Nicholas shrugged, though it was true that he had—after slapping the man with interest rates so high that they bordered on cruel. He owned Quentin’s ass. And knowing the men who had once courted his beautiful stepsister through the glossy centerfolds of their perfect lives were now completely at his mercy brought him no end of pleasure.
“I also heard from Amanda Strife that you’re the one who’s been buying up all that open land. Apparently, her old company sold its lot to you.” There was a question burrowed in there like a tick. Nicholas set down his wine glass firmly.
“As fun as it’s been wandering down memory lane, what didyou really want to meet with me about? You mentioned you had a business proposition for me. Spit it out. Go big or go home.”
Michael paused, and then moved his own glass carefully out of the way, too. It was called mirroring, which was appropriate, because its effects were just as revealing.
In a beautiful display of timing, the waiter chose that moment to come over and Nicholas was treated to the sight of seeing Michael stammer his way through his order while trying to mentally prepare his hard sell.
“I’ll have the carrot hummus and the Belgian endives,” he said easily, when the waiter looked at him. He’d carefully studied the menu beforehand. “You were saying?”
“Uh, well, as you know, our fathers did business together. They had a contract, which lapsed a few years ago. Just before your father’s death, actually.” Nicholas kept his face blank. “He funded a lot of our development projects in Hollybrook, which was great when the economy was booming. It really delivered on the returns. But now things are tight and there’s less to build. We’ve had to make significant cuts and you own a lot of the prime real estate in the area that’s currently zoned for business. I checked the property records.”
“Did you.”
“It’s my business to know,” he said, a little defensively. “This town may have become a bedroom community but there’s a lot of people who would be very interested in taking advantage of some of those light commercial zones.”
“Nobody goes to the mall anymore?”
“Exactly.” Michael nodded, like he hadn’t just been slighted. “I was hoping you’d honor your father’s business deal with us and front the money in exchange for a generous return on your investment and an offer for one of those empty lots. We couldprobably add some stock options, too.”
“I thought you said nobody wanted to build. Are you sure this project of yours wouldn’t just be bringing coal to Newcastle?”
“There’s an LA tech firm that would like to make use of that open space. Quentin’s cousin is married to their CEO. They want to turn it into an administrative hub. They’re thinking it might incentivize some of their executives to remain on as consultants when they’re put out to pasture.”
“Assuming I sell it to you.” He took another sip of wine. “At a steep discount, it sounds like, given your significant cuts.”
Michael had the grace to blush. “I would consider it a personal favor, from one friend to another.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t ask Jay to come to me when you saw her at the farmers’ market since you two were such good friends.”
Their lunches arrived. The distraction was not enough to prevent the look of surprise, and then wariness, that flashed across the other man’s face. “She mentioned that? We didn’t talk for very long. The babysitter needed to leave, so my wife and I were in a bit of a rush.”
“Too busy for a personal favor, from one friend to another?”
“She was never all that interested in discussing business. I always thought that was strange, because our dads were so close. Most of the other kids in school were friends because of who their parents were. I thought that was why she went out with me, because of her stepfather. We made sense. But she always got upset whenever I tried to bring it up.”
You goddamn fool.“Jay isn’t that type of woman.”
“Look, I don’t know what she told you about what happened,but Jay isn’t exactly an open book. She left here without telling anyone.” He paused, glancing warily at Nicholas, who said nothing. “She must have gone through some shit. Her face—it’s not the same. When we talked, it looked like she could use a friend.”
“And you thought you could be that friend?” Nicholas speared an endive viciously with his fork. “Comfort her while she cries? I wonder what your wife would think about that.”
Some of the color leached out of Michael’s face. “I really think you have the wrong idea about me. I love my wife. Jay and I are over.”
“I’ve seen a lot of men like you in the industry. You love your little development projects until you decide the upkeep is too much trouble and it becomes cheaper just to scrap the whole lot and start over. That’s why I own so many empty lots, Valdez. Because men like you get bored.”
He leaned forward, steepling his fingers together.
“I’ll sell you your lot, but on one condition—stay the fuck away from my sister.”
“What?”
“Jay.” The word fell like a rock in the silence. “Keep her name out of your mouth. If you see her coming, head the other way. Your wife, too. She’s never liked Jay, despite what you think.”
“No, no, that’s not right. Angie and Jay were friends.”
“No, they weren’t,” Nicholas said coldly. “And neither are we.”
