Chapter 10
Lucas
I stared across the table and bit back a curse. This was the third consultation I'd had with this company in California. I’d made a joint offer to buy them out with Seth Lawrence from Energy Synergy. I was beyond annoyed with the negotiations, mostly because they were dragging on needlessly. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy and thought they had a leg to stand on negotiation wise. They had some promising technology, but they had seen none of it through to fruition. I’d made the offer to purchase the company solely to own the patents. That was it. We could do what they had failed to do and would bring those patents beyond a dream.
I stared at the table for a beat before spinning to glance at Seth Lawrence. “I think we’re done negotiating. Seems to me they’d rather go bankrupt than take our offer. What do you think?”
Seth got a glint in his blue eyes. I knew Seth well. We'd worked together for years after crossing paths at a conference. We held all the power in this negotiation simply because we were offering these guys the best deal they were going to get.
Seth shrugged and ran a hand through his black hair. “Agreed.”
At that, I stood and strode across the room, glancing back when I reached the door.
The two men on the opposite side of the table shifted in their seats. John and Leonard Collier were brothers and had been sought after by many engineering companies after stellar success on a project in grad school. They'd overreached and ran out of money far before they could do anything with their ideas.
I felt a twinge of guilt about it, but it was either Seth and I buy up their company, or far less scrupulous corporations would do the dirty work for us. I watched as John glanced to Leonard. He looked back at me, his gaze resigned.
“Fine. Can't blame me for pushing as hard as I did.”
I waited at the door for a beat. “Fine what?” I countered.
John sighed. “Fine. We’ll take the deal.”
I returned to my seat, considering whether to push them even lower, but decided against it.
“This is the smart decision even if it sucks. Both of you are welcome at either one of our companies, and you know it. Or you can take a step back and try again to develop your own projects again. You guys are great at the ideas, not so great at the business end of things. I can't say what your best choice is, but think it through next time.” After we finalized our deal, John and Leonard left, and the door to the conference room clicked shut behind them, Seth caught my eyes.
He shook his head with a chuckle. “How many times have you done this now?” he asked good-naturedly.
“Good engineers don't always make good businessman. You and I might be the exceptions to the rule.”
Seth barked a laugh. “I'm not so sure about that. I think it's more we lucked out on timing, and we’ve got good people around us to guide us right.”
I grinned. “That's exactly what I mean. That’s why I hire good people.”
Seth leaned back in his chair and cocked his head to the side. “I actually liked those guys. Do you think they wanted take a position with one of us?”
“I'm not sure. They like owning their ideas. Either they'll get over that, or they'll surround themselves with better people next time.”
“Time will tell,” Seth replied.
“How are things around here?” I asked him.
“They're great. I couldn't be happier,” he replied with a wide smile.
Seth had done what many thought was crazy a few years ago and moved Energy Synergy from his main base in Boston to a small town in the edge of the Sierra Mountains. He loved the outdoors, loved to ski and wanted to work in a place he loved. I’d actually been up to visit a few times because I enjoyed outdoor photography. The Sierras were a dream for that. Seth had a smaller team and kept Energy Synergy low profile, and I think he liked it that way. He and I worked well together. He didn't have much ego, and wasn’t afraid to spar with me over ideas. It was one of my strongest professional partnerships, and one I intended to keep for the remainder of my career.
Seth had also fallen head over heels in love with an engineer he’d hired a few years back. He’d been married over two years now and had gone from a rather uptight workaholic to a far more relaxed workaholic. He was happier and at peace. His transformation had surprised me.
“Did I tell you Nicole was pregnant?” he asked.
“You did. How’s she doing?”
“So far, so good. I want her to slow down workwise, and she won't. She keeps telling me it's not like she has a physically demanding job,” Seth said with a roll of his eyes.
“At least you work together.”
Seth grinned. “Can’t imagine working without her anymore.”
“When’s the baby due?”
“Next May. After January, I told her we’re putting a hold on any travel. If you try to drag me into any negotiations, just know that I'll be handling them via videoconference.”
I chuckled. “No problem. I don't see any other ideas floating around we might want right now.”
Seth and I had designed many of the current, cutting-edge technologies for sustainable energy. There were a few other companies that competed at our level, but not many. After a brief interruption from one of my assistants, Seth stood and glanced my way.
“Nicole was hoping you might grab dinner with us. You up for it?” he asked.
At my nod, we agreed on a time and location.
***
That evening at dinner, I looked across the table at Seth and Nicole. Nicole was brilliant and beautiful with her dark brown hair and eyes to match. To be honest, she was probably smarter than Seth and me. He’d fallen for her brains, and damn if she didn’t have him at her beck and call. I couldn’t imagine a better match for him.
We discussed a few projects with Nicole getting animated about one she was working on. The conversation got rather technical with her explaining in detail her plans.
She glanced over at me. “So what do you think?”
I inclined my head and nodded. “As always, you’re brilliant Nicole. It sounds promising already. I'd love to steal it from you, but I won't.”
She flashed a grin. Seth slid his arm across her shoulders, idly sitting his fingers through her hair and leaning back into his chair as he relaxed.
“You can buy up anyone's patents but ours. We might share though,” he said with a chuckle.
“How much longer will you to be in the city?” I asked.
“Just until tomorrow,” Nicole replied. “I have another meeting with one of the developers who's helping me with our design, and then we’ll head home. Do you plan to visit again anytime soon?”
“It's always on my radar. Probably in the winter. It's so beautiful then.”
“As much as you love the outdoors, it amazes me you spend so much time in cities,” she commented.
I shrugged. “It's my life. I'd have to downsize Chandler International at this point to make a change like that.”
She nodded, glancing to Seth. “I'm so glad Seth moved Energy Synergy to the Sierras,” she commented.
I arched a brow. “You don’t say?”
“If he hadn't, I’d never have met him.”
Nicole leaned over and dropped a kiss on his cheek, her gesture casual, but the affection so clear.
Sophia sauntered into my thoughts. She was almost always dancing along the edges of them the last few days, an unusual experience for me. I'd been disgruntled when I'd woken with her beside me to find that text from Seth, saying we needed to meet again to finalize these negotiations. I hadn't wanted to leave. I had almost canceled and told Seth he could handle it for us. Yet, that would've been entirely out of character for me. Sophia tugged at places inside of me I hadn't known were susceptible.
In the not-so-distant past, I would've left on a trip like this, leaving Kayla behind, and thought nothing of it. I was oddly relieved after Sophia's press release regarding my apology for storming out of the interview. It had the intended effect of tamping down the incessant questions. My next interview was scheduled the same day I flew back from here to New York City. In the two days since I’d left, I’d resisted the urge to call or text her. I certainly could have under the guise of work. But the feelings she elicited inside me made me restless. Yet, I wanted what I wanted.
Watching Seth with Nicole made me wonder in a distant corner of my mind if I could have something similar with Sophia. We finished dinner and walked outside. We’d met in downtown San Francisco for dinner. I watched as Seth and Nicole walked away, his hand hooked in the back pocket of her jeans as they strolled down the street. Their comfort and easy affection again made me rethink what I’d thought I once had with Kayla. Even though I’d fancied myself in love with Kayla, I couldn’t say I’d had that kind of connection with her.
My mind spun back to the other night with Sophia—the feel of sinking into her core, her legs curling around me, the wild edge to her as we moved together, and the way it felt as if I'd known her for far longer then I actually had.
I shook my thoughts away and turned quickly, calling my driver to take me to my place here in San Francisco. Unlike in New York, I lived in an actual house on the outskirts of the city here. I let myself into my home later. It felt quiet and alone, almost echoing with the absence of someone else. I’d never thought much about how much of my personal time I spent on my own. One night with Sophia made me think about what that might mean.