building they’d spotted. Katie had suggested he drive so she could collect her thoughts. Everything was happening so fast. She hadn’t even completed her courses, and he was offering to set her up in business. Could she really handle that kind of stress?
“You’ve been quiet,” Chris said, pulling into the now-empty parking lot. He eased into one of a couple dozen parking spaces and turned off the car. “What did you think of that unit?”
“It was nice,” she said. “It was a good size for about twenty kids.” That was the kind of enrollment she was anticipating for the first couple of years. It may not seem like a lot to him, but to her, the idea of being responsible for the care and educational development of twenty pre-schoolers seemed like a daunting task. She wasn’t even sure she could handle that many, but she didn’t think voicing her concerns to the man who’d offered to invest in her business would be prudent.
“Is that your vision for this business?” Chris asked. “Twenty kids? Tell me what you’re thinking. And don’t say nothing. I know you.”
He could probably see the wheels in her head turning, she thought. There was no point in trying to conceal her fears from him. He would see right through her act. She stared out the window at the large oak trees dominating the generous yard. She could imagine a playground there full of kids blowing off steam at recess, screaming with delight and chasing each other, her little Hannah right in the middle of all the fun. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“Tell me about your concerns.”
“I’ve had jobs before,” she said, lifting her shoulder. “You know, waiting tables, retail…” She looked at the building that could very well give life to her dreams. “But I’ve never had my own business. I don’t know anything about starting a business.” A little sob escaped, and she covered her mouth. “Before Lee came home that night, I was sitting at the kitchen table Googling how to write a business plan and I still couldn’t figure it out. If I can’t figure out how to devise a plan, how do you expect me to execute one?”
He cupped her shoulder to get her attention. “You won’t be doing this alone. You have me to help you, and I know a thing or two about starting a business from nothing.”
She knew Chris had a master’s degree in business, but he had a large company to run and a daughter to raise. It wasn’t fair of her to expect him to waste his valuable time helping her. It was probably time to back out, before she got in too deep. “I just don’t think it’s the right time for me.”
“I’d never force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” he said, watching a dark blue BMW pull into the lot and park a few spaces away from his car. “But if you’re turning down this opportunity because you’re afraid of failure, don’t. I know you have the potential to do things you’ve never even dreamed of. Don’t sell yourself short.”
He saw potential in her? No one had ever said that to her. She knew she should say something—thank him for his kindness, tell him how much it meant to her that he believed in her—but before she could find the words, he was out of the car and walking around to the passenger’s door.
“Are you ready to do this?” he asked, holding out his hand to help her out of the car.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She took a deep breath. Looking at him, she found the words she needed to say. “Thank you for doing this for me. No matter what happens, this means more to me than you know.” Katie didn’t wait for a response as she turned toward the approaching realtor.
“Lovely evening, isn’t it?” the mature woman in a conservative navy suit said. With a warm smile, she offered her hand to Chris. “You must be Mr. Rozen.”
“I am, but please call me Chris.” He shook her hand with a smile before gesturing to Katie. “Mrs. Phillips, this is my business partner, Katie
“You’ve been quiet,” Chris said, pulling into the now-empty parking lot. He eased into one of a couple dozen parking spaces and turned off the car. “What did you think of that unit?”
“It was nice,” she said. “It was a good size for about twenty kids.” That was the kind of enrollment she was anticipating for the first couple of years. It may not seem like a lot to him, but to her, the idea of being responsible for the care and educational development of twenty pre-schoolers seemed like a daunting task. She wasn’t even sure she could handle that many, but she didn’t think voicing her concerns to the man who’d offered to invest in her business would be prudent.
“Is that your vision for this business?” Chris asked. “Twenty kids? Tell me what you’re thinking. And don’t say nothing. I know you.”
He could probably see the wheels in her head turning, she thought. There was no point in trying to conceal her fears from him. He would see right through her act. She stared out the window at the large oak trees dominating the generous yard. She could imagine a playground there full of kids blowing off steam at recess, screaming with delight and chasing each other, her little Hannah right in the middle of all the fun. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“Tell me about your concerns.”
“I’ve had jobs before,” she said, lifting her shoulder. “You know, waiting tables, retail…” She looked at the building that could very well give life to her dreams. “But I’ve never had my own business. I don’t know anything about starting a business.” A little sob escaped, and she covered her mouth. “Before Lee came home that night, I was sitting at the kitchen table Googling how to write a business plan and I still couldn’t figure it out. If I can’t figure out how to devise a plan, how do you expect me to execute one?”
He cupped her shoulder to get her attention. “You won’t be doing this alone. You have me to help you, and I know a thing or two about starting a business from nothing.”
She knew Chris had a master’s degree in business, but he had a large company to run and a daughter to raise. It wasn’t fair of her to expect him to waste his valuable time helping her. It was probably time to back out, before she got in too deep. “I just don’t think it’s the right time for me.”
“I’d never force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” he said, watching a dark blue BMW pull into the lot and park a few spaces away from his car. “But if you’re turning down this opportunity because you’re afraid of failure, don’t. I know you have the potential to do things you’ve never even dreamed of. Don’t sell yourself short.”
He saw potential in her? No one had ever said that to her. She knew she should say something—thank him for his kindness, tell him how much it meant to her that he believed in her—but before she could find the words, he was out of the car and walking around to the passenger’s door.
“Are you ready to do this?” he asked, holding out his hand to help her out of the car.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She took a deep breath. Looking at him, she found the words she needed to say. “Thank you for doing this for me. No matter what happens, this means more to me than you know.” Katie didn’t wait for a response as she turned toward the approaching realtor.
“Lovely evening, isn’t it?” the mature woman in a conservative navy suit said. With a warm smile, she offered her hand to Chris. “You must be Mr. Rozen.”
“I am, but please call me Chris.” He shook her hand with a smile before gesturing to Katie. “Mrs. Phillips, this is my business partner, Katie
Similar Books
