Mr. Big Deal (Mr. Big 4)

CHAPTER15

Luke

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We returnedto the beach house on Sunday, and while Alexa’s mom and dad watched Leif, Alexa and I went for a sail along the coast.

We both needed to recover from our evening with Ken Hanson, but most of all, Elena Marakova.

The salty air was good for us both, clearing our heads and energizing us.

“I feel almost ready for battle,” I said to Alexa when we finished docking in our slip at the marina.

“Are you going into the city this week? I imagine there will be several meetings to clarify things.”

I nodded. “I have to for a couple of days at least. But I’ll come back every night. I’m not wasting my year with Leif for this.”

“Good,” Alexa said and helped me get the boat ready for the next time we wanted to sail. “I can’t wait until Leif is old enough to come sailing with us.”

“Don’t worry,” I said. “We’ll turn him into a good little sailor.”

We drove back to the beach house and spent the afternoon with the grandparents and enjoyed watching them play with Leif. Finally, we had a nice dinner on the patio, and when the sun had set and the stars came out, Mrs. Dixon turned to me.

“This is such a beautiful home,” she said. “How wonderful to be able to raise Leif here. You two are so lucky.”

“We are,” I replied for I knew it. I knew it with all my heart. I was going to do nothing to jeopardize that, and if it meant turning down a really sweet deal with Ken Hanson, so be it. I would love the investment dollars such a deal would afford, but I did not want to lose control of Astra. I did not want to move to Houston and commute back and forth to New York.

I was even rethinking any kind of deal with Elena Marakova.

I had a bad taste in my mouth about her willingness to just give over to Hanson. Did she not have any pride in her own company that she was happy to sell out so quickly?

As for Hanson, I understood his motivation. He wanted to buy up any promising new aerospace companies and be the biggest corporation of all providing product and services to NASA and other national space agencies.

But that wasn’t my vision. It wasn’t John’s either.

I was sure Adam felt the same, although we hadn’t had a chance to talk yet. I didn’t know Campbell well enough to judge.

We said goodbye to the Dixons and after I gave Leif his bath and handed him to Alexa for his bedtime feed, I went to the office and called John.

“Hey,” I said and sat down at my desk, watching the stars rise over the ocean beyond our property. “I wanted to touch base and see what your thoughts were after our night with the gang.”

“That was some night, am I right?” John replied. “What did you think about Ken Hanson being the mystery investor?” His voice sounded hesitant, like he wanted to feel me out before committing.

“I was as surprised — and pleased — as you probably were. But Houston? And a merger? That wasn’t what either of us intended. Nor do I think Adam Pierce wants it.”

He sighed audibly. “I know. But it’s so tempting. With Hanson’s money and clout, we could really do things. Fast. Much faster than without that money.”

“Yeah, but a merger?” I said in protest. “If we merged with Hanson, he would have the control, and could take Astra anywhere he wanted, instead of where we want. We’d be figureheads only. Not really in control. I don’t like that. Not at all.”

“Geeze,” John replied. “It’s hard to turn that money down…”

We talked for another fifteen minutes about the coming week, unable to really conclude anything until we saw the deal in writing. As it was, it was all just verbal and speculation. We’d need some hard numbers to know for sure what we would be getting into if the deal went through.

“We’ll meet tomorrow for lunch,” I said and checked my watch, wanting to be able to put Leif down for the night. “We can go over what we want together and then wait for the paperwork from Hanson before we get too excited — or disappointed. In the meantime, we need to keep our options open and meet with other potential business partners.”

“I agree. See you tomorrow. You want to go to Vector for lunch? I feel like a good burger.”

“Sounds good. See you.”

I ended the call and went back to the living room. Alexa had just finished giving Leif the breast and was burping him on her shoulder. I grabbed a receiving blanket and placed it over my shoulder and then took Leif from her so I could do the burping work. I kissed Leif’s head and then placed him on my shoulder, then walked to the patio doors so he could see outside.

“What did John have to say?”

I sighed. “He was as torn as I am about it. Hanson’s great, and the company has so much capital and expertise, but neither of us really want to see a merger. A joint venture, yes. A merger, no.”

Alexa adjusted her nursing bra and then stood up, coming over to where Leif and I stood. A huge burp erupted from Leif’s tiny mouth and so I took him off my shoulder and wiped off his mouth. He smiled at me in return, and I felt my heart surge with love.

I never knew how much love I could feel for a baby, but boy, did I know it now.

“He should be changed and go down,” Alexa said, holding out her arms to take Leif.

“No, I’ll do it,” I said and carried Leif up the stairs to his nursery. “Make us some decaf.”

“Okay.”

I took Leif to his room, laid him on the change table, and then proceeded to remove his onesie, and put on a fresh diaper and clean onesie. While I did, he chewed on his hand, and generally waved his arms around, babbling back at me while I told him all about the world.

When he was all freshly changed, I placed him in his crib, gave him his pacifier, turned on the mobile over the crib, and dimmed the lights. He was absorbed by the mobile and although he waved his arms around a bit, soon he was quiet.

I closed the door after checking to see that the baby monitor light was on, indicating it was operating properly.

Then I went downstairs to Alexa.

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