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“But she works for Rafe.”
That wasn’t a question even though he’d meant it as one.
“Yeah,” Cora said, answering it anyway. “And she wants to eventually work for herself.”
How did he not know that?
“What does Rafe have to say about that?”
Her brows lifted. “You mean about potentially losing his best employee?” Cora smiled. “He’s bitching about it every chance he gets, same as he’s been doing since she brought it up to him a couple of months ago.”
Jeremy frowned.
“But he invited her here,” Cora said. “With all these people who have money, so much that they don’t occasionally mind parting with it, especially for someone who’s proven they can be successful and a good worker. They’ve all seen Ben’s new building, seen the work she and Rafe did on it. They want to hire her, and they definitely wouldn’t mind making a couple of bucks back for every dollar they invest in her.” His sister shrugged. “So, I think that says enough about how Rafe feels.”
It did.
It would hurt Rafe, and possibly his business, to lose Teresa.
But he was giving her this opportunity anyway.
“He doesn’t want to make her partner?” Jeremy asked.
Cora smiled softly. “That would be Rafe’s ideal,” she said. “But Teresa wants to do something different, and she wants to make it on her own. No money from family or friends.” A beat. “Or from someone’s very successful friend who would absolutely be willing to invest in a young, female entrepreneur.”
Not willing to partner with Rafe. Nor accept some seed money from him.
Or from her parents.
Or from Ben, apparently, either.
Stubborn woman.
“Think she’d let me cut her a check?” he asked quietly.
Cora’s gaze shot up and humor bled into her face. “I think you’re the last person she wouldeveraccept money from.”
He suspected the same.
Especially after the kiss on the deck.
“Yeah,” he agreed.
“Sam really broke up with her?” Cora asked softly after a moment.
He lifted his brows. “She really didn’t talk to you about it?”
“She’s…well, you know her. It’s less about what’s going on with her than what she can do for you. She’s really good at being there for everyone else, at being capable and confident.” A sigh. “But really, it just means that no one looks close enough to get a glimpse at what’s underneath.”
He thought about that for a moment.
He’d always said that with Teresa, what a person saw was what a person got.
She was competitive, smart, beautiful, capable, and…Cora was right.
Jer had never seen her vulnerable. Not once.
Exceptwhen she’d wiped those tears away.
