Nailed - Opal Carew Page 0,27
know you are.”
“But what do I live on until then?”
“Well … you know you could always reconsider…”
“No. Don’t even say it.” River sipped her coffee, but it tasted sour in her mouth.
“I know you really don’t want to, but you’re only hurting yourself.” Tia opened her purse and pulled out Kane’s business card. She handed it to River. “Call him.”
Chapter Eight
River shook her head.
“Look, whatever he did,” Tia said, “he seems to want to make up for it. And even if you won’t forgive him, there’s no reason you shouldn’t take what he has to offer. Just tell him it’s business only and that’s it.”
“He wants to be my partner.”
“So set out guidelines being clear that you’re in charge.”
River pursed her lips, staring at Kane’s card.
“Don’t shoot yourself in the foot, Riv. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Don’t let what he did to you in the past control your future.”
* * *
River stared at the card sitting on her desk. Kane’s card.
Don’t let what he did to you in the past control your future.
Tia was right.
River was being stubborn because she felt taking anything from Kane would make him think he’d made up for what he’d done to her. He could never make it up … and her pain would never go away completely … but she had to move forward. Thinking that she was causing him pain because she wouldn’t let him help her was naïve on her part. He would probably just shrug it off, perfectly happy with the thought that he’d done his best. She was stupid to think he’d lose even one night’s sleep over it if she shunned his deal.
Yet she had so much to lose. This was her dream.
She picked up the phone.
* * *
Kane glanced at the display on his ringing cell phone and smiled.
“Hello, River.”
“Hi. I … uh … wanted to thank you for paying for our drinks the other day.”
“Really? I thought you might resent that.”
And he wished she didn’t. He wanted to do things for her. He wished he could do more, but didn’t want to overwhelm her.
“But you did it anyway.”
“Well, it seems I was wrong.” But he knew he wasn’t and that she was just making polite conversation. Something must have changed and she was reconsidering his offer.
“It was nice of you.”
He was sure she was gritting her teeth while saying it, even though her words sounded sincere.
“And the limo? When I saw it had started to rain, I thought you might particularly appreciate not taking the bus.”
“Yes, Tia had never been in a limo before. She was very impressed.”
“And what about you, River?”
“I’d never been in a limo before either.”
He smiled at her refusal to give an inch, even while wishing she actually appreciated his gesture.
“So why are you calling?”
She sighed. “I want to know if … Could we meet again?”
“You’re asking me out on a date?”
“No,” she said sharply. “I mean … uh … I want to know if it’s too late to take you up on your offer. Of getting my nail polish into Rapture.”
“I’m willing to meet and talk about that. I have some time tomorrow. I’ll send a car for you at five p.m.
“At five?”
“Do you have a problem with the time?”
“No. I’ll be waiting.”
His first inclination had been to suggest she meet with him this evening. He already had the contract drawn up and it sounded like she was anxious to talk to him. But since she’d made it clear she wasn’t going to give them another chance romantically, he had to do something to convince her otherwise. An idea he’d been toying with suddenly seemed the only solution, so he would make a quick call to his lawyer to have some modifications made. He intended to ensure she had little choice in the matter.
* * *
River paced the pavement in front of the entrance to her apartment building. She hated this. Kane sending a car and setting meeting times. But what she hated most was how much she needed his help.
She’d be damned if she’d have some chauffeur summoning her down when he arrived, so she decided to wait outside.
It was getting a little cool, so she pulled on her blazer and glanced at her reflection in the glass as she drew her long dark hair over the collar and smoothed it down. She wore a nice shirt with a pair of new jeans. She’d debated whether to wear a skirt for the meeting, but decided casual was a