CHAPTER
53
When Karly made up her mind, she didn’t do things by halves. After her discussion with Pop earlier in the week, she’d checked Leo was still okay to loan her the money for her own agency if it wasn’t in Acacia Haven—thankfully, he was and would invest in other ventures in town too—she’d video-called her new business partner, Leona, and had been super impressed, and she’d had the contracts thoroughly looked over by Roger, waiting until the lawyer gave her the go-ahead before informing Leona she’d be in Melbourne shortly to sign the papers. Once she’d decided, she spent the next few days looking online for an apartment to rent and finding a tenant for her cottage in Acacia Haven.
She hadn’t told the girls yet because she knew they’d try to talk her out of it—she’d cancelled their book club gathering just in case—and she wanted to have solid plans in place so she couldn’t back out. She couldn’t imagine not catching up with Summer and Nev several times a week. They’d been like sisters for the last twenty-five years and not having them around the corner … unfathomable.
But she had to do this. She’d wanted to own and run an agency forever and buying into a family business on the recommendation of one of the industry’s powerhouses was too good an opportunity to pass up.
Today, she’d arranged to meet Hudson at the agency she’d be buying into. He’d sounded surprised by her request but she had to keep things between them strictly professional, at least until this deal was done. Rocking up to his office would only bring back memories of the last time she’d been there … and what had happened on his desk … which was not conducive to business.
Would he want to continue their relationship once she moved to Melbourne?
Not that they had a relationship per se—more like a short-term fling which now had the possibility to develop into more. The thought terrified her, but she’d trusted Hudson more in a week than she had any guy before and maybe it was time to push aside her doubts and take a chance.
She knew her mistrust of giving herself wholeheartedly to a man stemmed from her father abandoning her as a kid. But Pop had set a good example, being the opposite of her dad in every way. Though knowing her grandfather, he took his obligations seriously and a small part of her thought that’s what she’d always been to him, an obligation to fulfil, someone he couldn’t turn his back on because he felt guilty his son had abandoned her.
They’d never discussed it because she didn’t want to hurt Pop, but she often wondered if she’d ever be able to fully trust a partner with her heart, because she didn’t have faith in many people in this world.
The girls often labelled her a cynic. She preferred realist. She didn’t ponder pie-in-the-sky scenarios or dream of a happily-ever-after. She wore her independence like a badge of honour and would never depend on any man. If she wanted something, she made it happen, and as she spied Hudson striding towards her, she wondered if her adamant stance against giving herself wholeheartedly to a guy would ultimately cost her a shot at happiness with this incredible man.
His navy suit fit him to perfection, the white shirt accentuating his tan, the gold tie bringing out the flecks in his eyes. And when he smiled … hot damn. Her pulse raced as he approached and she realised all the self-talk in the world to keep him at bay wouldn’t be worth a damn because she may have already fallen for him.
‘Hey, how are you?’ He brushed a soft kiss against her cheek that undermined her completely. So much for keeping things professional. She wanted to fling her arms around him and pash him senseless.
‘Good. Excited.’
When the corners of his mouth quirked in amusement, she amended, ‘Excited to be here. And for this opportunity, so thank you. It really means a lot, as you know I want to be completely autonomous in whichever agency I buy into.’ She playfully slugged him on the arm. ‘That’s why I tried to move heaven and earth to buy Pop’s agency on my own. I couldn’t think of anything worse than working for you.’
He didn’t laugh. Not even a glimmer of a smile. ‘Actually, before we go any further, there’s something I have to tell you.’
Karly didn’t like his solemn expression. A foreboding chill swamped her and she resisted the urge to rub her arms to warm up. ‘What is it?’
‘I know I told you this was a family-owned business, but full disclosure, Leona approached me yesterday about wanting to back out of taking over from her father. So rather than leaving you in the lurch, with the prospect of working with a co-owner unseen, I bought her share.’ He offered a smile, like he’d done her some huge favour. ‘Seeing as you have some hang-up about working for me, I thought you should know that we’re going to be business partners before investing. Though I’m happy to take a step back and leave you to run this agency on your own. I’ve got enough to do elsewhere.’
Karly froze. She should’ve known. If something seemed too good to be true it usually was. ‘Let me get this straight. You presented this golden opportunity to me as some kind of shiny consolation prize for eventually closing down the agency I love, you omit the salient fact you nowownhalf of the prize, and you dump the truth on me just before I’m about to sign on the dotted line?’
Bewilderment dented his brows. ‘I didn’t plan this. I thought by buying Leona’s share I’d be helping you—’
‘Do I look like a charity case to you?’
‘Of course not.’
But he couldn’t meet her eyes and she didn’t know what appalled her most: how he’d swooped in to save her out of pity or how close she’d come to being tied to him financially.
‘I don’t want to be a co-owner with you,’ she said, tilting her chin up.
‘You’re making a mistake.’ He shook his head, bemused she’d pass. ‘You’ll have full control over the agency.’
‘No, I won’t, because ultimately major decisions are made by both owners and that means I’d have to run everything past you.’
A spark of anger lit his eyes. ‘What is it with you and working with me? Most people in the industry would be rapt to get the opportunity.’
‘I’m not most people,’ she said with icy precision, mustering every ounce of disdain. ‘Pity you never figured that out.’
She turned, but before she could walk away his hand shot out and grabbed hers. ‘Karly, wait.’
The warmth of his touch made her linger a moment before she yanked her hand away and spun around. ‘What?’