Chapter 6 - The Offer She Refused
Three months later, Tessa stood inside an empty restaurant space overlooking the harbor.
Conrad unlocked the front door.
She frowned.
“What is this?”
“Potential.”
“That sounds expensive.”
“It is.”
She walked inside.
A wide kitchen stood behind glass partitions.
New stainless-steel stations.
Walk-in refrigerator.
Freezer.
Tessa stopped when she saw it.
Conrad noticed.
“Different lock.”
She approached the freezer door.
There was an internal safety release.
She pushed it.
The door opened immediately.
Again.
Open.
Again.
Conrad waited.
Tessa whispered, “Good.”
Then she turned.
“What exactly are we doing here?”
Conrad handed her a folder.
She opened it.
Restaurant proposal.
Her name appeared on the first page.
Winslow Harbor Kitchen.
Tessa stared at him.
“No.”
Conrad blinked.
“No?”
“No.”
“You haven't read it.”
“I don't need to.”
“You said you wanted a kitchen.”
“I said I wanted my own kitchen.”
“It would be yours.”
“Paid for by you.”
“Initially.”
“Then I’d owe another powerful man money.”
Conrad went completely still.
Tessa closed the folder.
“I won't do that again.”
He considered her words.
Then nodded.
“All right.”
She had expected an argument.
“You’re not angry?”
“Why?”
“I refused you.”
“Tessa.”
His voice softened.
“You're allowed to say no.”
Those five words hit harder than any grand declaration could have.
She looked away.
Conrad picked up the folder.
“We'll restructure it.”
“How?”
“You invest what you can.”
“That's almost nothing.”
“Then it's almost nothing.”
“And the rest?”
“A documented commercial loan from a bank. Independent lawyer. Independent accountant. Market terms. No personal leverage.”
Tessa stared.
“You thought of that quickly.”
“I run a logistics company.”
“And other things.”
A faint smile touched his mouth.
“And other things.”
She crossed her arms.
“One more condition.”
“Go ahead.”
“Maggie gets pastry.”
“Done.”
“You didn't ask Maggie.”
Conrad sighed.
“Apparently, I'm still learning.”
Tessa laughed.
That evening, they walked along the harbor.
Conrad had stopped three times to answer business calls.
On the fourth, Tessa took the phone from him.
He stared at her.
“Did you just take my phone?”
“Yes.”
“People generally don't do that.”
“They should.”
“Give it back.”
“No.”
“Tessa.”
“You've been on it all evening.”
“I'm working.”
“So am I. I'm working on teaching you how dinner works.”
He held out his tattooed hand.
She placed the phone into it.
But he turned the device off.
“Happy?”
“Moderately.”
They walked farther.
Then Conrad said, “Dinner tomorrow?”
“Business?”
“No.”
Tessa looked at him.
“Are you asking me on a date?”
“I thought that was obvious.”
“It wasn't.”
“Dinner. Tomorrow. With me. Not business.”
She pretended to consider it.
“Maybe.”
“Tessa.”
She smiled.
“Yes.”
Conrad stopped walking.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
His expression softened.
Tessa pointed at him.
“Don't make this strange.”
“I'm not.”
“You absolutely are.”
For the first time since Maggie had called him, Conrad laughed.
May you like
And for the first time in years, Tessa looked toward tomorrow without fearing it.
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