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Dark brown eyes flashing in her bronzed pixie face, she leaned across the desk. Her long dark ponytail was pulled back tight, highlighting her earnest ambition as she leaned forward. Her eyes flashing, she braced her arms on the desk. She was compelling.
It would have been damn entertaining if he didn’t already know how the networks would react to this change in plans. Putting the comic relief with no leadership on her résumé in charge of this massive project was a nonstarter. No way could he sell that to the network.
Her small frame, tightly packed with lean muscle, vibrated as she waited for Dom to answer. Jake couldn’t fault her ambition. It was one of the few things they had in common. He had it himself in spades, which was part of the reason he’d left acting. He’d wanted more serious roles, but he’d never managed to climb out of the “cute kid/hot teen” box he’d been shoved into, and he refused to stay boxed in.
He began to formulate what he would ask for in return, since he could see Dom wavering. He wished like hell that he could just step in and unilaterally say no. But until he had Dom’s signature stating that the network had final creative control, he had to play ball. He was happy enough to ride the wave of popularity from MDash, but if he lost this special after all the hyping up he’d done for his execs, all of that momentum would be lost. He was only as valuable as his current property.
Clearly not pleased that Dom hadn’t already crumbled, Frankie pulled out the big guns. “Dad, listen. I’m going to run this company because I promised Gabe I’d look after it while he was gone.” She paused to swallow hard. “No one expected him to be gone forever, but a Valenti keeps her promises. You taught me that. I’m not going to let him down. Consider this a dry run. If I can handle running our largest renovation to date, not only will you have proof you can trust me, but you and Ma can have that dream retirement she’s been planning.”
Jake broke into her monologue, unable to let her completely run over his plans. "What if you fail?”
Frankie looked at him blankly, as if the possibility hadn’t even occurred to her. “Excuse me?”
Dom still hadn’t spoken, but his attention bounced between them as quickly as their words. He was known for his snap decisions. This indecision was new, and Jake did not like surprises during a negotiation.
Jake pushed back, his voice deliberately hard with sarcasm. “Hey, let’s invest half a million dollars in a project run by a twenty-six-year-old woman with no track record. It’ll be fine. Is that what you want me to sell my executives?”
“I don’t give a flying fuck what your executives—”
Jake stood and cut her off, slapping a hand on Dom’s desk, getting in her face. “Yes, you do. If you didn’t care about the show being a success, you wouldn’t be in here fighting to lead it.”
“Of course I want it to succeed. Why would I want anything with the Valenti name on it to flop? I just don’t care that your network doesn't think I can handle it. Or is it really thatyoudon't think I can handle it?”
Jake dodged the jab and leaned in even farther. “Where is the money coming from? Their approval is the only way this show gets green-lit and funded. If you want the money and exposure from this, you need to get them on board, baby. Cold selling the class clown as the project leader is going to be damn near impossible. Give me something to work with.”
Frankie was twisted like a pretzel over the desk now, and it was a real struggle not to close his eyes and remember. He couldn't afford to lose focus.
“And whose idea was it to make me the clown in the first place?”
“You wanted a bigger role—”
Dom cleared his throat, breaking through their bickering. “Frankie, you will be head contractor on the show. All designs will go through Sofia and will be done before the baby comes. Adrian will help with the local builds off camera so he can be flexible for Fi. Our architects will approve any structural changes. You will run the build crews. Enzo's crews will handle the outdoor design as we’ve already agreed on a timeline that works around the twins. Jake, you will tell the network that she has my full support and oversight. And if we fail to hit production deadlines, we will pay back twenty percent of their seed money.” Decisive Dom picked a hell of a time to show up.
“Dad! That’s a hundred grand!”
“I know, and you’ll be the one covering it. You want to run the business for real, you’ve got to have skin in the game.”
“I can sell that,” Jake quickly agreed, recognizing the value of that statement as a bargaining chip. Doubt and desire warred on Frankie’s face, but her ambition was stronger than her fear. Jake had yet to see her back down from a challenge.
“I’ll do it.” Her hand was shaking but she held it out to Jake to seal the deal.
He was the one who had to suppress his reaction to her handshake. Electricity zinged up his forearm, and his grip contracted unconsciously around her fingers. He couldn’t let go, even though he knew he should.
She was too young. And the daughter of a friend and colleague. And now a business partner in her own right. He forced all the reasons he couldn’t indulge in this attraction to parade through his mind so he could let go of her hand and finish this damn negotiation. It was going to be a long six months on this project.
But when it was done, he’d be that much closer to his goal of being a respected and sought-after showrunner.
“It’s a deal.” He released her hand finally, extending his fingers before clenching them tight around the lingering buzz.A very long six months.
CHAPTER4
"Dad,I promise youwon’t regret this.”
No promises I won't, though.Frankie took a deep breath to steady herself and hopped off the desk. What had she done? Had she really gotten what she wanted? At what cost? Jake had left to update the altered contracts and get approval, leaving her alone with her father as her adrenaline dropped.
“I hopeyouwon’t regret it. This is a big step, baby.”
Frankie ignored the nickname that always drove her nuts as her father seemed to read her mind. Today was a day for picking battles.
