a source of estrangement between him and Joe, she didn’t want to have to explain that history to Sebastien.
Sebastien was her safe place—her hope for the future. She didn’t want to ruin that any more than she already had.
Natalie stood. “Very well. Let me talk with Kyle and see what can be done.”
* * *
KYLE PACED THE ROOM. He couldn’t sit still. He had no idea what was going on with Jessica, but he could guess.
The door opened, and a little girl toddled inside. She had sturdy legs and plump fists. She tilted her head up at Kyle, clearly unafraid of him. Her blond curls bobbed as she spoke. “Hi! Who are you?”
“Kyle,” he answered.
“Hi, Kyle.”
“Oops, sorry about that!” Natalie stepped inside, picked up the girl and kissed her forehead. “Mommy’s working. I told you to stay with Daddy,” she said gently. She and the girl disappeared from sight.
Finally, she came back into the room. “Again, I’m sorry for the wait. I’ve spoken with Jessica.” She sat at the table and placed her palms flat.
Kyle tried to read her expression. “What did she say? Is it good or bad?”
“Frankly, I believe she can be swayed,” Natalie said. “There’s one point she’s uncomfortable with, and if you’re willing, I recommend you negotiate.”
Wow. That was a shock. He sat, nodding. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“She’s concerned about losing salary. She’s a physical therapist and is worried about cutting her hours.”
“Money is her sticking point?” he asked, flabbergasted.
“It is.”
“She’s not mad about working with me? She didn’t say anything personal about me?”
“No, she did not.”
He shook his head. Maybe things with her weren’t as bad as he thought. Maybe she’d forgiven him for their history. Maybe she hadn’t noticed that he’d assumed she was pregnant when he’d seen her on Valentine’s Day.
“So...what do you suggest I do now?” he asked the lawyer.
Natalie was silent for a moment. “As the will document notes, you received a substantial cash inheritance from Joe, as part of the estate. Jessica didn’t receive any such thing. I’m guessing you’d intended that money for living expenses while you get the rink online, but if we can’t get Jessica to work with you to begin with, then it won’t do much good there.”
Kyle slowly nodded. “Right. I could give her part of that.”
Natalie looked relieved that he’d suggested it. “I believe an offer to her is the best course. On the other hand, you could offer nothing and take your chances. But honestly, Kyle, she might walk.”
He didn’t want that. “Make her an offer on my behalf. Go in strong.” A Marine on a mission, he was prepared to do whatever it took to make the rink his place.
Natalie nodded and stood. She left the room, leaving the door ajar this time.
While he waited, pacing again, he faintly heard Natalie’s soft voice speaking from a room down the hall. She must have forgotten to shut the door. The words were a low murmur rather than anything clear.
This was torture. He stuck his head into the hallway, and noticing no one, he headed toward Natalie’s voice. His leg wasn’t cooperating that well—phantom pains, maybe because he’d been sitting for so long. But he was in his old, familiar “walking leg” prosthetic. He didn’t make a sound with it as he passed two offices, a small kitchen and a watercooler.
He stopped outside the open door of a smaller conference room. Natalie was making his offer, just as they’d discussed.
Please, Jessica, Kyle thought. Take it.
“That’s not enough,” a male voice—Sebastien—answered. “She’ll need more money than that.”
What the hell? Was the boyfriend negotiating for her?
“How much more?” Natalie asked. “Because Kyle has offered you half of the cash he inherited from Joe. That’s an extremely generous offer on his part, and not what he was required to do.”
Damn straight. Kyle was debating walking in there and telling them so himself, when suddenly Natalie exited the door, nearly bumping into him.
“Oh!” Natalie said. “Were you listening?”
“Yeah,” he murmured. And then he didn’t think, he just marched into the open conference room, intending to face Jessica.
But Jessica and her boyfriend had their heads together, sharing what looked like a romantic moment. She was leaned in close to him, and he was murmuring something into her ear.
For a moment, Kyle lost his breath. Stupid of him. It shouldn’t hurt to see her like that. Kyle wasn’t meant to be with anyone romantically. He was fine with that state of affairs.
Jessica glanced up. She sucked in her breath when she saw Kyle. Her eyes widened.
Kyle focused only on her. The rest of the room seemed to melt away.
“I won’t take your career away from you, Jessica. Whenever you have time, all I ask is that you squeeze in your hours at the rink. You won’t have to do anything you don’t want to do there. I’ll take care of everything that needs doing. You can sit in Joe’s old office, away from everybody, doing whatever pleases you. I just want you in this partnership with me, however you need to do it to make it work for both of us—so that we both get what we want.”
Her mouth dropped open. For a moment, no one made a sound.
Kyle figured he’d screwed up. He probably should have gotten on his knees and begged her forgiveness.
Well, dammit, his knees were tired. It was best she made her decision soon, because his leg wasn’t going to allow him to stand here all day.
* * *
A PARTNERSHIP. THAT would make both of them happy.
Kyle understood her better than her own boyfriend did. Then again, Kyle had lived her history with her. He’d been in that rink with her for most of her time training. He’d seen what she’d gone through. And vice versa.
Maybe she was crazy, but something about Kyle drew her...enough to overlook her guilt. Enough to be curious about him.
He seemed fine. He’d come back from his tours of duty unscathed. He didn’t seem to blame her for the fact that his relationship with Joe had suffered.
“All right,” she said, her eyes lowered. Because Sebastien was present, she forced herself to stand and cross her arms, acting more businesslike than she felt. “You have a deal, Kyle. I’ll do this under the terms that you and Natalie specified.”
Kyle stared at her, directly into her eyes. Again, that silliness—her knees felt weak. He’d bulked up so much—it was apparent now with him standing there in a wool sweater. And his beard was so bushy and full. He looked nothing like the wiry, defiant teenager he’d once been. But he still seemed capable and honest.
He tilted his head and looked at her, almost as if he was reading her mind. As if he saw something in her that nobody else did. Maybe she should have been worried, but she wasn’t.
In a flash, the moment was over.
“Kyle, may I see you a moment, in private?” Natalie murmured to him.
He nodded, and with deliberate steps he left the room.
Jessica gazed back at Sebastien. He was fiddling with his phone, scrolling through his messages.
I’m alone in this, she thought. Six months.