Thirst (The Calvettis of New York 1)

Rocco

My morning was easy. I sat at my desk and ran through the notes that I’d saved to my phone yesterday during the pitch meeting.

Offering a deal on the spot isn’t a rarity for me. I know a diamond in the rough when I see it.

Yesterday’s session had more potential than most, but I only walked away with a solid promise for one partnership. That’s with the owner of the pet-grooming product. My instinct didn’t steer me wrong on that one. I know because Jared was practically jumping up and down when I ran it past him earlier.

If I rely on his good word, every dog owner in the city is going to be lining up when it launches.

Right now, I have my assistant studying the business models from a handful of the people who have contacted me directly this month either through email or a phone call.

If he sees merit in any of them, he’ll put together a spreadsheet, including the sales numbers to date and margins for the product or products. I’ll make a decision about whether or not to meet with the business owners based on that information.

My attention is on something more important than any of that.

I have the financials for Dexie Walsh’s company in front of me. I’m not blown away by what I’m looking at.

She’s a one-woman operation. She handles all aspects of her business entirely on her own while balancing a full-time job.

Scaling her business up would require a substantial monetary investment on my part, as well as a hell of a lot of handholding.

I’m all for the handholding. I’ve wanted to touch the beauty since I first got a glimpse of her through the window of my apartment.

Investing in her dream is an entirely different thing.

“What’s that?” Jared asks as he strolls into my office looking like he belongs on a yacht in the Hamptons.

The peach colored polo shirt and long shorts he has on is typical Jared.

His self-appointed mission to transform me into a slightly older version of him didn’t make it out of the starting gate.

He pushes his brown hair back from his forehead. “Are you holding out on me, boss? That’s another pitch you’re considering, isn’t it?”

“Handbags.” I lean back in my desk chair. “It’s a tough space to make a mark.”

“Near impossible.” He pulls the wooden chair in the corner closer to my desk before he turns it around and sits, resting his forearms on the back. “It’s cutthroat. It would take a huge chunk of change to get any leverage at all.”

His words confirm my thoughts. I knew as soon as Dexie started her pitch yesterday that she was facing an uphill battle.

The market is crowded. Trying to get a foot in the door won’t be easy.

“What do the numbers look like?” He cranes his head to get a better look at the paper in front of me.

I pick it up and hand it to him. There are no secrets between Jared and me. I trust him to tell me what he honestly thinks.

His word is never the last, but I weigh his opinion with my own and make a decision based on all the data.

He glances at the paper. “Dexie Walsh is the company’s name?”

“And the owner’s name,” I confirm with a nod.

“Cute.” He smiles. “It’s unique, catchy. I like it.”

I like the woman it belongs to, but Jared doesn’t need to know that. I’ve never introduced a woman I’m interested in personally to him. I don’t foresee that changing.

“Is this in your maybe pile?” He drops the document on my desk.

“For now.” That’s the easy answer I give him. I have every intention of working out a deal with Dexie that will benefit both of us.