The Devil She Knew (A Lantana Island Romance Book 2)

by Talia Hunter

  Nate started the meeting by explaining why they wanted to go it alone, but his mind was only half on what he was saying. Suzie would be cooking up a storm right now. She was probably nervous as hell about the wedding tonight, but she shouldn’t be. She was such a great cook, it was sure to be a huge success.

  “I understand completely,” Kevin said. “That’s why I’d like to propose a new deal.”

  Nate blinked. He’d drifted off into his thoughts about Suzie and wasn’t sure he’d heard the CEO correctly. “Excuse me?”

  Kevin slid two contracts across the table to Nate and Tristan. “Instead of a buy out, I’m proposing a partnership. If we take the strongest qualities that each of us have to offer, together we’ll be unstoppable.”

  A partnership. Nate picked up one of the contracts, staring at it without being able to focus on the words.

  Dammit, how could he even consider never calling Suzie or seeing her again? They’d only been apart for three days and he’d spent every minute of that time missing her. Even now, her catering job seemed more important than this meeting.

  Tristan kicked his leg, frowning at him. He had to get his head in the game.

  “… course we want your system,” Kevin was saying. “But even more than that, we want you to be in charge of that part of the business and make sure the cars are up to date with your market-leading technology. You have the knowledge we need, and we want you to create our cars.”

  Nate frowned. “In charge?” he repeated.

  “You’d have carte-blanche to run the new division however you see fit, and make the cars you want to make. Of course, we want the cars we make to be the only ones using your system, but you’d retain the rights for anything else. Boat steering systems, for example. And you’d have plenty of money to throw into development.” The CEO nodded at Tristan, who must have mentioned their plans. “We need both of you and we’re offering a bonus to sweeten the deal. Sign a partnership with us, and as well as getting ownership of our new division, you’ll be considerably richer.”

  Tristan wore a stunned expression. He flipped through the contract, but his eyes were slightly glazed. Nate knew he wasn’t really reading, but considering the possibilities.

  Nate stared at the contract as well, but he couldn’t concentrate on it until he’d made up his mind about Suzie.

  “You can go it alone, no doubt,” said Kevin, sitting back and running his hand over his bald head. “But the rewards if we worked together would be far greater.”

  And that was the point, wasn’t it? Nate had never experienced happiness as profound as he’d felt when he was on the yacht with Suzie. If he never got to feel like that again, his would be a life only half lived. So she could get hit by a car, or get cancer, or eat a damn apple the wrong way. Wasn’t even the smallest amount of time with her worth risking any amount of pain for?

  “The real benefit of a partnership is the power we’d gain by combining our knowledge,” Kevin said. “So the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. We provide you with our expertise in car building, and you apply your considerable skills to make something neither of us could have made alone.”

  Suzie had changed the way Nate saw the world. He pictured her covered in squid ink diving fearlessly into the sea, and felt a smile play around his lips. She’d made him happy, and he could do the same for her. If she let him. Like Harrison had said, all he needed to do was convince her how amazing she was. He could support her. Help her achieve her dreams.

  And if she were here right now, she’d probably tell him in no uncertain terms to stop daydreaming and focus on the partnership he was being offered. He grinned, imagining her curls bouncing as she told him he was crazy to even think about turning it down.

  Screw it.

  As he made his decision, it was as though a thick, black cloud had lifted off him. He was all in, one hundred percent. It felt good. More than good, he felt totally euphoric. He’d leave right now and call her, except she’d be busy cooking and wouldn’t appreciate the distraction. That was okay. He’d get on a plane to LA first chance he got.

  “So, you’re happy with the contract?” The CEO raised his eyebrows, and Nate realized he was grinning.

  Oh yeah, the contract. He liked the idea, and now he’d made the most important decision, maybe he could focus on it. First he had to read through it and catch up on anything he might have missed.

  “We need time to consider it,” he said. “We’ll take it with us and give you a call.”

  Kevin inclined his head. “Naturally. But can you tell me your initial thoughts? Do you think we’ll be able to make a deal?”

  Nate glanced at Tristan who was still reading the pages in front of him. “Will you give me a moment with my business partner?”

  “Of course.” Kevin stood up and the other executives followed his lead. “I’ll have someone bring in coffee and cake, and if you want to talk again before you leave, just let the secretary at the front desk know.”

  When the door shut behind him, Nate looked at Tristan. “So?”

  Tristan broke into a wide grin. “Well, I’d have to read the fine print. But it sure looks good.”

  Nate nodded. A partnership was a dream solution. He’d get access to hardware, expertise and technology it would have taken him years to replicate if he was starting from scratch. This would speed things up and he could easily press on with his idea for putting the system into boats at the same time. One thing for sure, they’d end up with a far better product.

  There was just one thing. If he was going to make it work with Suzie, a long-distance relationship wasn’t an option.

  He scanned the contract, skimming through all the clauses. He’d be building the new division from scratch, so theoretically he could base it wherever he wanted. It would start out as a research center as they worked toward putting together their first prototype, and he’d begin with a small, hand-picked team.

  So why not base it in LA?

  23

  Suzie hung up the telephone in Marianna’s kitchen and whooped so loudly that in the hallway, Rusty lifted his head and barked. “Another booking.” She turned to Marianna. “Someone else who was at the wedding on Friday night, and wants us to cook at their event. They asked if I could do my calamari dish.”

  Marianna dropped the serving dish she was soaping back into the sink and smiled. “Sounds like it was a big hit.”

  That was an understatement. The guests had cleaned the plates in record time, and after giving away every business card she’d taken with her, Suzie had resorted to scribbling Marianna’s number down on napkins and giving them to everyone who asked.

  The massive chance she’d taken had paid off, and the fresh seafood had made the difference. She was just glad Marianna wasn’t mad that she’d gone ahead and made the calamari anyway, instead of the mini quiches. But man, did it feel good to have pulled it off and made the wedding a success. Maybe she’d never know how it felt to turn down fifty-five million dollars, but now she knew how it felt to bet on yourself and win.

  Thank you, Nate.

  Without his confidence boost – and his ‘Screw it’ motto – she wouldn’t have taken the chance.

  She shook her head, trying to banish thoughts of Nate. She wanted to enjoy her moment in the sun and forget about the Nate-sized hole in her heart. How was it even possible to miss someone so much?

  “You okay?” asked Marianna.

  “Yes. Yes, I’m better than okay. Thank you for not being angry with me.”

  “Angry? Are you kidding?” Marianna grabbed a dish towel and wiped her hands. “I have something I want to ask you. Do you think you’d be interested in owning a share of my business?”

  Suzie’s heart turned over. “What do you mean?”

  “This was the first weekend I’ve had off in years, and from the sound of it, taking some time off was the best thing I could have done. If there are two of us running the business, not only will I be able to do it more often, but we can do more e
vents as well.”

  Was she serious? “I was hoping you’d give me more responsibility and more hours. I hadn’t thought any further than that.”

  “That’s exactly what I want, too. If you agree to buy thirty percent of the business, you could be running one event, while I do another. Double the income. And you’ll earn thirty percent of the profits.”

  “You want me to buy a share?” Suzie’s heart sank. “I can’t afford—”

  “I know.” Marianna dropped the dish towel on the bench and held both hands up. “That’s why I’ve come up with a solution. It’s only fair you pay something, seeing as I’ve set all this up, and it’s my kitchen and equipment. But what if we agreed a period of time that you were to work full time but keep drawing part-time money? You could work off your share of the business.”

  Suzie opened her mouth and closed it again. Her brain seemed to be working at half speed and she didn’t know what to say.

  “Let’s say you work full-time for the next three months,” said Marianne. “Same pay as now. Then you’d own your stake and could start drawing out profits as well. I think that would be fair, don’t you?”

  Suzie blinked. She tried to work out the figure in her head, but her thoughts were too slow. Three months wasn’t long at all. It seemed too easy and not completely real. At any moment Marianna might laugh and tell her it was all a joke.

  “I’ve stunned you,” said Marianne. “I know it’s a lot. But I hope you’ll think about it and let me know.”

  “Um.” A happy feeling bubbled up in Suzie’s belly and the gears in her brain ground into life again. “I can’t believe it. Are you sure?”

  “You’ve proven that people don’t always want asparagus rolls and quiches. I’ve got a solid business, but for the last couple of years it’s been coasting along instead of growing. You’ve got a knack for creating new dishes and I think your fresh ideas and enthusiasm could be what I’ve been missing. Together we could build this business into something great.”

  Wow. What an incredible opportunity. Just a couple of days ago she was scraping ruined pastry into the trash and sobbing over what a failure she was. Now she was being offered the very thing she’d dreamed of. How on earth had things changed so fast? All she’d done was deal a card and take a chance on herself.

  And if Nate where here with her, she’d be happy.

  “So you’ll do it?” asked Marianna.

  Suzie chewed her lower lip. Sometimes she really hated herself. “It’s a great offer. Thank you.”

  “But…?” Marianna put her hands on her hips. “Your expression says there’s a ‘but’.”

  “It’s Nate.”

  “Of course it is. You’ve been on another planet since you got back from Laura’s wedding.”

  Suzie ran her hand over her hair, wanting to grab a handful and tug. She was an idiot. It was official. But how could she accept the offer?

  “I know things aren’t going to work out with Nate, but he’s all I can think about. And now I’m starting to wonder if letting him go could have been the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.” She shook her head. “I mean, it’s crazy to even think about running away to New York to be with a guy who’s so afraid of getting hurt that he has to calculate the chance of our relationship succeeding. But I guess I must be certifiable, because that’s exactly what I’m considering.”

  Marianna clicked her tongue. “Don’t you dare go to New York. I need you here.” Frowning, she dragged in a loud breath. “Okay, tell you what. I’ll make it a fifty percent share. Equal partners.” She stuck one hand out, offering to shake. “Seriously, Suz, this is the best deal you’re ever going to be offered. If we both knuckle down and get this business pumping, I really think we could do well. What do you say?”

  Suzie stared at Marianna’s outstretched hand, her heart thumping. If she owned half the business, she’d have equal say in the decisions they made. She could make any dish she wanted and redesign the menu.

  It was everything she’d wanted. No, more than that. It was everything she needed. If she could make the business a success, it would change how she felt about herself. She’d never feel second best again.

  It would mean giving up Nate, and that sacrifice would be terrible. But what was the alternative? Did she really want to turn up in New York, homeless and jobless, and ask him to take her in?

  Running her own business, she could finally become the person she wanted to be. Once she was successful, she wouldn’t have to be in anyone’s shadow.

  Yes, an equal partnership was what she needed. Both in business, and with Nate. And she’d never feel like his equal if she didn’t have the courage to deal herself an Ace.

  Still, reaching out to put her hand in Marianna’s was almost unbearably painful. It was the right thing to do, but knowing what she was giving up still hurt like hell.

  Marianna grinned at her as they shook. “Good choice, partner. I’ll get some papers drawn up for you to sign, then we’ll start making plans, okay? I hope you’re ready to put your head down and work hard, because we’ve got a crap-ton to do. Next step, world domination.”

  Suzie nodded and managed a twisted smile. “This is going to great,” she said. It would be good, she promised herself. It would be enough.

  24

  Suzie juggled a giant plate of calamari in one hand and an equally enormous plate of salmon twists in the other. The twists were her own recipe, and the salmon tasted sensational layered with a very tart goat cheese, capers, and lemon. It had been a huge hit with all their clients so far, and hopefully today’s catered lunch would be no different. But right now, all she cared about was getting the damn things into the elevator and not decorating the fancy tiled floor with salmon and cheese splatters.

  “Please, Ma’am, allow me.” A uniformed man took the plate of calamari from her and held the elevator door open so she could get in. This apartment building was even swankier than she’d realized. She’d never been to a place with an elevator attendant before.

  “The penthouse?” he asked, pushing the button without waiting for an answer. He’d obviously been told to expect her.

  “To the top,” she agreed with a smile.

  When he smiled back, her heart lurched. His smile was crooked. For a moment, regret stabbed her heart so sharply she couldn’t breathe. Nate had told her he loved her, so why was she still in L.A?

  Suzie turned her face to the wall, not wanting the attendant to see her eyes well up. She blinked furiously, then gripped the plate of salmon twists with one hand so she could put the back of her other hand to her nose. If she sniffed, he’d know she was trying not to cry. This way, he might just think she was about to sneeze.

  Missing Nate was awful, because it hit her so hard at awkward moments. Crying in the privacy of her own home was fine. But here, in this millionaire’s hotel where she was about to deliver lunch to a brand new client? Not okay.

  “Are you alright, Ma’am?”

  “Fine.” She forced a smile, feeling the tears recede. “A touch of hay fever, that’s all.”

  He stared at her with a little frown, probably wondering what could have triggered a hay fever attack in a gleaming tile-and-mirror elevator.

  Thank goodness, the elevator glided to a stop and the doors opened. The attendant stepped out with the plate of calamari, and used a swipe card to open the only door on that landing.

  “Go right in,” he said, holding the door open with his shoulder. “The kitchen is through there.”

  She put the salmon twists down onto a long, shining kitchen bench. He put the calamari next to it, then nodded and went out.

  The apartment was quiet, so the guests must not have arrived yet. No sign of the host, either. Not that she was about to go sneaking around the enormous penthouse apartment to find the client. Besides, she’d better run. She had more cooking to do.

  Still, she stepped out of the kitchen and into the plush living room for a moment, to look out the enormous windows at the stunning view of LA. On
e day, she was going to own a place like this. Business was already booming, so why not dream big?

  Only… it was quiet in here. And empty.

  In fact, it felt just as empty as her place did when she cried herself to sleep at night. Who knew she could miss anybody this much? Wasn’t it supposed to have stopped hurting by now?

  Though the business was going better than her wildest dreams, maybe she’d made the wrong decision. Perhaps she should have gone to New York.

  She sucked in a deep breath and let it out again.

  Too late now. The deal was done. The card was dealt. She had an Ace in her hand and all she had to do was to stop feeling like she’d drawn the Joker.

  “Suzie.”

  The voice came from behind her and she turned.

  A man was standing in the doorway.

  Nate.

  She wanted to run over and throw her arms around him, but she was frozen. Her heart had stopped beating.

  “What are you doing here?” She sounded breathless. Maybe it was because he was gorgeous enough to empty any woman’s lungs.

  “I was hoping you’d agree to have lunch with me.”

  “Lunch?” Whatever she’d been expecting him to say, that wasn’t it. Had he turned up in LA to take her to lunch?

  “I want to apologize.”

  “What for?”

  He stepped forward and she saw he was holding a small box. “I have a gift for you. But you can open it later. After lunch.”

  She shook her head, confused. The conversation wasn’t making sense. “What is it?”

  He put the box down on the coffee table and moved toward her. “I should have asked you if you wanted to go with the coastguard when we were on the yacht.”

  “I forgive you.” That felt like a long time ago. What did it matter now?

  He took her arms. His touch filled her lungs and loosened her chest. He was really here. It was really him.