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First he’d been pissed about what she’d said. That she wanted to just take over where he left off if he decided not to buy Southside. It was exactly the reason he put that clause in there in the first place.
There was no way he was going to work his ass off, put his personal life on hold once again, and then let someone else walk away with the prize.
Once he calmed down he realized that, one, she said if he decided not to buy it. And, two, that she was only asking his opinion on if she could do it.
The last thing was enough for him to be shot back into reality that his reaction was uncalled for. That she had no clue what the contract said. It’s not like she was in any position to fight it, nor did he think she or her parents would.
So the bigger issue was the ass he made of himself with his reaction knowing how fragile Hadley could be and he felt like he broke the shield that he’d help her build.
Yep, that was the kicker. She’d told him he was the one that made her feel like she could do it. Not just do but muster the courage to talk to him about it.
“What’s going on with Southside?” Hailey asked.
They were at his house. He was going into Duke’s later. Hadley would be out at four today, but he’d be at Duke’s. She had Wednesday and Sunday off. He was trying to give her the time off when he was off too yet they hadn’t even talked to know if he’d see her tomorrow or not.
He was going to have to swallow his pride, he knew.
“Stan and Louisa’s daughter, Hadley, works for me.”
“I know,” Hailey said. “She’s doing the desserts and promotions.”
“Oh,” he said. He wasn’t sure how she knew that and then realized it didn’t matter. Hailey always seemed to know everything. That was part of her job. Nothing was a secret on this island.
“She is also the woman you’ve been seen with lately too,” Hailey said, grinning.
“I don’t even want to know how you know that information,” he said.
“Does it matter? It’s not like I’m telling anyone.”
He knew she wouldn’t. “Thanks. I guess. I don’t know. Here’s the thing.” He told her all about the conversation they’d had on Sunday.
“First question, do you think you’ll be buying Southside?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Then this is all moot,” Hailey said.
His big shoulders dropped. “I know.”
“I’m not sure I see the big deal,” Hailey said. “You just admitted that she had no idea of the contract. It was only asking your opinion on top of it.”
“I know,” he said. “But I guess if something happens in the next few months and I decide not to buy it, what kind of fight is it going to be to make sure the menu is changed?”
“It’s not the menu,” Hailey said. “It’s how the food is cooked. They can’t use your recipes. But they can serve a bacon burger just like you. All they have to do is change one ingredient, you know that.”
He did. Rather than onion salt in the mix, they could put finely chopped onions or add more salt. Cook the burgers longer. Only one simple change and it was no longer his recipe.
He’d added that clause more as smoke and mirrors so that he wasn’t working his ass off to have someone take back over and ride out the waves that his storm created.
“I do,” he said.
“It sounds to me that you might be overreacting more because you’ve got a personal relationship with Hadley and a business one.”
“There is that too,” he said.
“We’ve all been there,” Hailey said. “I know firsthand.”
“Before I talk to her again, I just needed to make sure I covered myself.”
