very kind of you to consider me, but I don’t intend to be here long and I never mix business with pleasure.”
“Are you certain about that?” Oren said in a more challenging tone. The nearly blinding white teeth came out again. “I can be very persuasive and very helpful, particularly in matters of certain property acquisitions.”
Chase smiled, trying not to lose his composure, but Oren was definitely testing it. With every job there was inevitably an attempt to bribe, coerce or even threaten him with money, property or power. He never accepted anything, obviously. And not surprisingly, this wasn’t the first time he’d been offered someone’s daughter. But in his estimation, a businessman selling out his family would sell out anyone. “Sir, Titan’s business stands as is. What I’m proposing to bring to the table is Titan, not myself. And, as I mentioned the other night at dinner, this is all on spec. There are other locations, some far more suitable. This is merely my first stop in a series of possible locations.”
“But I understand you already purchased property in the area.”
“Yes, but property can very easily be sold or held as an investment. Nothing in my business is set in stone until I say it is. If you get my meaning.” He added Oren’s nervous catchphrase.
“Yes, yes, of course. But Alaska is quite a distance from our little patch of land here in Key West.” He chuckled more nervously this time with a definite tenseness behind it. “I just don’t want you to feel left out or lonely here in our fair city. My daughter is very familiar with everything Key West. She could be a great benefit to you and Titan while you’re here. Walk into any location with her on your arm and doors will open.”
“I thank you for your consideration, but I must show no level of bias. You understand of course.”
“Yes, yes, of course. But you might just change your mind when I tell you that she has the biggest—”
“Mr. Buchanan.” Both men turned to the beautiful woman who addressed him. Chase smiled immediately. “Good evening, Oren. Nice to see you. Gentlemen, please excuse my interruption. I’m Tatiana Cage. My sister, Natalia, mentioned that you’d like to meet my husband, Spencer Cage.”
Chase smiled, delighted by the interruption. “Yes, I would indeed. I told your sister that I’m a big fan,” he said, then turned to Oren. “Oren, please excuse us a moment.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” Oren said.
Chase and Tatiana walked off, then a few feet away she began to slow her pace and then she stopped and turned to him. “Mr. Buchanan, I must apologize. I lied to you.”
Chase looked at her. “Oh?”
“My husband hasn’t arrived yet. I passed by a moment ago and just happened to overhear a bit of your conversation with Oren. You’re new here in town and that puts a very definite target on your back.”
“What kind of target?” Chase asked.
“Key West is a small community so when a single man of obvious means comes to town, he’s fair game. And I don’t mean Monopoly. I thought you might need…”
“Rescuing?” Chase offered.
Tatiana nodded. “I hope I haven’t overstepped.”
He chuckled. “No, not at all, your timing was perfect, and the interruption was most definitely appreciated. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” she said as they laughed. Tatiana’s cell phone beeped. “Excuse me,” she said as she glanced at it, quickly reading the text message. “Well, it looks like I didn’t lie after all. My husband just arrived. I’ll find him and introduce you. In the meantime, why don’t you help yourself to the buffet? Nick has prepared an incredible spread.”
“Nick?” Chase questioned.
“Nikita, my other sister. I believe you’ve already met.”
Chase looked at her intensely as he nodded. He knew the three Coles sisters were very close but she showed no sign of knowing about the kiss he and Nikita shared a few days ago. “Yes, of course,” he
“Are you certain about that?” Oren said in a more challenging tone. The nearly blinding white teeth came out again. “I can be very persuasive and very helpful, particularly in matters of certain property acquisitions.”
Chase smiled, trying not to lose his composure, but Oren was definitely testing it. With every job there was inevitably an attempt to bribe, coerce or even threaten him with money, property or power. He never accepted anything, obviously. And not surprisingly, this wasn’t the first time he’d been offered someone’s daughter. But in his estimation, a businessman selling out his family would sell out anyone. “Sir, Titan’s business stands as is. What I’m proposing to bring to the table is Titan, not myself. And, as I mentioned the other night at dinner, this is all on spec. There are other locations, some far more suitable. This is merely my first stop in a series of possible locations.”
“But I understand you already purchased property in the area.”
“Yes, but property can very easily be sold or held as an investment. Nothing in my business is set in stone until I say it is. If you get my meaning.” He added Oren’s nervous catchphrase.
“Yes, yes, of course. But Alaska is quite a distance from our little patch of land here in Key West.” He chuckled more nervously this time with a definite tenseness behind it. “I just don’t want you to feel left out or lonely here in our fair city. My daughter is very familiar with everything Key West. She could be a great benefit to you and Titan while you’re here. Walk into any location with her on your arm and doors will open.”
“I thank you for your consideration, but I must show no level of bias. You understand of course.”
“Yes, yes, of course. But you might just change your mind when I tell you that she has the biggest—”
“Mr. Buchanan.” Both men turned to the beautiful woman who addressed him. Chase smiled immediately. “Good evening, Oren. Nice to see you. Gentlemen, please excuse my interruption. I’m Tatiana Cage. My sister, Natalia, mentioned that you’d like to meet my husband, Spencer Cage.”
Chase smiled, delighted by the interruption. “Yes, I would indeed. I told your sister that I’m a big fan,” he said, then turned to Oren. “Oren, please excuse us a moment.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” Oren said.
Chase and Tatiana walked off, then a few feet away she began to slow her pace and then she stopped and turned to him. “Mr. Buchanan, I must apologize. I lied to you.”
Chase looked at her. “Oh?”
“My husband hasn’t arrived yet. I passed by a moment ago and just happened to overhear a bit of your conversation with Oren. You’re new here in town and that puts a very definite target on your back.”
“What kind of target?” Chase asked.
“Key West is a small community so when a single man of obvious means comes to town, he’s fair game. And I don’t mean Monopoly. I thought you might need…”
“Rescuing?” Chase offered.
Tatiana nodded. “I hope I haven’t overstepped.”
He chuckled. “No, not at all, your timing was perfect, and the interruption was most definitely appreciated. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” she said as they laughed. Tatiana’s cell phone beeped. “Excuse me,” she said as she glanced at it, quickly reading the text message. “Well, it looks like I didn’t lie after all. My husband just arrived. I’ll find him and introduce you. In the meantime, why don’t you help yourself to the buffet? Nick has prepared an incredible spread.”
“Nick?” Chase questioned.
“Nikita, my other sister. I believe you’ve already met.”
Chase looked at her intensely as he nodded. He knew the three Coles sisters were very close but she showed no sign of knowing about the kiss he and Nikita shared a few days ago. “Yes, of course,” he
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