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“Joar Jacoby. He’s interested in acquiring Hungry Llama.” I let out the breath that, apparently, I’d been holding.
Shay’s eyes widen. “That’s massive, Austin. Isn’t he one of the top tech moguls out there?”
I run my hand through my hair. “Yeah. This is an opportunity we can’t miss. But it also means my life is going to be incredibly hectic as we navigate the deal.”
“More meetings? Late nights?” She visibly stiffens, and I can almost see the walls coming up.
I sigh, pulling her closer. “I’m afraid so. This could be our ticket to a secure future. I understand if you’re frustrated after everything with my mom, I don’t want to slip into that pattern again.”
“Austin, I support you, I do.” Shay takes a moment to collect her thoughts. “Sometimes things come in waves. This is a huge deal and we’ll get through it.”
I grip her hands, trying to convey the depth of my feelings. “Babe, I promise I’m not taking this lightly. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which means financial security for us and for our future family. I also know I’ve been absent a lot with my mom’s shit and that’s not fair to you.”
She leans her forehead against mine. “It’s tough because you’re my favorite person. It feels like every time we get a moment to ourselves, something else comes up.”
“If there was any way to reschedule or delay, I would. Jacoby’s schedule is notorious for being set in stone.” I slump back against the cushions. “Adulting sucks.”
“Yeah. Having responsibility definitely has its drawbacks.” Shay takes a deep breath, releasing it gradually. “You know what? We’ll manage.”
My relief is palpable. “We will. Once this is over, I promise we’ll take some time off. The two of us. Alone. A vacation with no distractions.”
“That sounds perfect.” Shay gets up and motions for me to join her. “But for now, let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll focus on the task at hand. You need to prep for Jacoby and I’m going to help.”
Overwhelmed by her unwavering support, I grab her hand as we retire for the night. “I love you so much, babe. I never want to be without you.”
Shay laughs. “I love you too.”
As we get ready for bed, we chat about the acquisition process. Shay has so many great ideas and she’s so insightful, having her be part of the team is invaluable.
I kiss her deeply. “I’m constantly amazed by you.”
After all the shit with my mom, I can’t believe someone like Shay stays by my side.
It’s another reminder of how lucky I am to have her as my partner.
In every sense of the word.
Chapter thirty-four
Shay
A Few Days Later
The rhythmic sound of my heels on the polished floor of Hungry Llama headquarters is strangely soothing.
I can’t bring myself to put on the kind of casual attire everyone else wears here, I love my tortuous designer shoes too much. My coworkers, for the most part, are great, but there’s still that underlying feeling I don’t belong.
I’d never say anything to Miles or Austin because they’ve gone out of their way to support me, but I can’t stop thinking about The Rainier Foundation. Wonder if I’d be a better fit there.
At this point, I’ll embrace anything that gives me a sense of calm. It’s been fucking chaotic at work ever since Miles got the news Jacoby International was interested in the company. For the past few days, the entire executive team has been frantically pulling together the due diligence materials requested by Joar Jacoby himself.
If Miles and Austin pull this off, it’s life-changing money for everyone who owns shares in the company. At the same time, Hungry Llama is doing spectacularly so I’m not quite sure why everyone feels like their future is hanging in the balance of whether this transaction goes through or not. It will be fine either way.
Oh well, I’m a team player.
After all, my brother is one of the founders and I’m desperately in love with the other, so…
As I turn the corner, I nearly bump into Miles, who’s engaged in a deep discussion with one of our financial analysts. He looks up, nodding a greeting. “Shay! Good. Just the person I was hoping to see. We need those marketing reports for Jacoby.”
