Chapter 28
“I look forward to doing business with you.”
“Likewise,” said Xavier, smiling into the phone.
“I’ll send over the contract by the end of this week, have a look over it, let me know if you have any questions, otherwise we’re fine to proceed.”
“Thanks, Chad.”
He hung up, pleased with himself. Relieved, too, to know that someone else had taken a chance on him. He would sign and return the contract as soon as possible.
He scanned through his emails on his cell phone and located the email Izzy had sent him a week ago:
I’ve reported the theft to the police. Will let you know if I hear back. Sorry, once again, but I didn’t ask to be robbed. Hope you can claim insurance.
He was grinning like an idiot, reading through the straight-to-the-point, emotionless email, and he had no idea why. Izzy with her thorns and barbed wire response, and the obviously blatant fact that she didn’t give a shit about him re-ignited his desire to conquer her.
He’d wasted a golden opportunity last week when she had come over and reworked his report. He had been so annoyed about the MacBook being stolen, so caught up in the investment he so badly needed, that he’d let that rule his behavior. He could have been softer, more understanding, more concerned about her instead of Chad’s meeting. If he had been nicer to her at a time when she was so vulnerable, he might have found an easier way to connect with her.
But he’d been pissed off and she’d been eager to fix the situation and leave.
But with him and Chad almost ready to go into business together, he could use Izzy’s help. He knew he needed to be mindful of her time and studies, but if she wanted more work, and he sensed she was always hungry for more, she could do more hours for him.
It was the least he could do. He owed her. He hadn’t secured Hennessy’s investment because of her report, but he recognized the part she’d played in putting it all together. She had produced the kind of report he wouldn’t have been able to do himself. Her report had definitely helped. No doubt about it, and now it was time to make it up to her.
He called her. “I got the investment I needed.”
“What?”
“The investment,” he repeated, “The meeting I had, the document you put together? It worked out and I got what I needed.”
“Congratulations.”
“And, since you had a big part to play in it, how about I take you to dinner?”
“Dinner?” she sounded horrified.
“Dinner. You and me. No strings attached.”
“Uh, no thanks.”
“Come on, Laronde. It won’t be as horrific as you’re making it out to be.”
“I’ve had dinner.”
“Then come and have a celebratory drink with me.”
He would take her to The Oasis, right in front of Luke, so that he could see that progress was being made.
“I don’t drink.”
“Then have a mocktail, and I’ll let you know where we are with the police report.”
She didn’t say anything. She didn’t decline. He had a feeling he might have wormed his way in. She was thinking about it.
“It won’t be too long and it would make me feel good to at least take you out for a drink.”
“Not needed. Really. I’m pleased you got what you wanted.”
“I would get what I wanted if you came out and helped me celebrate. Please.”
“Why are you begging me? I didn’t think you were capable of begging.”
“Only when it comes to—.” He was about to make a distasteful remark—was about to say ‘girls-who-play-hard-to-get’ but something told him he would never see her again if he said that.
Smutty replies, and conversation loaded with innuendo was his hallmark, but try as he might to dull it down when Laronde was around, he couldn’t.
“Only when it comes to people who go out of their way for me,” he said. “That report you did was awesome, and all I want to do is show you my appreciation.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I behaved like a total jerk the other day, and I’m sorry.” He had thought about that evening long after she’d left. And he’d felt guilty about his behavior, especially in light of the fact that she’d only just been robbed. He could have handled things differently. He’d felt like a real shit that she’d been so determined to make it up to him that she’d done nothing but work on his report.
“You don’t need to take me anywhere.”
“I’m not taking you anywhere, Laronde. I’m taking me for a celebratory drink, and I’m asking you to come along.” He waited for her to think about it some more. There were some girls who assumed, and some girls who wouldn’t have waited for him to finish asking, but Laronde needed to be persuaded. He had much to learn. And learning to woo her, fighting for it, seemed a whole heap more challenging and rewarding than anything else.
“Uh.”
Hell, yes, she was thinking about it. “And if you had a virgin mocktail or two, maybe some nachos and green veggie stuff, it might feel like a celebration.”
“I can’t stay out for too long. I’ve got coursework.”
“An hour, or two. Can you spare that?” He suddenly remembered what else he had for her. “Because of the new business, I’ll have extra work for you, if you want it.”
“A couple of hours extra?”
That was what baited her? The prospect of more money, more work, more hours? With this new line of business, he could give her exactly that.
“An extra 10, maybe 20 hours a week, if you can fit it in.”
“20?” she squealed, the way most girls did when he told them what sexy things he was going to do to them. “20 hours a week?”
“At the most, yes, if you want it.”
“I want it, god, yes. Of course I want it.”
Jeez. There she went again, getting her panties wet about work. He’d consider it a major advancement if he ever figured out how this girl’s brain was wired. She talked about work the way most women talked about sex.
“I had a feeling you might.”
“Okay, so, where are we going?”
“The Oasis rooftop bar.” He gave her the address. “I can pick you up.”
“I’m old enough to ride the subway, Stone. You don’t have to worry about me.”
He wasn’t going to push it.