Page 84 of I'm Looking for a Man in Finance
I kept my expression neutral. Last time we’d met, Theo had passed along information that had made me a king at Berkley Williams. It had also come with strings attached—strings I suspected he was about to start pulling.
“I wrapped everything up at the office this morning,” I told him. “Cleared the afternoon just in case.”
“Smart,” he replied, dividing the appetizers betweenour plates with meticulous precision. “I’m not sure how much time this conversation will take.”
He had tousled his white-blonde hair, and his usually icy blue eyes looked far more tired than I remembered.
“I believe congratulations are in order,” I said, raising my glass. He’d just been recognized by Rooster’s board as the proper choice for the company’s next CEO, despite early rumors that the board might look beyond the Drake family for the next person to put at the helm. But in the end, Theo had won them over.
“Thank you,” he said.
“You used my information from our last conversation well,” he added, voice low.
I nodded. Neither of us was willing to dig into that conversation. It had danced too far into a gray area for either of us to risk any illegal discourse.
“Well,” he said after a beat, leaning forward slightly. “No sense in continuing the small talk.”
I was used to Theo appearing aloof and unconcerned about the repercussions of his actions. But the Theo I was lunching with today appeared on edge. His leg bounced under the table and his fingers drummed against the white tablecloth.
Whatever this was, it wasn’t just business. And it definitely wasn’t casual.
“Please.” I gestured in his direction, offering for him to take the lead.
“I’m sure you read the headlines,” Theo began. “After my brother’s hubris led to his own downfall, I scraped what was left of Rooster back together and am trying to carve something beautiful out of its remains. I firedevery executive that had grown fat and happy under my brother’s leadership. People that fired others who’d been the backbone of my company for years, just so they could pad their pockets with bigger and bigger bonuses. I’ve reallocated funds from irrelevant expenditures to benefit employees who have dedicated their lives to Rooster. But during my close examination of the health of the company, I’ve come across a unique problem that I think you have the skill set to solve.”
It was impressive—listening to the way Theo had taken a scalpel to his family’s company to cut away the excess fat. But for all his talk, I had no idea why I was sitting across from him.
“What did you find?” I asked cautiously.
“My brother has money set aside to start our own venture capital firm. But that was as far as he got. You, however,” Theo leaned back in his chair, giving me the first glimpse of the business shark that I knew him to be, “you mentioned once that you wanted to start your own firm. Would you consider leading Rooster’s venture capital firm?”
That may have been the furthest thing I would have expected Theo to call me here for today.
But what was even more surprising was the way excitement pumped through my veins at the idea of having that kind of opportunity. It wasn’t just a job, it was an opportunity to shape something from the ground up. A seat at the table, not just another cog in the machine.
There was only one problem.
Hallie.
The last thing I wanted was to take on a new role thatwould chain me to my desk to get it off the ground. It would sign our death certificate before we even started.
“I will consider it,” I said slowly.
Theo dipped his head in understanding.
“But,” I added, “I have a few things I would need in order for me to accept the offer.”
“Now you speak my language, Rossi. Please proceed.” Theo grinned, showing nearly all his teeth as he eagerly waited for me to lay out my proposition. “Let’s hear it.”
“Recent developments in my life would require for me to not spend all my hours at the office,” I said. “If I take this on, I want to be able to work flexibly, and I expect the same for my team. I don’t want anyone watching the sunset through a boardroom window five nights a week.”
Theo raised a single eyebrow at my plan.
I charged ahead. “If we’re really going to make Rooster into the kind of company people respect, then this firm has to reflect that. The financial industry’s never prioritized balance, never cared about its employees’ quality of life. I think we should be the ones to change that. Offer the best benefits. Attract the best minds. And still be the best at what we do.”
Theo didn’t respond right away. He just studied me, and for a brief second, I saw something that I could only describe as respect.
“Who is she?” he asked after a beat.
