I walk her through some of it, talking about how hard they were to acquire. I show her the parts I keep on one workbench, parts specifically to repair certain models. I have several workbenches, tables with soldering irons and other equipment, specifically for restoring old computers.
“I come in here sometimes when I’m having a tough day,” I tell her. “I find it weirdly therapeutic, fixing old junky computers. Like if they can get working again…”
She nods a little. “I get that. I like to crotchet.”
I bark a laugh. “Really?”
“Sure. Is it any weirder than having a warehouse full of cars and old computers?”
“I guess not.”
She bites her lip and leans up against a table. “So why are we really here, Julian?”
I take a breath and slowly let it out.
“I’ve been thinking about all this stuff,” I say slowly. “And about your father.”
She nods a little. “I think I know where this is going.”
“I’m thinking about my future. I don’t have a wife or kids.”
She turns a little red. “Julian—”
“No, just listen. All this stuff, it’s just stuff. But one day I’ll be gone, and I have no idea who will get it all. I want a plan in place. I want to know that someone deserving is going to get it. Or at least someone that isn’t a total asshole.”
“Julian—”
“I’m not offering this to you,” I say quickly. “And I don’t want you to marry me and have my babies, although that’s an option, if you’re into it.”
She blushes. “Why, then?”
“I want to offer you a partnership in my publishing business.”
She stares at me, eyes slightly wide. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” I step closer, heart beating fast. “I know it’s stupid and fast and strange, but I can’t help myself. I keep thinking about my future, about your father, and about you… and I want you to have the business one day. Hell, I don’t even have to die. I’ll probably just get bored and want to move on.”
She laughs a little nervously. “I don’t know anything about running a business.”
“I’ll teach you,” I say. “It really isn’t all that hard once you have the capital to get started.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
I grin at her. “Okay, so maybe it isn’t easy. But I can teach you.”
“I don’t know. That sounds…”
“Scary? All the best things in life are scary.”
“What are people going to say?”
“Fuck people.” I step closer to her, my heart beating fast now. I’m not sure if I’m nervous or just excited to be alone in a room with her. “I know it’s sudden. But you’re smart and you’re capable. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather trust.”
“I couldn’t even make a single author happy, and now you want me to run your whole company.”
I chuckle a little. “I don’t think anyone could’ve made her happy, but at least you tried.”
“Come on, Julian. This is nuts.”
“I’m offering you the future here. If you can make Haylee happy, I’ll let you have a piece of the business. You’ll own it, free and clear.”
“Why?” she whispers. “I don’t deserve this.”
“Yes, you do.” I step closer to her, close enough to kiss her. “It’s not just because I want to fuck you, either. It’s because you’d be good at it.”
“I don’t think I would be.”
“Give it a shot. Keep working with Haylee. And if you want it… you can have it.”
She takes a sharp breath as I run my hands through her hair. I kiss her softly and she wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me close.
I don’t tell her that I’ve never actually brought anyone in here before. I lied when I said other people have seen this room. I’ve never brought anyone here, because I’ve never wanted to share this part of me before. But now, with her, I want to share everything. I want her to have everything.
I want to be her Daddy. I want to take care of her, make her happy… provide for her future.
And leave a future for myself.
We pull apart and I squeeze her hand. “Think about it,” I say.
“Okay. I will.”
“Good. Come on, let’s go back to work.”
She sighs and follows me back across the room. We step through a door and end up in the original living room.
We head out the main entrance. As I set up an Uber, she turns to look back. “Hey, what was in that last room?”
“Hardcore pornography,” I say.
She stares at me, shocked. “Seriously?”
“No,” I answer, laughing. “That has other collectibles like comics and video games.”
“Oh,” she says, relieved, and then cocks her head with a frown. “Actually, I don’t know what’s worse. Collecting porn or collecting toys.”
“Collectibles,” I correct, and sigh. “Never mind.”
She grins at me, gets up on her tiptoes, and kisses me gently.
God damn. This girl…
I know this is insane. It’s way too fast and way too much. I’m risking a lot by offering her a piece of my business, my fucking future.