Read Online Close to You by Kara Isaac - Free Book Online Page B

to do. As your assistant, I mean.”
    His uncle picked up his knife and methodically buttered his toast. He then cut the bread into four precise pieces, poppedone into his mouth, and chewed at leisure. Almost as if Jackson wasn’t even there, let alone asked a question.
    After what felt like an eon, Louis lifted his napkin to his lips, brushed away a few crumbs, and spoke. “Oh, nothing too arduous. I’m pretty self-sufficient for an old codger. I’ll let you know what I need and when I need it.”
    A large cup of steaming coffee landed in front of Jackson and he busied himself adding sugar and milk, grateful for something to cover up his confusion. If the old man didn’t need an assistant, then why had he paid all this money for Jackson to come with him? He’d assumed Louis was killing two birds with one stone, but now it appeared one of the birds was already dead, and they could have easily dealt with any questions he had about the business plan via phone or e-mail while he was away.
    His uncle peered over the glasses balanced at the end of his pointy nose. “You’re wondering why you’re here.”
    Jackson took a tentative sip of his coffee and nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful for the opportunity, but yes, I guess I am.”
    His uncle turned his full attention to him, sliding his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with the tip of his finger. “After we met, I reviewed your business plan and my initial thoughts were favorable.”
    Thank you, God. Not that he still believed in one. But if he did, he would be grateful.
    This was even better than he’d dared to hope. He had thought he’d be forced to suffer through much more of the tour before he got any sense of which way his uncle was leaning.
    Framing his expression to be on the positive side of neutral, he waited for questions, confident he’d be able to answer to Louis’s satisfaction. BabyZen was genius, the business plan solid, his connections impeccable. All he needed was the capital, which now dangled right in front of him.
    Nodding his thanks to the waiter who placed a plate of five different types of toast in front of him, he surveyed the preserves selection. He didn’t want his uncle to think he was too eager. Nothing scared investors off faster than appearing desperate to get your hands on their cash.
    His uncle picked up his knife. “But you see, son, I believe in investing in people first and ideas second. I realize this is unusual, but it’s worked well for me in the past. So while you have some good ideas, I don’t know enough about you to make a decision yet.”
    Jackson managed to keep his expression intact while, internally, his spirits sank. He should’ve known there was going to be a catch. He’d been taken to the bottom of the world to spend three weeks with a bunch of Tolkienites, after all.
    Louis picked up a small jar of jam that sat in the center of the table and dipped his knife in. “Obviously we’re family, but let’s face it, we might as well be strangers. I loved my sister, but Iowa and Texas weren’t exactly locations that lent themselves to popping in for a cup of coffee and watching each other’s families grow up.”
    It occurred to Jackson he didn’t know anything about his uncle’s family either. He had vague recollections from his youth of a mention of a wife at one point, maybe a couple of kids, but it was all a bit hazy. Louis certainly hadn’t mentioned either.
    â€œSo you want to get to know me?” He wasn’t sure whether to be concerned or not. He thought he was a pretty decent guy.His parents had raised him right. Sure, there were a few decisions they might not have approved of, but he was okay with them. He certainly rated himself as a better person than the majority of those he’d crossed paths with during his near decade in California.
    His uncle spread some