Taming Graeme (Taming the Billionaire) (53 page)

 
Graeme glanced over at his son-in-law and could see the young man doing some mental arithmetic and licking his lips. “I hope you’re not thinking of selling your present house, William? It sounded like you were going to.”

 
“Eh, yes, of course I’d intended to sell. And now you’re paying for the new house, I’ll sell and invest the proceeds in the stock market now that we don’t need the money toward the new house.”

“Not the best move in this property market, William,” said Graeme mildly. “And you don’t need to sell. I’m giving the new house to you. You won’t have a mortgage. You’ll get a very good income off your present house. Our family never sells property, William,
NEVER
, unless we’re making an obscene profit, which is impossible in this market. It’s a buyer’s market, William. I’m sure I’ll negotiate that fifteen million down by at least thirty percent.

  “
Besides,” added Graeme quietly, “if you look at the deed to your present house, it’s actually in Louisa’s name, and she knows better than to sell, don’t you, poppet?”

 
“Of course I do, Daddy. You’ve always drilled it into our heads, never to sell property. I mean, it’s the basis for our own family fortune, isn’t it, the one William is busy building for our baby now…”

 
Graeme shuddered a little at the thought of William managing money. He was glad everything he’d settled on the girls was in trust until they were forty. By then, Louisa should have come to her senses and have a suitable second husband.

 
“So where is the new house, Daddy?” asked Julia.

 
“Just round the corner from Belgrave Square. Quite handy to the Bank and everything still.”

 
Nick whistled. “That must have cost a bit. Hundred and twenty five year lease?”

 
Graeme raised his eyebrows. For an Oxford Art Gallery manager, Nick seemed to know a bit about London real estate.

 
“No, Nick. I only buy freehold property.”

 
“One of those Georgian townhouses?”

 
“No, we want a garden for the children, when we have them. ‘Livi is young and of course she wants a family. And I must admit, Louisa’s baby has started me wanting one as well. No, this is a seventeen thousand square foot home on a substantial piece of land.”

 
“The one with the wrought iron fence and the fountain that’s been on the market for a bit?”

 
“That’s the one, Nick.”

 
“But it’s listed as a lease.”

 
“I negotiated the freehold.”

 
“That must have been over a hundred million,” said William faintly. William’s ideal residence was a home in Belgrave Square. That Louisa needed to live in the country with her horses was a burr under William’s saddle.

  Still, he kept his eye on the market. Perhaps one day, when his grandmother died and relinquished her iron grip on his trust fund, he could buy himself a London
pied-a-terre
or whatever you called it (William didn’t remember much of the French he’d swotted over in school) and spend as much time there, maybe with his secretary staying over occasionally as he did with his horse-mad wife. Why, think of all the hotel bills he’d save, not having to take Maxine to the Four Seasons every Tuesday and Friday after work.

 
“As I said, William, it’s a buyers’ market. I did well with the negotiations. We’ve given Lawrence a budget of ten million for the redecoration, haven’t we, baby?  We both like the ambiance of the Irish estate, and we know that to duplicate that quality of furnishings and art, he’s going to need every penny.”

 
Nick turned pale. He could not see Julia ever settling for him. She’d grown up in such a different world to him.

 
He would have to let her go to London, and spend the rest of his life loving her from afar. The sadness showed in his eyes. Graeme watched with interest as the young man seemed to reach the conclusion that Julia would never be his wife...

 
“You seem knowledgeable about property, Nick, and interested,” said Graeme mildly.

 
“I am interested, and I am always trying to improve my knowledge. My father owns a couple of rental properties that I helped him to purchase. I look after the tenants for him. We’re going to buy a third one together soon, in Clapham. I’ve just about saved enough for the deposit I want us to make. The other two are also in Clapham because that’s where Dad and Mom live. I thought the rentals should be close to him. That way, if there are repairs to be done, he’s close at hand.”

 
“Good area for rentals, Nick. So how did you become a Gallery Manager?”

 
“I took Art History as an adjunct to my degree in History. Not much call for Historians in this job market. A friend of mine’s mother owns the Galley. She likes to own it, and be queen bee at our openings, but doesn’t want to be bothered with running it...”

 
“How did you develop an interest in property?” asked Olivia. Rental units in Clapham didn’t seem to have much to do with history.

 
“I’ve always been interested in property, since I was a kid and helped Dad refit our kitchen. Even at fifteen I could see we’d added value to the house. So I talked them into selling, and we bought another, fairly run-down place, and I worked with him redoing that one. By the time we’d done it three times, we had enough in the kitty to get our two rental properties. We own them outright by now, and I want to own the third one outright within two years as well.  

  “
I’m afraid that’s where my money goes, Graeme. Julia has to go on all her holidays and fancy restaurants with her girlfriends. I simply can’t afford it, not if I’m to build a future.”

 
Nick saw no point in pretending he was anything but a working man trying to look after his parent’s interest and better himself.

 
“Hmmm, so you’re seriously trying to build a rental portfolio the slow and sensible way?”

 
“I would love to build a real portfolio of rental properties, Graeme, but my father and I aren’t wealthy men so we have to move cautiously. I wouldn’t want to jeopardize his retirement funds. Neither of us are men prone to building a house of cards.”

 
Graeme was surprised. Nick was different to the usual artsy fartsy men Julia dated. “I admire that attitude, Nick.’

 
Julia clapped her hands. “Oh, Nick, you must come with me to London, babe. You really are too much of a businessman to stay at that Art Gallery. I can help you decorate the rental units, painting and all that. I’d love it.”

 
“That’s so sweet of you, Julia. I could help you look around London if you like, for a place for you. But, Julia, you have to understand I won’t move to London myself unless I have a good position. This job market is tough, and I need to have an income. You know I do alright at the Gallery, with the commissions I earn on the sales. I can’t afford to give that up on a whim, baby.”

 
He smiled indulgently at Julia, as if he realized how long her passion for painting would last, and he didn’t care that it would be five minutes after she actually had a paintbrush in her hand.

 
Graeme smiled. Olivia smiled. Nick smiled. The three of them understood each other and Julia. Olivia wondered idly if Nick had a big cock, since Julia was looking at him as if she’d miss
something
badly if he didn’t move to London.

 
“If you were to relocate to London with Julia, I would certainly find a spot for you in our Property Management Department. Decent compensation package and all that.”

“Thank you, Graeme. I appreciate that thought very
much, it’s very kind of you. But I would never want to take advantage of my relationship with your daughter.”

 
“No, Nick, I don’t think you would.” Graeme sipped his wine, and turned to his daughter.

 
“Eh, Julia, aren’t you anxious to have a baby, now that Louisa’s having one and ‘Livi and I are working toward a family as well? It would be nice to have three little children to play together.”

 
“Well, Daddy, I’d love to have a baby, but I’d need to be married first, wouldn’t I, and Nick hasn’t asked me yet. He’s got the silly idea that he isn’t rich enough. We’ve been going out nearly a year now, and he hasn’t even said he’d move in with me. I have to make do with weekends.”

 
Graeme smiled. “Nick, please don’t think that our family measures a man’s worth by the size of his wallet. Your attitude toward your father’s future and the way Julia obviously feels about you are paramount.

 
“If you looked around London, Julia, you might find a suitable house. I know Louisa needs some land for her horses, but you don’t so you could find a suitable property in London, darling.”

 
Nick smiled. “There’s no need for you to spend nearly that much, Graeme. I saw an interesting listing the other day, a renovated factory in the Primrose Hill Park area. Here, let me get it up on my phone. It has lots of space and fabulous river and city views. It’s just right for Julia. Young, trendy design. Fully done up, move in ready. No chain.”

 
“How much?”

 
“Half the price of Louisa’s house.”

 
Olivia and Graeme exchanged glances. This young man was more interested in value than making sure Graeme spent as much on Julia as on Louisa…looking out for Graeme’s interests as he looked out for his own father.

 
Graeme and Julia looked at the pictures, and then Olivia, Louisa and William had a look. Julia grabbed the phone back and studied the pictures closely.

 
Julia’s eyes shone. “Oh, Nick, look at that river view. I love it, and the bathroom! The tub! It’s definitely big enough for two! It has a roof terrace and a private balcony off the master suite. Oh, it would be perfect for a hip young couple like us, babe. And the third floor would do very nicely for a nursery and playroom. There would even be room for a nanny. Not that we’d have a nanny. I want to be a hands on mommy... You’re so clever to find it!”

 
She threw her arms around him and gave him a very lingering kiss.

 
Olivia smiled. “Tubs are very important aren’t they?” She smiled at Graeme, blushing.

 
Julia wasn’t looking; she was too busy scanning the photos. “Oh, Daddy, if we could get this one, it would be a wonderful wedding present, if Nick were to propose…that is.”

 
“Don’t put your young man in an embarrassing position, Julia.”

 
“Well, I know he loves me, but he thinks he isn’t rich enough, Daddy.”

 
“Eh, if I was lucky enough to marry your daughter, Graeme, I would expect the house to be in her name only, of course.”

 
Graeme smiled. “Good attitude, Nick,” was all he said.

 
In the car on the way home, Graeme squeezed Olivia’s knee. “You are so enticing, kitten, I could hardly wait for the dinner to end and get you home into
our
tub. Pretty obvious that Julia and Nick enjoy baths together as well, isn’t it?”

 
Olivia laughed. “But not as much as I enjoy you in your tub, Graeme, she couldn’t…”

 
“Oh, I don’t know about that, if he’s got a nine inch banana…I told him on the way out to call me tomorrow, and I gave them the Bank’s Sutton Place suite so they didn’t have to drive to Oxford tonight. He’s better suited to my needs for a son-in-law than William, who comes from a well to do family by the way, and wasn’t intimidated by my wealth. I don’t think William has any concept of how rich we are, ‘Livi. And he’s a total incompetent. He’s only twenty seven, and I think he’s almost an alcoholic already. He works for his father, who is too busy with his golf to pay any attention to grooming William to become financially astute.

 
“Nick understands, though. And he has a great attitude. I need both girls to have husbands who look after their fortunes, baby.”

 
“I take it you plan to offer Nick a job seriously in the morning?”

 
“In a way.  I’ll put the house in joint ownership, and give them the difference in cash for Nick to buy rental properties. I think he should go straight into property acquisition and development, rather than take a position at the Bank, which is what I thought at first. I’ll mentor him, of course. But Nick doesn’t have the background to take over the Bank when I retire, Olivia. One of our children will, though.

 
“But we’ll make sure Nick can build his own wealth, and have his dignity as the husband of a very wealthy young woman.”

 
“That kindness deserves my undivided attention, when your cock rises out of the bathwater, Sir.”

 
Graeme grinned lasciviously over at her. “In that case, I’ll risk a speeding ticket on the way home.”