Page 43 of The Billionaire's Claim: Redemption
“Is that why you sent me upstairs?”
He winks. “One of the reasons.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Nope. Just sit at the table and look gorgeous.” He smiles. “Shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”
So I go to the rectangle dining table. It’s too windy for us to sit out by the sea tonight. Dominic’s strewn fresh blossoms on the smooth cherry-wood surface; I pick one up, inhale its heady scent and slide it behind an ear, feeling like a carefree tropical girl.
He brings out food—a platter of garlic bread, the pasta with huge prawns, mussels and clams, all of which are my favorite, and a side of simple green salad. “We don’t have any pie or anything, but there’s chocolate ice cream and whipped cream for dessert if you want,” he says as he sits down.
“That sounds great.” I look at the food laid out. “Everything looks amazing.” I turn to him. “Perfect, actually.”
The stereo system plays something soft, romantic and slow. He serves me crisp white wine, which is an excellent pairing choice for the entrée.
“So,” I start after a small bite of the pasta, “how did a man who can cook like a dream end up in the industry you’re in? Real estate and online media, right?”
“I didn’t mean to go into real estate at all, actually. I fell into it…or maybe it fell on me.”
“What do you mean?” I know what the articles say about him, but they aren’t the whole story. The public never gets to hear everything.
“My granddad died less than a month after…” He stops, then takes a sip of white wine.
I know he was about to say “after your betrayal.” I read the obituary. I’m sorry, Dominic. So sorry.
“He died ten years ago and left me his company—Shaw Construction. It was completely unexpected, since he and I weren’t close. He disapproved of my mom’s choice of husband, and as far as he was concerned, I was part of the problem. He thought if it weren’t for me and Kristen, maybe Mom would’ve left Dad when she realized Granddad wasn’t leaving her a penny.”
“I’m sorry. That mu
st’ve been awful.”
The smile on his lips is tight. “I would’ve preferred an apology for being a jerk about my parents. Some part of me wanted to spit on his will, let him know he couldn’t make things right by giving me the company. But my rational side recognized an opportunity I shouldn’t throw away out of pride. He was dead. I couldn’t change how he’d behaved toward my parents or treated me and Kristen, but I could use what he left me as a base to build my empire.”
“So you just…took over?”
“Not at first. I didn’t know enough. But the company had a CEO and CFO who ran it together, so I learned everything, starting from the bottom. I didn’t want to be the kind of executive who spouted theories and Harvard case studies without understanding his core business or speaking the language his workers spoke.”
Admiration surges inside me. I know a lot of CEOs, and not all of them care about what the low-level workers think. Their only focus is hitting quarterly targets to get their bonuses and gain media attention for being a “super CEO.”
The company he built isn’t about ego, but his drive to do better, to succeed and be the best he can be.
“Let me know when you get tired of running a for-profit business,” I say teasingly. “Maybe you can run the Pryce Family Foundation for me.”
He laughs. “Don’t make it seem like I’m God’s gift to management. I’m not. I’ve had some really tough moments when I was close to losing it all.”
“What happened?”
“Deals went bad. Usually the other side dicking around, especially when they’re the ones coughing up the cash. I couldn’t even pay my workers one month, and I felt like the biggest failure in the world.”
“But you didn’t fail.”
“Because somehow, somewhere, an angel was watching over me.” He gives me a tender, lingering look. “She sent me bankers and investors who floated me cash to get through the tough spots. If it hadn’t been for her, I would’ve been homeless a long time ago.”
I smile, my chest full and tight with pride and happiness. I love knowing I helped him. Even though he’s being modest, I know he would’ve found a way out of the crises without my aid. To be fair, it wasn’t much assistance. “Don’t give that angel too much credit. She might’ve sent you bankers and investors, but it’s you who convinced them you and your company are the ones to place their money for a good, safe return.”
“Nope. Couldn’t have done it without her.” He grows thoughtful. “And to think I used to blame her for screwing with my life and business…”
“Everyone gets mad at the beings up there”—I point toward the sky—“from time to time. I’m sure she understood.”
