Please think long and hard on this, make sure you agree with all the terms. Weigh the risks versus the potential reward, and make the decision that's right for you, I know you'll make the smart choice. Please let me know by tomorrow what you decide.
Declan
I stare at the page, reading over Declan’s words again and again. Kelly is waiting for details with bated breath, but I’m actually shocked into silence.
“Looks like we need to relocate back to your place,” my best friend says. “A mocha latte is fine and all, but some pinot noir might be what this day calls for.
CHAPTER SIX
By the time midnight rolls around, Kelly and I are reduced to sitting on the floor of my living room, two bottles of wine gone between us. Declan’s contract sits on the coffee table, staring up at me. I train my eyes on the thick document, as if studying it will help me come to some kind of a decision. But after hours of consideration, I’m no closer to knowing what I should do.
“What scares you the most about taking this job?” Kelly asks, her voice sleepy. “Can you narrow it down to one thing?”
“That’s the thing,” I reply, “What scares me is that there doesn’t seem to be a downside to this whole arrangement.”
“But isn’t that a good thing?” she presses, resting her head on my shoulder. “It sounds like a really cushy setup. A summer in Vegas, a gorgeous man to drool over, all the money you need to start your business—”
“There’s a downside to everything,” I insist, shaking my head, “Nothing good happens in life without some major blowback. I know that for sure.”
“Maybe you’re just a pessimist,” Kelly says.
“Do you blame me?” I ask, taking another sip of wine, “After everything that’s happened to me—everything that happened to my family—can you really fault me for being skeptical of no-strings-attached happiness?”
“No, of course not,” Kelly says, taking my hand in hers, “I’m sorry, Kassie.”
“It’s OK, Kel,” I say, “It’s just so hard. I feel like I can’t trust anything good that happens to me, let alone trust anyone to be good to me. Besides you, of course.”
“Of course,” she replies.
“It’s just...growing up, everything about my family’s life seemed perfect. But really, there was so much lurking in the shadows, waiting to swallow us whole. What if this whole thing with Declan Tiberi is just like that?”
“Kassie, what happened to your family was a tragedy,” Kelly says, “But just because one terrible thing happens in your life, doesn’t mean nothing good will ever come along.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” I sigh, “But I can’t seem to accept it.”
“Don’t you think they’d want you to go for this, your family?” Kelly urges gently, “Think about how excited Rosie would be for you, if she knew about this job. She’d be pushing you out the front door herself.”
I smile sadly, thinking of my little sister. No doubt about it, she’d be so excited for me right now. My parents would probably have simultaneous heart attacks, imagining me in Vegas, but I’m sure that even my uptight dad could have gotten behind a $250,000 angel investment.
“I wish they were around to give me some advice,” I whisper, “I disagreed with my parents about so much, but they were still my family. You know?”
“I know,” Kelly says, “And it’s incredible that you’ve done so well for yourself, having to navigate life on your own. It’s so unfair that you lost them, Kassie. And even more unfair that it happened the way it did. But it wasn't your fault, and there’s nothing you can do to change that now. If anything, I think the universe owes you some happiness after all this time. Don’t you think?”
“I don’t think the universe gives a single rat’s ass about my happiness,” I reply, “But that’s a pretty thought, Kelly.”
“Why don’t you at least sleep on it,” Kelly urges, “Don’t make your decision until tomorrow. OK?”
“OK,” I agree, “I guess I can manage that.”
We pick ourselves up off the floor and I say good night to Kelly as she heads back to her place. I take a minute to wash my face and brush my teeth before jumping right into bed. But as I lay there I can hardly fall asleep, knowing that Declan’s contract is in the next room, as yet unsigned. Slumber finally claims me, dragging me once again into my ever-turbulent dreams.
The first thing I notice, as I slide beneath the surface of my own waking mind, is how very light I feel. It’s as though my body is drifting through space, unbound by gravity or any worldly cares. But it isn’t just my body that feels weightless, it’s my mind, too. I feel unburdened, and unworried, and dare I say...happy? I’d almost forgotten that I knew what happy felt like, but there it is.
There he is.
I wake early the next morning and make myself a cup of coffee, trying not to let my sexy dreams from the night before distract me too much from the task at hand. I knew that I was attracted to Declan Tiberi—who wouldn’t be? With his gruff but intelligent manner, that incredible body, those blazing eyes of his...But I’ve never known an attraction that went all the way to my subconscious. What I feel for this guy is something else.
I pace around my living room, steaming mug of joe in my hands. My mind reels through all the facets of this decision. To accept the job or not to accept the job, that is certainly the question. But there’s no way to make a reasonable choice without at least looking over the contract, right? I’ll just give the papers a look, see if there’s any information that Declan’s been keeping from me. Then, I’ll be able to say for sure whether I want to take the internship or not.
Settling down on the couch, I pore over the contract with eager eyes. The first few pages are pretty standard, outlining the terms we’ve already talked about. I, the intern, will travel to Las Vegas for the summer where Declan, the employer, will provide room and board for the duration of my stay. A two-hundred fifty thousand dollar ($250,000) trust will be created, and signed over to me if the summer goes well. It is up to Declan whether or not he wants to invest in my company by the end of our time working together, but if he chooses to, he will have a 10% stake in any profits made from CrowdedNest.com. So far, everything seems pretty legit.
I’m almost about to flip to the end of the contract and sign on the dotted line when a short, stand-alone clause catches my eye. It’s right at the end of the penultimate page, nestled among some lengthy legalese passages.