Page 79 of The Reality of Us
“My parents have a friend keen to invest in a small business.”
It might be a good thing. And she could say no.
“And they’re interested in The Emancipation of Alice?” Why did it sound like he had to force the words out? Did Owen think it was a ridiculous idea?
She burrowed her face into his chest, focused on the steady beat of his heart, the familiar feel of his jumper under her cheek. “Seems so.”
“That’s ….” great, was what she was hoping he would say. “Wow,” was what he went with instead. “What did you say?”
She shrugged, not lifting her face. “Nothing, really. I was too shocked.”
“Whoever this friend is should really give you a proper business proposal, spell out the percentage they’d want to purchase, what their financial contributions would be, whether they’d be a silent partner or expect to make decisions as well.” Alice swallowed the small taste of disappointment that filled her mouth. It made sense that the lawyer inside of Owen took over because the boyfriend part was still so new and secret.
“I think I just wanted them to come out and see what I’ve done and be proud of me.”
He pressed a kiss against the crown of her head, and she melted against him.
“Sounds like they were, though, doesn’t it?”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. If they thought you were wasting your time, they wouldn’t be encouraging a friend to go into business with you. It’s a compliment, really. A very well-deserved one.”
This time she did look up. Warmth and familiarity were etched across his face, reinforced by the way he was stroking her back, how she fitted so perfectly against him while he said what she needed to hear.
“Would you help me figure out what to reply to this investor dude’s email with? Should I meet with him, maybe?”
He cupped her jaw, coaxing her forward. Not that she needed any convincing. “I’ll always help with whatever you need.”
Alice swallowed. It was time to come clean about the pictures. Phoenix’s threat. Keeping it from Owen for this long had been foolish, but with the court case coming up next month, she owed the truth to both her boyfriend and lawyer. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
“I have some news for you, too.”
He snagged their glasses off the bench. “Come sit with me.”
Owen tried to smile, but his mind was reeling. An investor could be a game changer for Alice’s business. And it could take her away from him. Couple that with the news he had for her, and he was grateful they hadn’t eaten yet. Some of the tension in his shoulders eased when she cuddled up next to him, her hand sliding over his thigh. He twisted so they could see each other.
“I heard from Dean Malus today.” There went her bottom lip, just like he’d known it would.
“And?” she asked.
“Phoenix will agree to the divorce terms we set forward, but he still wants forty grand. He’s got some debts he needs to pay, and this is a direct quote: ‘he’s not going to protect you forever’. He wants your answer by next Friday.”
Alice’s mouth twisted to the side as she mused over what he’d said. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm and measured, but the flush on her neck gave her away. Owen’s gut told him there was something she was keeping from him.
“What would you do?”
“As a lawyer, I’d look at the probability of the judge siding with us while weighing up the court costs and everything you stand to lose. We haven’t spoken about this in detail yet, but he might be planning to go after The Emancipation of Alice. Claim you’re profiting from your reputation, which he is partly responsible for. Think about it. He’s desperate for cash, and his brand’s in the toilet.”
“But he hasn’t had anything to do with this. This is all mine.”
Owen brushed his thumb across her palm, linking their fingers together. He took a deep breath and asked the question that couldn’t be avoided any longer. “Is there anything else he could try to use against you?”
He tried not to read too much into the way her gaze dropped to the floor, how she avoided his eyes.
“It’s embarrassing,” she mumbled.
“Honey,” he said softly, doing his best to quell the warring emotions in his chest to protect her while wanting to gently force the truth from her, “there’s nothing you can tell me that will change anything between us. You need to know that, okay? I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. Whatever you need to tell me, it’s going to be okay.”
