Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Hendrik’s eyes nearly bug out of his head, and I feel a slight tingle of excitement course up my spine. A wind tunnel could be a game changer.
It will also go a long way toward enticing all the engineers to move here to Pittsburgh. Brienne Norcross is so freaking savvy, it’s a little scary.
“A wind tunnel would be incredible,” Hendrik stammers. “When will we have access to it?”
“Very soon. We purchased it from NC State University’s engineering department as they’re upgrading, but it should give us everything we need.” She looks around the table. “Now, if there aren’t any more pressing issues, I’d like to meet with Luca and Nash so we can work out the details of a contract offer. Perhaps we can all gather in a few hours to tour the new facility together.”
Everyone stands, Markus leading the way out of the room. I don’t look back at Nash, not wanting to see either hate or apathy, two emotions I’m sure he’s keeping in check around me. We’re going to have to talk though, and soon, because as of now… it appears we’re teammates.
Not only that, my job as the chief strategy engineer means we not only have to work closely together, but we might butt heads on occasion. Given the hard feelings between us, that could cause problems and I don’t want to risk my job. Nash Sinclair has priority standing over me—I’m expendable.
As shocking as this job offer was to me, I didn’t have it on my bingo card that Nash Sinclair and I would ever speak to each other again. But somehow, I’m going to have to make this work.
CHAPTER 3
Nash
The door shuts behind the last person out and the tension in the room snaps like a rubber band. I have to hold back my sigh of relief, not from the tense back-and-forth over whether I’m worthy, but from having come face-to-face with Bex after all these years.
The minute she walked out that door, I could finally breathe.
Brienne takes the seat at the head of the table, her posture poised and professional. She motions to seats on either side of her, and Luca and I take our places.
I inhale deeply, letting it out slowly. I try to expel the unease that’s been gnawing at me since Brienne dropped this bombshell in my lap, which only grew exponentially knowing that Bex was a part of the Titans Racing team.
But she’s gone and we have business to discuss.
Brienne suggests I get Greg on the phone. As my manager and agent, he’ll be the one to advise me on any offer put on the table. I pull out my cell phone, get Greg on the line, and very succinctly tell him that Titans Racing wants me.
“Let’s deal,” he says via speakerphone.
Brienne leans forward, crossing her arms on the polished tabletop. “I’m prepared to offer Nash a one-year, ten-million-dollar contract with performance bonuses. But no guarantee beyond that.”
That’s a lot of money for one year behind the wheel.
There are twenty-two races left in the season.
Two hundred and twenty thousand per race.
I make half that in the OWC.
“I need more than that,” I say before Greg can chime in.
Brienne blinks. “Ten million is a lot of money.”
“It’s not the money I have an issue with per se,” I reply smoothly. “Although we still need to talk about a final number. I need a guarantee of more than one year. I want a five-year deal. I’m not going back in there to risk everything for just one season.”
Luca lets out a low whistle. “A five-year deal? You haven’t raced in FI for three years. You were injured in your last race… severely. We don’t know if you’ve got the mental fortitude to race at top speed. It’s a lot of unknowns for a five-year contract.”
“And yet you are the ones who brought me here and offered me a job.” I turn to look at Brienne. “Five years and twenty million, plus you have to buy out the penalty clause with my current team for leaving.”
A smile slides across Brienne’s face and I can see the appreciation. “Of course we’ll buy out your penalty clause. But I can’t commit to five years. I’ll agree to three, but for fifteen million, paid five million a year with half at the start of the season and the second half payable at the end.”
That’s close to being doable. “That’s all good, but I’m risking my life every single race, so I want the five million at the start of each season.”
Brienne stares at me a long moment before leaning toward my phone. “Do you have anything to add or request, Greg?”
“At this point, I don’t even know why I’m on the phone.” He laughs at his own joke but then turns serious. “I want to get into details about the performance bonuses, and we’ll want a solid exit clause. I also want Nash to be able to solicit his own sponsorships. Most importantly though, I want it in his contract that he’ll be the number one driver and gets first crack at any new upgrade packages. Oh, and he’ll need housing set up in Guildford.”