Our last meeting was seven days ago. I went to my clients,who were really unhappy about having to shell out more money, and Mike’scounteroffer was a joke. There was not a chance in hell Hadley’s clients wouldever take it, but my job is to at least bring it to the table and see. When Icalled Hadley, she laughed and hung up, not even saying a word.
I explained, once again, to Mike that he was going to haveto bend a lot more, to which we went back and forth on an offer that I thinkshe’ll actually entertain.
“Please, let’s hear it.”
“My client is prepared to allow you to keep the one seat onthe board, but also provide you with two things.”I slide the contract addendum to them.“First, is the lump sum of six million dollars, which is clearly much lowerthan the twenty you asked for, but please allow me to give you the secondportion of the deal.” Hadley’s eyes narrow and then widen as she reads it. “Asmuch as it seems this is about money, land, and seats on the board, I believeit’s about much more to you—legacy. It’s about the land your grandfather had,and his grandfather before that. You don’t actually want the seats on the board,or maybe you do, but my client is a developer. However, his desires for thisland are not what you assume and he is willing to contractually agree that hewill not build or tear anything down without your approval.”
Her client gasps and then looks to Mike. “I don’tunderstand. Why would you do that? Why would you buy it if your entire goalwasn’t to develop on it?”
Mike looks to me and I nod. I was very clear he wasn’tallowed to talk because he’s a freaking hothead and we needed to keep it calm,but I actually think it’s important he says this part. “When we bought theproperty, it wasn’t because we wanted to put a parking lot there. I bought itbecause the land that butts the property was my grandfather’s. I have been waitingto buy something close to where he grew up for years. Yes, I plan to build asmaller sized resort, but not right away. I may never do it.”
“You don’t want to put up a mall or something else?” Herclients ask in confusion.
“No. If we did build on there, to start it would be a house somy father can live there, where my grandfather is buried.”
Which is why he wanted this done so quickly that he agreedto terms he never should’ve.
Hadley’s eyes meet mine and understanding swims there. Sheleans in to her clients, whispering in their ears. They nod and say somethingback so I do the same to Mike.
“I think they’ll take it.”
“I hope so. My father doesn’t have much time.”
It took a two-hour conversation to finally get to the heartof why he wanted the deed so fast, but also was hesitant on just telling me thetruth. He needed to say the land was a business investment so that he could buyit through his company. The board could’ve vetoed the sale if they thought itwas never going to be developed.
So, this is the compromise we came up with that hopefullyhelps everyone.
Hadley clears her throat. “My clients accept these terms.”
The paperwork is signed, everyone is happy—except for me.Because I don’t know when I’ll see her again, and I can’t handle that thought.
ChapterThirteen
HADLEY
Oh, God. No. No, no, no, no. I look at the pregnancy testresults again. I cannot be freaking pregnant.
I am on the pill.
I’m also stupid because I’ve missed a day and have beenhaving massive amounts of unprotected sex.
Melanie knocks on the bathroom stall door in my officebuilding. “Had? What are the results?”
I called my cousin after I threw up again before my meetingwith Cayden. I thought it could be nerves, but then it happened again justafter I walked past an intern who was having a tuna sandwich.
After that I did some mental math and realized I’m two weekslate. I am never late.
“It’s wrong,” I tell her.
“Wrong because it’s negative?” The hope in her voice iscute.
I push the door open, tears running down my cheeks and Ihand her the test. She doesn’t need to look at it to know what the results arethough.
“Oh, shit.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re pregnant,” Melanie confirms what I already know.
