their way back to each other…fulfill the dreams they’d had, the plans, the future…all of it.That’swhat he wanted—a life with Katie.
Could it happen?Was there even the slightest chance?Maybe, but it would be a slow and steady process, and there couldn’t be any missteps.“Let me help.It’s the least I can do.”
Katie triedto calculate the sincerity in Ian Finnegan’s offer.He said he felt sorry and wanted to make it up to her, but could that be true?Was there some other reason, one she hadn’t anticipated?He’d once told her the soup-business idea was a gold mine and she should not let it go.You could create your own brand and become a household name.Do you have any idea how much money you could make?
You do know it’s not just about the money, don’t you?
He’d smiled, bent his head, and brushed his lips against hers.It should never be just about the money.With you, it never would be…don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise.Another kiss, this one deeper.Don’t let anyone ever steal your dream.
Ian Finnegan had told her so many things, includingYou own my heartandI want a life with you.And then he’d vanished and blocked her number, and the “why” didn’t matter.He’d done it and stayed away for ten years.How convenient that he showed up when her company had gone national.She didn’t trust him, but she did need help.If the engineer arrived and she had no actionable plans to improve production, it wouldn’t be good.
“It’s not like I’d actually be inside the factory—” he shifted in his chair, rubbed his jaw, “—not until you get more comfortable with me.”
Comfortablewith him?That look, those eyes, the voice?The man knew how to pull a person in, make them believe they mattered, and when he spoke?Well, that could melt even the toughest reservation.Even if they had no history, it would be difficult to get comfortable around a man who could steal a woman’s breath without even trying.He’d been able to do that to her, but that was years ago, back when she was naïve and believed he wanted a life with her.This current arrangement was business and as crazy as it seemed and as much as she didnotwant to depend on him, she needed help.“Here’s the deal.I’ll let you see the production reports and the factory layout, and if you’re able to make any suggestions by looking at them, Imightlet you see more.”She expected him to make a joke about the offer, but he didn’t.
“Fair enough.”
“Do you want to look at them now or would you like to set up another time?”
“I’m free if you are.”
“Okay then.”She made her way to the file cabinet, picked out a few folders, and handed them to him.Katie watched as Ian leafed through the files and began to study them.After a few minutes, he reached for the pad of paper on her desk, grabbed a pen, and jotted down notes.Her gaze settled on his hands…he had the softest touch, so gentle, so persuasive, so–
“Who’s Jackson?”
“What?”
“Who’s Jackson?”
She didn’t miss the pinched brows and frown when he asked the question.Katie fought the heat creeping to her cheeks, threatening to spread across her face.“He was a consultant.”She would not admit he was the man who’d asked her to marry him.
“Hmm.The guy sure seems to have a lot of sway with you.Add five thousand square feet for storage?Build a shipping dock and more office space?”He shifted the plans to the side and read along the margin.“Landscape the front of the property?”Those blue eyes turned three shades darker, his expression curious.“What sort of real estate is he in?”
Why could this man always see more than she wanted him to…?A shrug, a nonchalant, “Commercial.”
“And did he negotiate a deal for you on this place?”
The tone said ticked and not impressed.She met his gaze, nodded.“He did.He’s been the top real estate producer in the Renova area for the past six years.I can help you grow this place.Let me help you.We make a great team.Think what we could do together?We could have it all.No, they really couldn’t because while he was intelligent, generous, and driven, the passion hadn’t been there.Not the breathtaking, can’t-think passion that makes you lose your words when the person walks in the room.Jackson had never understood that and didn’t seem to notice.When she’d tried to explain, his response had been that he loved her enough for both of them and insisted her feelings for him would grow stronger once she opened her heart.I’ll never hurt you.You’ve been hurt Katie; you’re afraid, but you don’t have to be afraid with me.They’d dated three years before he proposed.Once he slipped the engagement ring on her finger, talk shifted from what they could achieve in the business world to how many babies would fill the four-bedroom home they’d build in Renova.We should think about hiring someone to run Katie’s Soups, don’t you think?
No, and no.You need to find someone who has the same vision as you,she’d told him the day she returned the ring.I’m not that person.
Ian crashed through her thoughts with more questions about Jackson.“Did he have a lot of say in what you did?”
Why not just ask if she had a personal relationship with him?––because that’s what he really wanted to know.She could tell by the set of his jaw and the brackets around his mouth.“We dated.”
“I see.”He opened his mouth to say more, waited a full ten seconds before he continued.“You do know it’s never a good idea to get involved with people you work with…”
