Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nicole
Meeting today with Cityscape Investment Group.
I’m standing outside of the high-rise office building when the reminder pops up on my phone’s calendar. I swallow hard. I did not expect for that email to work, and I definitely didn’t expect it to turn into a meeting the day of their response.
And considering Dom is in Texas at an away game, he has no idea this is taking place.
But as soon as he gets back, I’ll tell him.
Or not tell him, just in case the meeting goes really bad.
“But I’ve got this.” I nod to myself, squaring my shoulders.
I stayed up nearly all night preparing. And then this morning, I had Nora help me pick out my business attire.
I settled for a gray pantsuit with a black blouse.
My blonde hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail, and the goal is to not remind anyone of Glow Girl.
Because that sounds mortifying.
What if they’re just meeting with me to make fun of me? The intrusive thought makes me shudder, and I bite down on the inside of my cheek as I step into the building, entirely owned by Cityscape.
I take a deep breath and approach the receptionist. “Hi.” I put on my most businesslike face. “I’m here to meet with the investor board.”
“Ah, yes!” the middle-aged lady behind the desk chimes. “They’re really excited about you.” She gives me a smile that I can’t decide is genuine or mocking. Either way, I’m scared. The receptionist picks up her phone and then says something incoherent into the receiver.
I swallow what feels like sand in my throat. I’ve got this. I’ve got this. I’ve got this.
And I think I need a new mantra.
Ugh.
“They’ll see you now,” the woman says, her voice cutting through my thoughts. “You can just follow me. We do all the proposals on the ground floor.”
Probably because it’s easier for security to escort them out.
My messenger bag strap held tightly in my sweaty hand, I follow the woman through the lobby and down a side hallway until we reach a set of double doors. She opens them and then gestures for me to step inside.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“Of course.” She smiles. “Best of luck.”
With that, I turn and step into the room, met with the faces of six men I don’t recognize. I mean, sure, I think a couple of them have been at my dad’s mixers, but I’m pretty sure all corporate investors look the same.
“Good morning, Miss Farrarah,” the man sitting at the head of the table greets me, his dark eyes opposing his blond hair. “We’re happy you were able to come in so quickly.”
“Of course, it’s my pleasure.” My tone comes out way more confident than I expect it to, and honestly, it serves as just the boost I need.
“We’d love to see what you’re thinking,” he continues, and the other guys nod along, not one of them looking at me with any sort of mocking expression.
I prepared all night for this. I can do this.
I shift into business mode, mimicking the skills I learned from my father.
I pass out the brochures, open my laptop, and connect it to the screen.
It takes me nearly an hour to walk through the entire proposal, including everything from the start-up and construction costs to the amenities and benefits it would serve to athletes.
And when I finish, I feel breathless and lightheaded. But I think Dom would be proud.
“So.” One of them clears their throat. “What inspired you to come up with this idea?”
“My neighbor plays for the Comets, actually. Dominic Neelson. We were talking about what it’s like for professional athletes to get traded, and the idea was born from there.”
He nods. “And what did he think?”
“He thought it would solve a real problem. And beyond helping with moving logistics, the concept would also benefit new players, who have few connections, to settle in. I want to focus on community, you know? It’s hard to move to the city and find connections.
The lifestyle of professional athletes can be isolating. ”
“I do agree,” another says. “My nephew recently made it pro with golf. He would love to live in a place like this.”
“Hmm.” A guy wearing glasses looks me over. “Well, I think it’s safe to say we all know who you are.”
Uh oh.
“And your father is one of the most prominent businessmen in the world,” he continues. “Why not have him back your idea?”
Because he just wants me to be content living as a trust fund baby.
But I push that away.
“I’d like to prove that I can do this on my own.” I keep my answer short, choosing not to go into the spiel of what I’ve learned from him.
“And one more thing.” Another guy, the youngest of the group, taps a pen on his notebook. “What about Glow Girl?”
No, no, no…
I suddenly feel like I really might pass out, but I force myself to stay grounded in the thin carpet.
“Well…” I take a quiet breath. “It was a really good learning experience. I learned what not to do, and what my strengths and weaknesses were. I think our failures are just as important as our successes … especially when they teach us who we are.”
He nods. “I have to agree with you, Miss Farrarah. I think that all of us have failed miserably before. It’s the lessons we learn in those moments that shape us into the people we become and the businesses we build. What’s important is that we fail forward.”
I could cry at his words. “Absolutely. Yes, sir.”
“We’d like a moment to talk, if that’s okay?” He gives me a smile. “If you’ll just step out, we’ll come get you.”
“Sounds great,” I choke out, giving them all a nod. “Thank you for your time. I really appreciate your consideration.”
They all smile as I gather my things up and slip out of the room. I take a deep, long breath as soon as I’m in the hallway. My head is spinning with the nerves of the proposal, but even if they decline, I’m still proud of myself.
Thank you, Dom.
I owe him the biggest hug ever for encouraging me to send that email.
I pull out my phone and open our text thread. His last message was just an airplane emoji, and I start to type out a message to him.
Me: You’ll never believe what happened today. I got a…
“Miss Farrarah?” a voice interrupts, and I pocket my phone without sending the message.
“Yes?” I look up to see the investor with the glasses. “We’re ready to talk to you now.”
Well, that was fast…
Which could be a really bad or good thing.
“Awesome.” I sound silly, but it’s all I can think to say as I follow him back into the room.
“Go ahead and take a seat.” He gestures to the chair adjacent to the panel of men. “We have quite a bit to go over.”
I nod, pulling out the chair with shaking hands. “Of course.” I can’t think of anything, my brain blanking as I sit down in the black leather seat. I situate my bag beside me, just in case I need to make some sort of emergency exit or something, and then clasp my hands on top of the table.
“Well, we already had pretty much come to a decision before you ever presented to us,” the blond-headed man begins, clearing his throat.
“We haven’t seen an idea like this before—and while we don’t typically take on such niche development ideas, we actually think this one has some substance to work with. ”
“Really?” I cough, trying to hide the surprise in my voice.
“Really,” the younger one confirms. “The apartment complex is a phenomenal idea, and we’re willing to take a risk on you. Of course, we’ll be right there, walking you through the process. It would be a guaranteed success.”
I nod, trying not to scream with victory. “Absolutely.”
“There’s just one thing.” The glasses guy hums, his eyes dropping to the brochure in front of him. “I don’t think we want to start the venture here in Los Angeles.”
I blink a few times, trying to process. “Okay…”
“We think Los Angeles could be a potential future location, but starting out, we’d like to choose a city that we feel would have the best chance of growth.”
“What city is that?” I keep my voice professional.
“Miami. And we would ask that you relocate to the city to oversee the development and the first five years of operations. From there, of course, you could relocate wherever you choose, and we could potentially build other similar complexes.”
I take a deep, steadying breath. Miami. Florida.
“We know it’s a lot to ask, but that’s where we feel it would thrive best at this point. Our options are limited right now on location.”
I swallow the acid rising in my throat. “I do understand that.”
“Here’s our proposal.” The blond slides across a thick packet, which I already know is an investment plan. “We’re looking at investing in a multimillion-dollar complex, plus hiring the individuals who would work there. We’ll fund the whole thing.”
I place my fingers on the contract, feeling the cold of the paper beneath my skin. Something about it sends prickles down my forearm beneath my blazer.
“You don’t have to sign or agree to it now,” he continues.
“We assume you’ll want your team to look it over and ensure that it works best for you.
But,” he pauses, looking me dead in the eye.
“I can guarantee that we treat our partners with absolute integrity, and our goal is to be successful with you. We’re a team here.
We’ll need to know your answer in twenty-four hours. ”
I nod. “I will think about it, look it over, and get back to you by tomorrow morning.” My tone is bright, but my heart is pounding in my chest as I push back from the conference table. I shakily stand to my feet and pick up the contract, tucking it under my arm. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Thank you, Miss Farrarah.”
“Thank you,” I say, and then exit the conference room, my smile slipping from my face immediately.
It’s just Miami. It’d be an adventure.
But something about the idea of moving has my stomach churning enough to make me uncertain about the whole thing. I should be jumping up and down, but honestly, I was hoping to stay right here in Los Angeles…
As I exit into the perfectly sunny California weather, the late morning sun hits my face with the kind of warmth I think I’ve been taking for granted.
I sigh, pulling out the contract and flipping through the details. As I finish, I know it’s a good deal—a really good deal. It’s just…
Dom isn’t in Miami.
He’s right here, in LA.