Chapter 12
Ian took in the pinched lips, the flared nostrils, the glare.
Even her body posture indicated ticked off.
What would she do if he told her that he was the silent investor and the engineer?
The possibilities that flitted through his brain included bodily harm, a string of expletives, even though the Katie he’d known hadn’t used them, and a push out the door.
Anger would take over, cloud her ability to see logic, and it could threaten the company.
Ian considered his options, settled on facts. “I’m good at this stuff. I know what I’m doing. Look, you have no reason to believe me and certainly no reason to trust me, but what could it hurt? If I can look at a few things and make a recommendation or–”
“Stop. Just because you read a few articles that say we’re behind on fulfillment doesn’t mean you know my business. I’ve been working on this and living it since I was a child.”
True, but she hadn’t been dealing with this level of demand, and he wasn’t going to sit back and watch her business implode.
“Fair point. You’ve been creating for years and are decent at marketing as well.
But mass production? Distribution across the country?
Isn’t that why you have an investor? There was something that made him believe in you, but that belief is only going to carry you so far.
If you can’t meet quotas, do you know what’s going to happen next?
” He sat up in his chair, told her the truth.
“The investor’s going to start questioning, and then he might send in his own guy.
And then?” There would have to be changes or Katie’s Soups would lose its relevance.
“I am well aware of my current situation and the challenges I face. However, I’m equally capable of correcting and improving on those challenges.”
Ian took a deep breath, fought to keep the frustration from his voice.
Why couldn’t she see she needed help, and he was the least threatening offer?
“Fine, you want to do it on your own, go ahead. It’s just that I’ve turned companies around, and like you said, if Max Ruhland believes in me, well…
Doesn’t that say it all?” Max was a legend in the business community, the racing community… definitely a legend in Magdalena.
She bit her bottom lip as if considering his words and trying to find a hole.
Good luck. Max and his reputation didn’t have any holes, especially not since he’d reunited with the woman who crushed his heart all those years ago.
Now he was a family man with a wife, two step kids, and a baby…
living in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. Ha!
No one had seen that coming, certainly not the high rollers or the Who’s Who in the racing and business world.
Max respected Ian’s work, and adding him to his resume had Katie second-guessing her decision to accept Ian’s offer.
If she refused his help, then the “engineer” would need to step in, and that wouldn’t go well since he was the engineer.
Why hadn’t he thought this out before insisting on an engineer visit?
The truth pounded his brain, squeezed his gut.
He’d been so desperate to “save” her company that he hadn’t considered exactly how he’d do it.
And the other truth? The one he didn’t want to admit?
He’d been equally desperate to see her again and hadn’t considered the ramifications of showing up in Magdalena or adding an “engineer” visit to his agenda.
It was too late to rework the plan, not that he actually had one, but he did know how to help her.
All he had to do was get inside the shop so he could see what was going on.
He should have been stricter about the seed money, like he’d been with his other investments, and she wouldn’t have gotten into this mess.
But when had he been reasonable where Katie was involved?
“Aren’t you going to tell me how much I need your help?”
“What?” He’d been so caught up with what he should have done that he’d forgotten she was a few feet away, no doubt studying him.
Ian cleared his throat, glanced at the papers on her desk, and tossed out another option.
“How about this? If you don’t want me to see the factory, can you show me the production layout and the production data? ”
“Why would you do that for me?”
No missing the suspicion in those words. “Why? Because I owe you, and if I can help in some small way, then I need to do it. I really can do this.”
Katie sat back in her chair, rubbed her temples. “You give me a headache. You speak with such sincerity that I want to believe you even though I know I should never believe anything you say again.” Pause and a sharp, “Do you think I’m desperate?”
Ian contemplated the question. “Desperate? Not yet. But investors want results, and if you can’t deliver them soon, you could start doing things that put you and the company at risk.”
“So, I’ll become careless. I’ll start trying anything, lose focus, and I’ll fail. That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it? If I don’t enlist your help, I’m going to fail.”
Damn, he did not want to say those words, but it was the truth.
She would fail, and then he’d have a choice as the silent investor to either fix it without her finding out or shut down the project.
Both were bad options, for her and for him.
If she’d only let him take a peek, he could show her what would work to make her profitable.
The engineer might not have to show up…she might not have to find out who that engineer was…
or the fact that Ian had invested in her company.
Eventually, yes, she would have to know, but not until they’d had a chance to spend time together…
maybe see if they could find their way back to each other…
fulfill the dreams they’d had, the plans, the future…
all of it. That’s what he wanted—a life with Katie.
Could it happen? Was there even the slightest chance? Maybe, but it would be a slow and steady process, and there couldn’t be any missteps. “Let me help. It’s the least I can do.”
Katie tried to calculate the sincerity in Ian Finnegan’s offer.
He said he felt sorry and wanted to make it up to her, but could that be true?
Was there some other reason, one she hadn’t anticipated?
He’d once told her the soup-business idea was a gold mine and she should not let it go.
You could create your own brand and become a household name.
Do you have any idea how much money you could make?
You do know it’s not just about the money, don’t you?
He’d smiled, bent his head, and brushed his lips against hers. It should never be just about the money. With you, it never would be…don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise. Another kiss, this one deeper. Don’t let anyone ever steal your dream.
Ian Finnegan had told her so many things, including You own my heart and I want a life with you.
And then he’d vanished and blocked her number, and the “why” didn’t matter.
He’d done it and stayed away for ten years.
How convenient that he showed up when her company had gone national.
She didn’t trust him, but she did need help.
If the engineer arrived and she had no actionable plans to improve production, it wouldn’t be good.
“It’s not like I’d actually be inside the factory—” he shifted in his chair, rubbed his jaw, “—not until you get more comfortable with me.”
Comfortable with him? That look, those eyes, the voice?
The man knew how to pull a person in, make them believe they mattered, and when he spoke?
Well, that could melt even the toughest reservation.
Even if they had no history, it would be difficult to get comfortable around a man who could steal a woman’s breath without even trying.
He’d been able to do that to her, but that was years ago, back when she was na?ve and believed he wanted a life with her.
This current arrangement was business and as crazy as it seemed and as much as she did not want to depend on him, she needed help.
“Here’s the deal. I’ll let you see the production reports and the factory layout, and if you’re able to make any suggestions by looking at them, I might let you see more.
” She expected him to make a joke about the offer, but he didn’t.
“Fair enough.”
“Do you want to look at them now or would you like to set up another time?”
“I’m free if you are.”
“Okay then.” She made her way to the file cabinet, picked out a few folders, and handed them to him.
Katie watched as Ian leafed through the files and began to study them.
After a few minutes, he reached for the pad of paper on her desk, grabbed a pen, and jotted down notes.
Her gaze settled on his hands…he had the softest touch, so gentle, so persuasive, so–
“Who’s Jackson?”
“What?”
“Who’s Jackson?”
She didn’t miss the pinched brows and frown when he asked the question. Katie fought the heat creeping to her cheeks, threatening to spread across her face. “He was a consultant.” She would not admit he was the man who’d asked her to marry him.
“Hmm. The guy sure seems to have a lot of sway with you. Add five thousand square feet for storage? Build a shipping dock and more office space?” He shifted the plans to the side and read along the margin.
“Landscape the front of the property?” Those blue eyes turned three shades darker, his expression curious. “What sort of real estate is he in?”
Why could this man always see more than she wanted him to…? A shrug, a nonchalant, “Commercial.”
“And did he negotiate a deal for you on this place?”