Page 139 of Crazy In Love
“Hey, sweetheart.” My father wrapped his arms around me. “I’ve missed you. Come on in.”
I followed them into the office, and Dad moved around the other side of his desk to face us as my mom took the seat beside me.
“Why is Cami here?” I asked.
They shared a look, and then my mother spoke. “It’s just business. Nothing important. We’re more interested in why you scheduled a formal meeting with us and didn’t just come by the house.”
I knew my mother well enough to know when she was trying to avoid something, and she definitely didn’t want to talk about Cami.
Fine. That would make this conversation even easier.
“I’m here to discuss the Vintage Rose.”
She groaned. “For God’s sake, Emilia, you are really dragging this out. Your brother called us, and he’s using all sorts of legal jargon and insisting we take half of his ownership and transfer it to you. You and your boyfriend have really blown this out of proportion.”
“Margaret.” My father’s voice was harsher than I’d ever heard it, and she looked at him with surprise. “There are reasons this is coming up, and we’re going to discuss them with our daughter.” This was new. “Emilia, we’ve clearly made some mistakes. We want to make things right.”
He’d never stood up to my mother in all the years I’d been around. She looked as shocked as I probably did.
“Great, that’s what I’m here for. But I don’t want to take Jacoby’s piece of the business. He does the books, and I feel like you gave him a fair deal. He doesn’t take a salary, after all, and instead he has a stake in the company.” I shrugged.
“I’m glad someone is thinking rationally.” My mother glared at my father, a smug look painted on her face.
“Don’t get excited, Mother. This is the deal I’m here to offer you. I’ve run the flower shop for years, and I’ve poured my heart into it. I’ve increased the annual income every single year since I’ve taken over.” I paused and looked at both of them. Really looked at them. My parents. The people who should always have my back. But they hadn’t, and it was time to let them know that wasn’t okay. I loved them, but I wasn’t going to be their doormat anymore.
“And we’re very, very proud of you for that,” Dad said, smiling at me with that dimple in his left cheek.
“Thank you, Dad. But honestly, if you were proud of me, and really valued what I’ve brought to the business, you would have come to me and offered me a deal like you did with Jacoby,” Isaid, holding my hand up when my mom started to interrupt. “It’s not something you need to defend, because it’s actually indefensible. You took advantage of your own daughter, and I don’t want to deep-dive into why you would do that. But I’m here to correct it. So let me tell you how this is going to play out.”
“Oh, so you get a rich, fancy boyfriend and now you think you’re calling the shots?” she hissed.
I hadn’t even told them that we weren’t together. Because they weren’t the people I went to when I was hurting. But she was correct about one thing.
Bridger Chadwick had made me realize my worth. Not that I was better than anyone, but that I was worthy and deserving of much better than what I’d received.
He’d empowered me to find my voice. To speak up for myself.
I was grateful for that.
“You know what, Mom? I met a man who sees my worth and my talent. So if you think that means I’m calling the shots, then that’s your problem. I don’t think I’m better than anyone, but I don’t think that I’m less than, either. So I’m here to make you an offer.”
“An offer? As if you have the power now?” my mother snipped.
“Margaret, I’m going to ask you to stop talking, and if you can’t do that, then I’m going to insist you leave the office and let me conduct this meeting on my own,” Dad said, and by the look on my mother’s face, she was completely stunned. “Please continue, Emilia.”
“My interior design business, Vintage Interiors, is doing very well. I just signed a contract to renovate and design several vacation rentals for a large corporation.” I blew out a breath. It felt good to get this off my chest. “I feel the best option is for Beatrice to run the flower shop full-time. She can take over my salary, and I will instead take an equal part of the business towhat Jacoby has, as I will still oversee the daily operations and step in when I’m needed.”
“You think you deserve to have what Jacoby has?” My mother said it like I’d asked for her head on a platter.
“I wasn’t finished, Mom.” My gaze locked with hers before I continued. “I’ll take over the back office and work Vintage Interiors out of there, so I’m on site when needed. I’ll still do all of the ordering, marketing, and the window design. I’ll hire new employees when needed, and I’ll continue to have the meetings with distributors. But Beatrice will be the person behind the counter daily, and I’ll be in and out, depending on what’s going on with my business. I do feel the twenty percent is more than fair, as that will give Jacoby and me each an equal-equity piece of the business, and you and Gram will each get thirty percent instead of forty percent.”
“And if we say no?” she asked.
“If you say no, that’s fine with me, but I will walk away entirely. I will not be there to pick up the slack and to make sure everything is running smoothly. This deal offers you thirty percent ownership of a business that you never step foot in. But if you want to get involved and start working there, then you have my blessing, and I’ll show you everything that I do now so we can transition it all over to you smoothly. I’m not here to fight you. I’m here to make a fair deal. Take it or leave it.”
“We’ll take the deal,” Dad said, his gaze softened as he looked at me. “It’s more than fair.”
“Bart!” my mother shrieked. “We need to discuss this.”
