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“It could work,” she says softly, her voice filled with optimism. “And you are on good terms with Mr. Whalon?”
“I am,” I say truthfully. “My uncle is simply using him as a pawn in this game. He convinced him that selling would be to his benefit, but it isn’t. He just needs to realize it.”
I nod, feeling a renewed sense of purpose coursing through me. If I can secure the necessary investment on my own, it might just give me the leverage to convince Chase that there’s an alternative to buying the entire company. We could form a joint venture instead.
After our last conversation, I can’t help but believe that there’s a flicker of sincerity in Chase’s words, that he truly doesn’t want to harm me. This could be the moment to test the authenticity of his intentions, to see if he’s willing to find a compromise that doesn’t involve the sale of my father’s company.
He just needs to say yes.
Chapter 39
Chase
I’m in the midst of a busy morning at the office when my assistant patches through an unexpected call. The name she mentions makes my heart race, and I answer with a cautious tone.
“Chase Keaton’s office,” I greet, keeping my voice professional.
Madison’s laughter dances through the line, a surprising sound that instantly brightens my day.
“Chase, it’s me,” she quips, her voice lighthearted. “I thought we should discuss business matters in a business manner, as you suggested.”
I can’t help but chuckle.
“Alright then, Miss Hailey,” I reply, genuinely impressed by her initiative. “What’s on your mind?”
She proceeds to lay out an idea she came up with this morning, and I have to admit, it’s a solid one. I listen attentively, my mind racing as I consider the possibilities. A joint venture is never what I was after, but after all that has happened, and the way she keeps surprising me, I find myself quietly listening instead of immediately rejecting the idea as I would have just a couple of weeks ago.
When she finishes, she sounds positively thrilled.
I take a moment before responding, my doubts lurking in the background.
“I can tell that you’ve worked hard on this,” I tell her.
“My assistant and I came up with it this morning,” she says. “I’ll just have to talk to Mr. Whalon, but I’m sure I can get him on board, and together we could get Mr. Johnson back to the original agreement. My uncle can sell his shares to you, and we could—”
“I’ll give it some thought,” I cut her off. “We should discuss it in more detail soon.”
Madison’s voice is filled with enthusiasm as she asks: “How about tomorrow?”
I hesitate for a moment, torn between business and personal commitments. My mother’s birthday is coming up and I’m flying her in tomorrow to spend a few days with her. It’s a little tradition we started, ever since things were taking off for me in California.
“I’ll be a little busy,” I admit reluctantly. “My mother’s visiting for the next couple of days.”
Madison’s tone betrays a hint of apprehension, as if she doesn’t entirely believe my words. But then she concedes, “Alright, we’ll talk later. Next week?”
“I will call you,” I promise. “As soon as I’m free to talk more.”
She doesn’t say anything, but her disappointment is palpable in the uncomfortable pause that follows.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to take the wind out of your sails,” I try to soothe her. “I’m not lying to you.”
“Okay,” she says, still sounding a little wary.
We exchange polite goodbyes, and as the call ends I can’t shake the feeling that the path ahead is only going to become more complicated.
Her solution is smart, and if she can really pull this off I would be an idiot not to consider a joint venture. It would be a compromise, though. And I never wanted a compromise.
I lean back in my chair, my gaze absentmindedly scanning the view through my window as I contemplate my next move. All of my life I have always known what I wanted, and what decisions I need to take to get it, but this… this is the toughest nut I’ve ever had to crack.
