The Contingency Plan (The Lonely Heart Series) by Latrivia Nelson

looked over at his right hand and chuckled. She knew him better than he remembered.  “Okay, let me rephrase.  Most of this meeting is on the up and up. However, I will confess that I do have some private things to discuss with you that are not pertaining to Sophie’s Choice. But hey, it’s me.  It’s Sully.  Don’t I get a private moment?” His shoulders hunched up sho w ing his amazingly toned trap muscles. 
    “Okay. I’ll give you that, but only that ,” she said, hoping that it had to do with a bit of groveling. Her eyes widened behind her shades at the thought.  Taking her shades off, she revealed her sultry brown eyes at just the moment she was sure that he’d be most captivated. 
    She wasn’t disappointed.
    Sully’s smile dropped for a moment. 
    “ Heeelloooo ,” he said with finality as if he knew what was happening between them.
    Charlie could barely speak.  “Hello,” she whi s pered. Get a hold of yourself , she reminded herself quietly.  You’re not supposed to be falling for him.  He’s supposed to be falling for you, you klutz . 
    Sully cleared his throat.  “So, let’s get the business out of the way first.”  Clasping his large, manicured hands together, he lifted his brow. “Dane’s impressed with your organization.”
    “Really?” Her business mind took over. 
    “Very.  He is impressed with the mission of S o phie’s Choice and impressed with the leadership, especially you .  He wants to donate a substantial initial gift that will help single mothers return to or go for the first time to college in the New York City area.”
    Charlie nodded. “How much are we talking?”
    Sully didn’t blink.  “One million dollars.”
    Exhaling loudly with a clever grin, Charlie sat up in her seat.  “How do you say no to that?”
    “You don’t.”
    Charlie wiggled a little in her seat.  “Well, what’s the catch?”
    “There is no catch. He wants to meet later next week to make it official.”
    “Sure.  We can come to him, or we’d love to have him back here in New York.”
    “Sounds good.  I’ll let him know.”
    Charlie paused. “Wait. It’s never this simple.  In this economy, one hundred thousand dollars is hard to come by and your friend wants to give away one million?”
    “I get that, but it is what he wants to do.”  Sully could feel the change of energy from across the table.  Charlie wasn’t buying it. 
    “How’s his company doing?”  she probed, taking a sip of water.  Her eyes were glued to him and his fingers. 
    “Doing great actually .”  Sully looked down and took a sip of his own water. 
    “How are his private affairs?  I mean, are they in order?” Her eyes narrowed.
    “Now that you mention it, there is some news that is going to break pretty soon in the media.”  He exhaled the “got me” sigh. 
    “Like what?” Charlie asked.
    Sully swallowed hard, bobbing his Adam’s apple as he did.  “Like…like a few kids that he has fathered who have not been properly supported in the past.  But I assure you that he didn’t know about them. His gatekeepers are responsible for the communication break-down.  They didn’t believe the girls and their stories.”
    “How many kids?”
    “Four.”
    “Wow, Sully.  This is damage control,” she said outraged.  Suddenly, his gift sounded and smelled like a bribe. 
    “Dane is prepared to face this head on and to show his commitment to fixing the problem; he is not only going to take care of the women, but also he wants to make this gift to your organization.”  He tried to remind her of the bigger picture, but she was all tunnel vision at the moment. 
    “Why give to us instead of the Women’s Found a tion?” She pulled out a notebook from her purse. 
    “You’re actually turning away money?” Sully asked with a huff.
    “No.” Charlie pursed her lips together and thought long and hard for a moment.  Tapping her finger on the table, she finally rolled her eyes.