Propositioning Love

“Well… you see… With Howard Davidson selling the company, we wanted to wait for—” he splutters.

“Did he put a freeze on all spending?” I cut in.

“Well, no… he wanted to try to fix… but…” he starts again.

“Interesting. Your department wasn’t on a spending freeze, he wanted to fix the colossal issue, and you haven’t tried to get the word out that things are going to be on the up and up. No more rigging and all that? Did you even try to sample the market to see if a rebranding was possible?”

“Well, I had my staff looking into that, Mr. Ericsson.”

“Who specifically, Chad?” I ask with interest.

He flushes and admits, “I need to look at my records and the minutes of the meetings.”

I pointedly look at the folders in his hands. “I see.”

He looks at me for a long moment and I swear he is sweating so much he’s going to leave a stain on the chair.

Disgusting.

“I’ll have my assistant schedule a meeting with you, so we can go over those records and minutes,” I say as I put his folder down on an empty spot on the desk.

There are already three piles of files there. A small one for the people who are staying, and a larger one of those being let go. The third is who I still need to talk to.

This empty spot is his all alone.

That’s going to fuck with him.

“Okay, I’ll see you later this week, Mr. Ericsson,” he says as he stands.

I get a whiff of what I swear is bourbon as he huffs his way out of his chair.

“Tomorrow morning, Chad,” I say, and then pull the next file to go over in front of me.

He’s halfway to the door when he turns back. “I’m going to be busy… I have things to do in the office, sir.”

There’s annoyance in his voice as he says that to me, like I’ve finally pushed him over the edge. Like he’s too damn busy to do his job.

Pushing a button on the intercom, I say to Ariel, “Send the next person in. Schedule a meeting with Chad Pennington for first thing in the morning.”

“Will do, Bryce,” Ariel says.

“See you tomorrow, Chad.” I say. Then add, “Also, make sure to bring all the financial records for your department for the last two quarters.”

He doesn’t speak a word to me as he pulls the door open and stomps out of the office.

Twelve

Bryce

“Jesus eating a damn popsicle!” Ariel says as she plops down into the seat across from me. “What a long day!”

Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I nod my head and groan out loudly, “What was I thinking when I said we would handle all the interviews?”

“Exactly what I was wondering…” she says. “Until I saw that beautiful young woman come out of your office beet red, and about as put together as a jumbo puzzle.”

“What do you mean?” I ask as I try to maintain a blank, neutral face.

“Oh fuck! What did you do in here?” She starts laughing.

“I interviewed her,” I say in a bland, completely full of shit voice.

“Did that interview involve tongue?” she asks, and if I didn’t love her I’d probably fire her.

“Fuck off,” I grumble.

“Oh my god, it did!” she crows, her voice hitting an octave I’ve never heard her go to before. “I’m so telling Amanda!”

Shit! Amanda is her wife, and Roger’s sister. That’s the last thing I need to happen right now. The office back home will be fucking abuzz over my damn love interests.

“You say one word to her and I’ll cancel Christmas,” I growl.

“You wouldn’t do that,” she smirks.

“Fine, but I could always take over a new business in the Philippines… or Detroit. You said you never wanted to go back to either of those two places again.”

“You wouldn’t dare. You’d go mad yourself,” she says as she leans forward. “So, was it like instant heat or something? Because I’ve never seen this girl before. How did you…”

“I’m not gossiping with you about my love life,” I groan, leaning back in my chair.

“Okay, then confide in me instead,” she grins at me.

“Not yet,” I say, and I know for a fact if I don’t do it soon she’ll badger the hell out of me.

“Why not? Got an important date?” she asks and then her eyes widen at my reaction.

“Tomorrow Ariel, tomorrow,” I say as I stand up from the desk, stretching out my back.

I feel my spine crack and pop. It’s been too long since I’ve done interviews like this. Normally, I leave it to Ariel and her associates. It’s far too easy to get caught up in the micro problems of taking over a company, the macro is much easier to manage.

“Fine, I’ll hold my Ps and Qs till tomorrow. But you better spill the beans.”

Nodding my head, I pull my suitcoat on. Checking the weather through the window, I see that the clouds and rain have finally gone away. Good, I’m not in the mood for anymore dark and brooding shit today.