Page 80 of Maverick

"Shit," Ransom mutters, running a hand through his hair.

"What if we offer a higher price?" Nick suggests, leaning back in his chair. "Granted, the amount you're offering now is insane, but we could still go higher."

Ransom shakes his head. "We've already doubled the amount, and it didn't have an effect. Money's not going to do it."

"Maybe we could promise to keep the current staff?" Nick suggests tapping his fingers on his knee.

"That's a given," Ransom replies, running a hand through his hair. "We need something more compelling."

The ideas continue to fly, each one dissected and ultimately discarded. As the minutes tick by, the mood in the room grows increasingly tense, our collective frustration mounting with every dead end.

Finally, I can't take it anymore. "Ransom, why's this garage so important? The numbers don't add up. It's a shit investment, even at the original price."

The room goes quiet. Ransom stares at his desk, his jaw clenched. "I'm trying to keep a promise," he says finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

I exchange a look with Nick. There's clearly more to this story, but Ransom's not ready to share. The weight of whatever's behind this promise hangs heavy in the air. Am I curious? I sure as fuck am. But I'm not going to pry, for now.

"I have to assume that you know Blair, then? What would get him to sign?"

He hesitates, lips pulled tight. "That's the problem, brother. We're more likely to wake up tomorrow with fairy wings than get a signature on that deal."

"But you still want us to try?" None of this makes an ounce of fucking sense.

"Yeah, I do."

"Okay then," Nick says, slapping his knee. "We'll keep trying. If I ever get a chance to talk to him face to face, I'll get the signature. I promise."

Ransom shakes his head. "No face to face. We'll stay the course for now."

Nick and I trade glances, both of us with a 'what the fuck' look on our faces. This deal matters. He said so. He said he's trying to keep a promise. But he doesn't want us to go in person?

Shit, now all I want to do is get in my car and figure out who the hell this guy is. Peeling back a layer of Ransom's past suddenly feels very fucking necessary. Nick is obviously having the same thought, but finally he shakes his head and breaks the stare.

We're going to sit back, and let this play out…for now.

The room falls silent for a moment, and Ransom finally taps his fingers on the desk and looks at me. "So, Mav, did you have something you needed to talk about?"

I can't help it. The words just burst out of me like a dam breaking. "I need help with Cadence. She's fucking amazing. Like, seriously incredible. We've been on a few dates now, and every time I'm with her, I just... I'm a fucking goner. She's smart and funny, and she's got this way of looking at the world that just blows me away.”

I pause to take a breath, trying to rein in my racing thoughts. "But she's so damned busy at the rescue. And I'm working late, so it's almost impossible to find time together. And every time we try to have a moment alone, something comes up. A family emergency, work stuff, or Nan comes home. It's like the universe is conspiring against us getting any real one-on-one time."

Nick leans forward, fingers rubbing at his jaw. "What do you need, man? How can we help?"

I run a hand through my hair, frustration evident in my voice. "I just want one night. One uninterrupted evening where it's just us. No phone calls, no emergencies, no... anything. Just me and Cadence."

"We could get Nan out of the apartment for a night," Nick suggests. "Maybe put her up in a hotel, or get her to help babysit Mia?"

"No fucking way. I don't want to do that. It's her home too. I don't want her feeling like she can't be there or that she's in the way." Nan's eyes are softer now. Actually, everything about her is softer since we had that chat. Something about seeing that softness, and knowing it's there because I could provide a safe home for her, feels pretty damn great.

I want to see that same softness in Cadence. She carries a tightness in her, like she's keeping herself contained. Or like she's trying to be the perfect houseguest or something. It's frustrating, but I'm not ready to push it. She'll settle in soon enough. I'll make sure of it.

Ransom studies me, and thankfully, his features are more relaxed than a few minutes ago. "What about the extra apartment? We could set it up for a date. Nice table, candles, the works."

Nick snaps his fingers and points at Ransom. "Yes! Brilliant. We could even get a bed in there if you want."

I feel my cheeks heat up, images of Cadence and all her curves flashing through my mind. I want her desperately, but she matters too much to rush. "Whoa, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We're definitely not there yet. But the rest of it... a quiet dinner in a private space? That sounds perfect."

"It's mostly set up. We just need a few things to make it feel more homey. I'm sure Bree would help."