CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Callahan
There’s a thrill in the art of negotiation. In sitting face to face with a smug bastard like Solomon and challenging him over and over to validate the demands he was championing for.
Keone was definitely right, though. Trouble was brewing amongst the Ocean’s Edge staff. Wage complaints, benefit grumbles, and just issues in general about shifts and overtime.
Of course, we thought it was fair. Solomon, on the other hand, did his job handily over the past three hours, trying to advocate for more, more, more for the staff.
Some things I budged on.
Others, not an inch.
I still might not care for Solomon, but I think we both left the table with a solid agreement that is good for both the employees and Sharpe International.
“Boss Man.” Keone chuckles. “What are you doing here midday? Your day that bad you need a drink already?”
“No drink. I can’t stay,” I say, hitting my fist on the bar. “But I wanted to thank you for the heads-up on the staff rumblings.”
“Oh yeah? Me?” Keone wipes his hands on a towel, a crooked smile on his lips. “I helped?”
“You did. And I appreciate it. I wanted to say thank you. New contracts and benefits will be offered by the week’s end.”
“No shit?”
“No shit.”
“You going to see your lady now?”
I falter at his words. My reaction a dead giveaway that I am. But how does he know?
“What do you mean?” I feign innocence.
“You’re a different man these last couple days. You do this job long enough you know the signs of a man who’s happy.” He puts his hands on his hips and smiles. “It’s not the redhead, is it? Jessica Rabbit? The one who came here and you play hard to get with?”
I laugh at his description of Gia Diamante and shake my head. “No. It’s not Jessica Rabbit. But that’s a good one.”
“Man, whoever she is, she must be good if you passing up that.”
I just grin and wink. “Later, Ke. Thanks again.”
Man, she must be good if you passing up that.
He has no idea.
And the thought pervades as I walk into the villa and find Sutton sitting there with expectant eyes looking my way. “Well?” She pats the cushion on the couch beside her.
“It’s done.”
She squeals in laughter. “It’s done as in the agreement is done, or it’s done as in the agreement is signed?”
Sutton looks at me with shock on her face and fuck if my ego doesn’t soar. “As in signed, signed.”
“No way.”
“Truth.” I hold my hands up.
“I was waiting to hear sirens because you’d reached across the table and strangled him for being an ass but then felt guilty for doing so, so you called 911.”
I take a seat beside her. “I may have done that mentally once or twice.” My smile widens.
“But it’s done, Collins. We agreed on all terms. I gave a little.
He gave a lot. The deal is done. In fact, the agreements are being written up for all members of staff, and Brady will have them delivered by the end of the week. ”
She stares at me with her jaw lax and eyes wide and it fills me with such a sense of purpose that I never knew I needed or wanted.
“I’m so proud of you. That’s incredible. We should celebrate . . .” She laughs. “When I feel better of course.”
“Nope. We’re not waiting. Who says we can’t celebrate when you’re sick?” I link my fingers with hers. “There’s a lot to be said for sitting on the couch, putting your feet up on the table, and eating candy by the handfuls straight from oversized bags.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Dead serious.” I hook a thumb over my shoulder. “What did you think was in the bags?” I rise from the couch. “Pick a movie and I’ll go get changed real quick.”
“Hey?” Sutton says and tugs on my hand before I can walk away.
“What?”
She has more color in her cheeks than when I left her. Her eyes a little less glassy. She smiles softly. “You know you’re good at this, right? Have you ever considered that you love the job but not the part you’ve been given to do?”
“Sutton.” Her name is a sigh.
“Hear me out and I won’t mention it again.” She lifts her eyebrows as if pleading for me to agree.
“Fine. What?”
“You’ve always dealt with everything on the macro level of this business, but I’ve sat here, day in and day out, and watched you work on the micro level and do an absolutely phenomenal job.
” She squeezes my fingers. “Maybe that’s your niche.
The on-site details of making a deal work instead of the broad overview of one.
The devil is in the details, Callahan, and you seem to know how to deal with them. ”
I nod and head toward the bedroom.
“It’s a shame you’re going to walk away from something you’re so skilled at,” she says.
I hear her. But I don’t respond. Can’t. Because I’m not one hundred percent sure how her words make me feel.
And it’s not until later, when her head is resting on my chest where she fell asleep during the movie, that I allow myself to think about her words again.
That I allow myself to wonder if she might be right.
But it doesn’t matter if she’s right or wrong because I have plans a little over a week from now. I’m going to close my eyes and put a finger on a map of the world and that’s where I’ll end up.
Just like I’ve wanted to for some time.
At least this time I can do it without any guilt for not fulfilling my promise to my brothers.
But what about Sutton?
I close my eyes and listen to her soft breathing and rationalize my thoughts away.
“You know that, don’t you? What a good man you are? That’s why I’ve fallen for you.”
There’s no promise to break with her because I never made one in the first place.
Keep telling yourself that, Sharpe.
Keep telling yourself that and you might actually believe you’re not falling for her too.