By now, after eight or nine visits over the past two weeks, Bruce was already thoroughly familiar with Rowling's house.
In the living room, Jessica, Rowling's six-year-old daughter, was there, as were Rowling and Neil Murray. The only one missing was Christopher Ritt.
"Where's Christopher?" Bruce asked after setting down the gifts.
"He's upstairs in the study reading that new manuscript you just finished, National Treasure," Rowling said. Then her eyes shifted to the beautiful girl standing beside him. "And this is...?"
Bruce smiled.
"Let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Molly Bevin." Then he turned slightly. "Molly, this is Rowling, and this is Neil."
As he spoke, his left arm slipped naturally around Molly's soft, slender waist.
It was the first time Molly had ever been held that closely by a man, but the excitement of meeting the woman she admired so much washed away most of her nervousness.
"Ms. Rowling, it's an honor to meet you. I'm a huge fan."
It was the first time Bruce had seen such obvious excitement on Molly's face. In that moment, she looked much more like a twenty-year-old girl, lively and almost a little adorably flustered.
Rowling smiled warmly.
"I'm happy to meet you too. Molly, you're absolutely beautiful. Bruce is a lucky man."
"Molly is more than just beautiful," Bruce said from the side. "She studied oil painting at the Royal Academy, and she's already signed with Gagosian. She also hopes to paint your portrait someday."
Rowling was a novelist, not a painter, but she knew perfectly well what both the Royal Academy and Gagosian meant.
Looking at Molly again, she said with genuine surprise, "Meeting you really makes it clear that beauty and talent can exist in the same person."
"You're too kind," Molly said quickly.
"Why don't you two talk for a bit," Bruce said. "Neil and I will head upstairs and see what Christopher's doing."
Neil had no objection. Smiling faintly, he followed Bruce upstairs.
They had barely reached the second-floor hallway when Neil suddenly said, "Bruce, you've only been in Exeter half a month, and somehow you've already picked the most beautiful rose in town."
"Neil, you know Molly?"
"Bruce, Exeter isn't that big." Neil nodded with a smile. "But Rudy Bevin isn't an easy man. If you want to marry off the pearl he keeps in the palm of his hand, you're going to have to work for it."
Bruce gave an amused, troubled smile.
"I know."
From Rudy Bevin's attitude toward him at the bar, Bruce had already understood that winning Molly was not going to be easy.
Still, setting Molly aside, Neil's tone today was clearly much warmer than before. That alone told Bruce his plan had worked. He had successfully removed the man's suspicion.
"Neil, there's actually something I wanted to discuss with you."
Once they reached the hallway landing, Bruce stopped.
"What is it?"
"Christopher and I bought a publishing house in the United States. It's worth around ten million pounds. I own seventy percent, and Christopher owns thirty." He paused, then looked directly at Neil, his eyes sharp and steady. "But I don't think Rowling should be the only one invited in. As her partner, and probably her future husband, I think you should have the chance to join too."
Neil's eyes flickered slightly, but he shook his head.
"I'm just a university professor. I'm not in the same financial world as the two of you."
"You wouldn't need to put up any money," Bruce said with an easy smile. "Leaving aside Rowling's share, I can privately advance the cost and transfer five percent to you. Once the company starts turning a profit, we can simply deduct it from your dividends."
He kept going before Neil could interrupt.
"You may not know much about my writing yet, but Harry Potter is already a worldwide phenomenon. If Rowling comes in, it's almost certain the later books will be published through the company. That means profit is a given. Five percent would translate to at least two hundred thousand pounds a year in dividends, minimum. And I think you understand better than I do what two hundred thousand pounds means."
Neil studied the young man in front of him.
There was an unusual confidence in Bruce, and more than once Neil had found himself forgetting he was talking to someone not yet twenty. He seemed less like a young writer and more like a highly polished business strategist.
"Two hundred thousand pounds is not an easy number to ignore," Neil said slowly. "But I assume you're not making an offer like this out of pure generosity."
"Of course not. I do have a request," Bruce said. "But it won't put you in a difficult position."
Neil waited.
Bruce did not make him guess.
"I don't need much. In the future, if there's ever something I need Rowling to agree to, I'd like you to help me by speaking in my favor. That's all. And you have my word, I would never ask her to agree to something that harms her interests."
Neil looked at him carefully.
"Just that?"
"Just that."
Bruce nodded with complete seriousness.
After thinking for a while, Neil finally nodded too.
"If everything is exactly as you say, then yes, I'll help you."
Bruce smiled and offered his hand.
"Then we have an understanding."
Neil shook it.
Both men had gotten what they wanted.
Neil would gain a stream of income that could radically improve his financial position without having to risk anything upfront.
Bruce, on the other hand, was more than happy to trade away five percent of the company and a future annual payout in exchange for someone who could influence Rowling in exactly the way he needed.
In his own mind, the board was almost set.
Christopher Ritt was already in.
Neil Murray was now on side.
And Rowling herself already liked him.
Three moves, all successful.
Now he only needed patience.
A few more months, and it would be time to collect.
At noon they naturally stayed for lunch at Rowling's house. It was obvious that she and Molly had taken to each other quickly. Even during the meal, the two of them chatted almost nonstop.
By the time afternoon tea came around, Bruce exchanged a glance with Christopher, and Christopher finally brought the real subject to the table.
"Rowling, there's something I want to discuss with you."
She looked up from where she had been talking with Molly while holding Jessica on her lap.
"What is it?"
"I'm planning to shut down Ritt Literary Agency."
"Shut it down? Why?"
Her surprise was obvious.
Christopher gave a small nod.
"Bruce and I have started a publishing company in the United States."
"A publishing company?"
Before Christopher could continue, Bruce spoke up.
"Rowling, Christopher and I were hoping you might consider joining us."
"Joining you?" She shook her head. "I don't understand publishing as a business at all. I only know how to write."
"You wouldn't need to," Bruce said. "Honestly, I don't know the publishing side that well either. Christopher does. He can handle the operation of the company. You and I would do what we do best, write books that make money."
Rowling thought about that, then asked the obvious question.
"If I joined, I'd be both a writer and a shareholder. How would the earnings work?"
Christopher jumped in smoothly.
"As writers, you and Bruce would still receive your standard fifteen percent royalty share on your own works. On top of that, as shareholders, you'd receive dividends from the company's profits based on your equity stake. And if you trust me enough, I can continue handling licensing and rights negotiations for your works as your agent. I wouldn't charge any commission for that."
"Rowling, this is a good thing," Neil said from the side. "You'd be earning from both sides now."
Naturally, with his own five percent in play, he had no intention of staying silent.
Hearing support from the people closest to her, Rowling's resistance began to weaken.
"If I joined," she asked, "how much would I need to contribute, and how much equity would I receive?"
"One million five hundred thousand pounds for fifteen percent," Christopher answered at once, energized by the fact that she was clearly interested now. "Bruce and I would hold sixty percent and twenty-five percent respectively."
Bruce spoke again before the moment could cool.
"I also think Neil should come in. Even if he personally doesn't make a big deal out of money, this is still an opportunity for him to achieve financial freedom. And honestly, having a shared business could be good for the stability of your relationship and your family later on."
Rowling glanced at him, then at Neil, whose eyes now held a very unmistakable kind of hope.
She had originally intended to say she would think about it.
Instead, after a long pause, she nodded.
"All right. I'm in."
Bruce and Christopher looked at each other, and both saw the same flash of satisfaction in the other's eyes.
Then Rowling added casually, "If Molly is really your girlfriend, why not bring her in too?"
Bruce's face almost froze.
If Molly had actually been his girlfriend, he would not have minded giving her a share at all.
But they weren't there yet.
And handing over equity worth hundreds of thousands just because he was attracted to her would not have been romantic. It would have been idiotic.
Fortunately, Molly stepped in before the silence became awkward.
"That's not necessary," she said calmly. "I'm really not interested in business."
Since Rowling had only asked in passing, she didn't press the issue. Christopher smoothly changed the subject, sparing Bruce any further embarrassment.
After that, everything moved forward naturally.