Page 71 of Falling for the Bad Boy
Tempted to spend the day under the covers, feeling sorry for myself and avoiding the outside world, I took in a deep breath. I needed to call the whole thing off with Wyatt. The sooner the better, too. Before Trinity got word about how I’d almost sabotaged her business. As I got up to get dressed, I pumped myself up to take on Wyatt.
No matter what Wyatt offered, no matter how he sweetened the pot, the answer was no. Trinity deserved to make a go of No Limits without me and Wyatt trying to derail her. Her family history was so entwined with this building that it couldn’t be anything but what she’d envisioned. Wyatt would see it that way, too. He had to.
A half hour later Wyatt slammed his fist down on his desk. A full mug of coffee rattled, sloshing a few drops onto the papers that always seemed to litter his desk.
“You’ve got to be shitting me.” Wyatt’s face flushed, his cheeks red with rage.
I held my ground. “Sorry. I just can’t be a part of it. She deserves a chance to realize her dreams.”
“And what about my dreams?” Wyatt placed his palms on his desk and leaned forward, his gaze drilling into me.
“You had your chance.” I shook my head. “Hopkins offered to sell you the building before she even got involved. You should have taken it then.”
Wyatt clenched his jaw, his voice a low growl. “I told you, I tried. He didn’t take my offer.”
“Because you lowballed the man.” I spread my arms. “I can’t help you. I won’t.”
“What about you? You really want to run home to mom and dad and spend the rest of your life playing with yarn?”
I swallowed my own anger. Wyatt was pissed. He was blowing off steam. He’d cool off eventually and figure out another way.
“We can find another building. I was over on the east side of town the other day. There was a warehouse that looked perfect. With the influx of cash your dad’s friends are willing to put into it, you’d have enough to move the operation. We can still make this work.”
Wyatt slumped into his chair. “That would set us back. Moving all this shit. Do you have any idea how much that would cost us?”
“No. But I’ll figure it out.” The fact that he no longer looked like he wanted to leap across the desk and strangle me was a good sign. A very good sign. “Let me run some numbers. I can put together a business plan and show them how moving the operation would be an even better decision.”
“You really think that’s going to work or are you just trying to save your girlfriend’s ass?” Wyatt funneled his hands through his hair.
“If you get what you want, does it matter?” I asked.
“Hell, I suppose not. You’ve got a week.” Wyatt reached for his phone. “My dad wanted me to present something formal to his friends soon, anyway. They’ll all be sharing a house out in Napa. You get the plan together and we’ll fly out and present. If they say yes, then we’re still a go.”
“And if they say no?” I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer.
“Then you go back to playing with your balls of yarn and sticks of wood, and I force your girlfriend out on my own.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t let it come to that. “If you want me to put together a comprehensive business plan that they’re going to buy into, I’m going to need every spare second. That means no shifts behind the bar for me this week.”
“You got it.” Wyatt sat up straight in his chair. “You’d better nail this.”
Panic began to claw its way up my throat. I swallowed hard, forcing it down. I’d figure out a way. “They go for it, and our arrangement still stands?”
“Yep.” Wyatt thrust his hand across the desk.
I shook it, my heart squeezing tight in my chest. This was it. I had one final shot at making sure Trinity and I both got what we wanted. If I succeeded, she’d never know the truth about what I’d almost done. But if I didn’t, I’d have no choice but to head home and lose her forever.
I couldn’t afford to fail.
CHAPTER 31
Trinity
I followed the receptionist down the hall, my shoes sinking into the plush carpet. James had switched plans at the last minute and wanted me to meet him at the law office where he worked on the other side of downtown. He said he was stuck in a meeting that had already gone on too long and having me show up would be a good reason to have to excuse himself.
As I glanced over the tops of cubicles, my gaze swept over the rows and rows of employees, and I shuddered, grateful my grandmother knew me better than I knew myself. I never would have been happy in an environment like this.
“Mr. Ryan is waiting for you in here.” The receptionist pushed open a thick wooden door.
