Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Good morning,” I greet both women. “Thank you for waiting.”
“No problem,” Helena answers. “We know how busy you are, Declan.”
Although Abigail is shepherding the deal with Llura, I’m grateful that Helena is involved with it as well. Her vast experience speaks for itself.
“I am,” I affirm with a nod as I take a seat behind my desk.
My gaze locks with Abby’s for a split second before it trails over the front of her dress.
“We’re going to meet with Llura’s lawyer this afternoon.” Abby glances at the screen of the tablet in her hand. “She told me on the phone that she’s looked over our initial proposal and will, as we expected, be countering.”
Marg Jablonsky wouldn’t be a good lawyer if she weren’t doing that.
Our initial offer was low seven figures since the company is new and still struggling to find a solid customer base.
“You know where I stand in terms of that,” I express to both women.
Abby and Helena know I will stretch Wells’ purse strings to attain Llura. I view the company as a strong investment with serious long-term potential, but it needs to be worth our while.
It’s going to take a great deal of effort and expense to launch it under the Wells brand.
Abby nods. “I do understand, sir.”
That shoots my head up so I can look at her again.
The corners of her lips twitch, but she holds in a grin. “I’ll call you to report in after the meeting if that works for you?”
“It doesn’t.”
Helena lets out a sigh. “Unfortunately, I have another meeting immediately following the one with Marg, so if you’re looking for us to report back in person, Abby will need to do that alone.”
“That’s fine,” I say decisively. “I’ll be here all afternoon, so let Huck know when you arrive, and he will see to it that I make time for you, Abigail.”
“Very well.” Her tone doesn’t give anything away.
“I apologize that I won’t be here for that.” Helena glides to her feet. “I have every confidence that Abby will handle this deal largely on her own. Consider me her personal cheerleader.”
Abby smiles. “Thank you.”
“I’ll see you later,” I say directly to the woman I can’t wait to kiss.
“Yes, sir,” she teases me again with a glint in her eye. “I hope I come bearing good news.”
“Good or bad, I’ll be waiting for you,” I promise in a deep tone. “Good luck to both of you.”
Helena thanks me first and starts toward my office door before Abby tilts her chin down and exhales softly. “I’ll make you proud, Declan.”
“You will,” I say with confidence.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Abby
“Helena seems nice. I’m sorry she had to leave.” Marg glances toward the door of the café that we’ve spent the past two hours in.
We planned to meet in one of the conference rooms of Thorsen & Associates, but Marg changed course last minute and insisted that we meet her at a high-end coffee shop called Palla on Fifth.
When Helena and I arrived here, Marg was on the phone, talking to her nephew about their mutual love of comic books. I knew immediately that my first assignment as the lead attorney on this deal would be interesting, to say the least.
Marg Jablonsky is a force of nature. After her call, she introduced herself as a ‘reluctant lawyer.’ She wanted to be a surgeon but couldn’t stomach the sight of blood, so the law became her backup plan.
She started as a corporate attorney more than forty years ago. She mentioned that before computers became part of her daily life, she took notes and more notes.
She explained that’s why she has an open notepad in front of her on the table. She has yet to write anything in it, but she did a few doodles while I explained the vision that Wells has for the Llura brand.
When it came time to talk numbers, she countered as expected with an amount outside the scope of what Declan is willing to pay for the company. I came back with a number that I feel is fair, and she told me she’d have to think it over.
She’s been doing just that for the past thirty minutes while we each sip our third cup of coffee.
“Do you like what you do?” Marg asks as she runs a finger over the rim of the mug in front of her. “I remember when I was just starting out. I thought I’d conquer the world.”
I want to answer that my goal at the moment is to conquer this deal, but I don’t.
“I like being a lawyer,” I answer honestly. “I’ve always been fascinated with the law.”
Her blue eyes widen. “I find it kind of boring.”
Laughter bursts out of me before I realize it. My hand jumps to cover my mouth. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” she chuckles. “A lawyer who is bored by the law is like a punch line to a bad joke.”