Page 27 of Falling for the Bad Boy
“You want to stay in the States, right?”
I nodded. Wyatt already knew that.
“And I want to expand next door.”
“Yeah. And that’s no longer an option.” I shifted in my seat, wanting to add that he’d jacked it up and missed his chance.
Wyatt’s gaze burned bright. “What if there was still a way for both of us to get exactly what we want?”
I shook my head. “And how do you plan on doing that? Last time I checked, you didn’t have a magic wand sitting around.”
“No, but I might have something better. What if the space next door ends up being too much for Trinity to handle?” Wyatt cocked a brow.
“And how might that come about?” I asked, somewhat intrigued and somewhat put off by what Wyatt might be suggesting.
He lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “Say one of her water lines breaks or she comes across asbestos while remodeling… something like that might be too much for a young entrepreneur to handle.”
Leaning back in my chair, I crossed my arms over my chest, my stomach clenching as I processed Wyatt’s suggestion. “You want me to set her up.”
“No, not exactly. We both know she’s in over her head. I’m just thinking she might need a little help understanding how big of a project she’s taken on.”
“So you can swoop in and take her bad investment off her hands.” I narrowed my eyes.
“Like you said, there are a ton of other buildings available downtown. I need this one. She can take her pick of any of the others.”
“What if you offer to buy it from her? Give her a little more than what she paid. Wouldn’t that be a win-win for both of you?” And prevent my conscience from nagging at me for even considering what Wyatt had in mind.
Wyatt lifted his gaze to the ceiling. “I can’t. I’m maxed out on credit and can’t get a loan for more. That’s why I was trying so hard to lowball Hopkins. If I pay a dollar more for the building, we won’t have the funds we need to finance the brewing set up.”
“Sounds like you’ve got yourself in a real jam.” A jam I didn’t want any part of. I got up from the chair, ready to put an end to the conversation. Wyatt wasn’t thinking clearly. It was late. We’d probably laugh about this in the morning.
“You told me you want a reason to stay in the States.” Wyatt stood as well.
“Yeah, but not if the only way to make that happen is to sabotage someone else.”
“We get the building, and I swear I’ll hire you on as manager. Full-time. Pay for the visa and everything.” Wyatt rounded the desk and thrust his hand out for me to shake.
I studied it. Wyatt had the hands of someone who didn’t rustle sheep all day, who didn’t come in from the pasture covered in mud, who didn’t have the constant smell of animal shit clinging to him.
“What would I have to do?” I glanced down at my feet, my jaw clenched tight.
“Nothing drastic. Just a little hazing to make her reconsider her investment. Maybe sneak in overnight and set up something that makes her think twice about sticking around.”
I shuffled my weight from one foot to the other. Could I do it? If it meant not having to go back home and take over the family business? The scent of fresh cut hay floated past my nose. How could I not give it a shot? I’d promised myself I’d do just about anything to keep my own dream alive. I ought to at least sleep on it before telling Wyatt to go fuck himself. “I’ll think about it.”
“Sounds good. Just decide quick. You’ll let me know by the end of the weekend?” Wyatt thrust his hand out again.
This time I shook it. As I did, a shiver ran up my arm and across my shoulders. I was so tired I couldn’t tell if it was apprehension or excitement at the prospect of not having to head home.
I let go of Wyatt’s hand and grabbed my keys from the cubby. “Have a good night, man.”
“You too. And don’t think too hard. I know how much you want to stick around. It’s time you started looking out for yourself.”
I nodded, eager to get upstairs where I could be left alone with my thoughts. Visions of my future flashed through my head as I climbed the steps to my apartment. If I went back to New Zealand, I’d end up just like my parents. A quiet life full of family and hard work. Boring as hell.
As I opened the door, light spilled over the threshold. I never left the light on while I was away. My gaze bounced around the open space. Nothing out of place in the kitchen. I stepped toward the lamp on the side table. Dark hair spilled over the edge of the couch. Trinity curled up in a ball, the hand-knit blanket my mom had sent with me covering her lower half.
My breath caught in my chest. She looked so vulnerable on the huge expanse of my oversized couch. Squatting down next to her, I resisted the urge to run my palm over her arm. Her breath came out on a sigh, and she let out a slight moan that made me wonder what kind of dream she might be having. When I’d offered to let her use my place to crash, I hadn’t expected her to take me up on it. My heart thudded deep in my chest as I considered Wyatt’s deal. How could I pursue my own dream if it meant causing Trinity to lose hers?
