Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
C ooper finished reading the last page of the proposal, returned it to the stack of papers in front of him, and slipped a copy into a presentation folder.
This was it.
D-day. Developer day, when he convinced Ariel to sign over the gallery, guaranteeing him a new start away from his cantankerous father.
The documentation was flawless and he’d planned for every contingency.
Apart from the one where she said no to his immaculately laid out plans.
Though that wouldn’t happen if Ariel knew what was good for her, and after spending time with the bohemian beauty, he knew for a fact that Ariel’s brain was as impressive as the rest of her. Something his father would’ve recognised if he hadn’t barged into this deal with all the finesse of a wounded rhino.
Then again, Eric hadn’t even rated Ariel, preferring to deal through the council that held her lease.
A small part of Cooper wished his father had sealed this deal because that would’ve given him free reign to pursue Ariel, to explore the sizzling attraction between them, to kiss her…
He’d been tempted last night, so close to throwing his ideals to the wind, hauling her into his arms, and making every fantasy he’d ever had about her come true. Thankfully, his befuddled brain had kicked into gear at the last minute and he’d averted a mini disaster.
As much as he wanted Ariel, he wanted to get out of Vance Corporation more and make his stubborn old coot of a dad wake up.
“Got a minute?”
Speak of the devil…
Eric strode into the office without waiting for an invite and stood over Cooper’s desk.
“Sure, what’s up?”
It irked Cooper that he couldn’t call Eric ‘dad’ in the office. They’d dropped the ‘dad’ and ‘son’ act as soon as he joined the company. Sad but true.
Cooper had worked hard, putting in long hours, nailing the big deals, doing more for Vance Corporation than any other employee in the company’s history, all in the vain hope that his father would treat him like a valued asset, or better, the son he’d once loved.
No more. He was done wishing for something that would never eventuate.
Eric crossed his arms. “What’s the deal with the Wallace woman? Have you signed her yet?” He tapped his watch. “We’re due to meet with the investors in a few days.”
Cooper pointed at the document folder in front of him. “I’m meeting with her in an hour.”
An ugly sneer creased Eric’s face. “That’s just dandy, but is she going to sign on the dotted line?”
“I’m confident.” Cooper kept his answers short, non-confrontational, just like he’d learned to do because of his dad’s short temper.
Eric glanced away, oddly uncomfortable, before eyeballing him. “What will you do then?”
Cooper stared at his dad in confusion. They’d never talked beyond the deal. Cooper knew the day he delivered the signed documentation was the day he walked out of here with his contract in tatters, but his father had never asked about his future plans. Eric was rarely interested in anything but himself.
“Do you really want to know?”
To his surprise, Eric slumped into the chair opposite and lost the surly expression. “Yeah, I do. You’ve worked here ever since university, I think I’m entitled to know your plans.”
“As my ex-employer or as my father?”
Cooper almost spat the words even though he knew now wasn’t the time or place to have the in-depth father/son chat he’d craved for the last year. He had more important things to focus on, like convincing a crazy artist to hand over her studio.
“Guess I deserved that.”
If Cooper had been surprised by his father’s question, Eric’s concerned expression floored him. For a moment, it almost appeared like his dad cared.
“Look, Coop, things have been pretty full-on around here for the last year. Maybe I’ve taken you for granted. You’re a good worker. You’ll go places.” Eric’s expression hardened. “Seems a shame to throw it all away on a whim.”
A whim ? His father thought Cooper’s dream of starting his own company was nothing more than a whim?
Cooper’s tiny flicker of hope extinguished. His dad wasn’t interested in re-establishing a father/son bond. He wasn’t interested in making up for lost time, for all the months they’d wasted dancing around one another.
Uh-uh, his dad was only concerned about his precious business.
Cooper should’ve known.
He stood abruptly, shrugged into his suit jacket, and picked up the presentation folder. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but this isn’t a whim. Striking out on my own is something I have to do. You’d understand that if you knew me.”
Cooper ignored the hurt in his father’s eyes and walked out the door, his attention already focussed on the meeting ahead and its importance for his future.