He could offer to look at her books and see if he could find efficiencies. Or perhaps he could offer to negotiate her rent with her landlord. Maybe do some research into other storefronts that wouldn’t cost as much but might bring in more business for her.
But his business was so different from hers that she might not appreciate his advice. And, to be fair, there might not be a lot of advice he could give her. He’d never had to save a failing business, only expand his family’s already strong empire.
And, if she was tied to that location, she might not want him pushing her somewhere else. He needed to know more about her and her business for that plan of action to work.
The server quietly set the crystal tumbler on the table and nodded to Khizar. Khizar nodded back and picked up the glass, then sipped the whiskey and thought some more.
He was definitely seeing her tomorrow. It was a chance to impress her again, and maybe their conversation would give him a clue of something he could use. He needed her to open up about her great-uncle, but he couldn’t just ask her outright.
Perhaps if he talked more about his jewelry business and his mines, she might bring Bill up as a connection. Or he could “discover” the connection later on, once she trusted him more. But he needed a reason to spend additional time with her.
Loud voices carried from the bar, cutting across the room, and Khizar looked up to see a couple with their arms looped about each other walking up to the bartender. She tenderly laid a hand on his chest as she shushed him, and he laughed and said he didn’t care who knew she was going to be his wife.
The bartender asked if they had just gotten engaged, and the woman proudly displayed her left hand. He shook both their hands across the bar, and then poured two glasses of champagne for them. The couple sat cuddled together at the end of the bar, leaning in to each other, oblivious to the world around them.
Khizar took another drink and watched the couple. Marriage was something he expected he’d have to have some day. Hopefully, someday far into the future.
His parents were hinting that they’d like to see a wedding, and his uncle was supportive of that idea as well. But Khizar wasn’t in any rush, as desirable as the happy couple at the bar made it look.
Khizar wondered if Jacqui was dating anyone. Nothing had appeared in the pictures on her social media accounts, and James hadn’t found any romantic entanglements. Certainly, she hadn’t mentioned a boyfriend during their dinner.
He didn’t think she would have accepted a dinner invitation if she was seeing someone. And she was definitely attracted to him. She was guarded, and he could see that she didn’t open up to a lot of people. However, in the short time they’d known each other, she apparently had decided he was someone she could trust.
Perhaps he could use that. He would be smitten with her, and extend his business in Milwaukee. Dating Jacqui would give him a reason to spend more time with her.
Spending more time with her wouldn’t be a bad thing. Khizar thought about her smile and the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed. He liked making her smile, and he felt like he was doing something good when he made her laugh.
The couple at the bar finished their champagne and left, still twined around each other. Watching them, Khizar had a moment of inspiration.
If Jacqui was his fiancée, she would definitely tell him more about her family. Even if she didn’t, an engagement would give him an opening to ask, under the guise of who they needed to invite to the wedding.
It would also give him a reason to take her to Nudushan if that was necessary—he was certain Bill hadn’t hidden the diamond in the mine, but given how much time Bill had spent in his country, Khizar thought it might still be there somewhere.
They wouldn’t actually get married, of course. Their relationship would only last a few weeks, a couple of months at the most. He would find a reason to stay in Milwaukee, impress her with elaborate dates, and then propose. He would sweep her off her feet.
He felt somewhat bad about the potential for breaking her heart, but he’d show her the time of her life in the meantime and give her a few weeks to remember. He’d treat her with respect and affection, and shower her with presents.
In the end, he could let her down easy. Perhaps he could note that their worlds were too different and she wouldn’t be happy so far from her home. Khizar was sure he could find a way to lessen the blow when the time came.
And, he could still figure out a way to save her business. He would buy the diamond from her, even if it wasn’t clearly in her possession. The money meant nothing to him, but it would be everything to her. It would provide financial security, letting her bolster her business or move it to a better location. She could expand and hire more staff, and do some better marketing. It would be enough to keep her business stable for years.