Did I need to hire an attorney?
“Can I help you?” A young woman in a suit, her dark hair pulled tightly into a low bun, appeared with her brows raised. Her heels hadn’t made any noise on the threadbare carpet.
I cleared my throat. “Um yeah, I wanted to talk to someone about my businesses.”
“Of course.” She smiled apologetically, gesturing at the desk between us. “We just opened. We haven’t hired a receptionist yet.” Then she held her hand out to me. “I’m Avery Arrington.”
“Cade Morrison. Nice to meet you.” I gripped her slender hand in mine.
“What can I help you with?” She stood with her hands clasped in front of her as she waited for me to answer.
“I own the Hapkido studio next door.” I gestured in the direction of my studio. “I’m also a contractor. I need a contract drawn up for the first and have an issue collecting payments with the second.”
“Okay, let’s have a seat in my office. I’ll get more information from you.”
A woman with long red hair, clad in a white silky-looking button-down shirt tucked into a curve-hugging skirt appeared in the doorway. “I can handle this one, Avery, so you can return the landlord’s call.”
Avery’s face pinched. I got the impression she didn’t want to talk to the landlord. “Are you sure?”
The other woman smiled. “I’m sure I don’t want to talk to him and you’re the one who’s been corresponding with him. I can meet with the new client.”
Avery smiled tightly. “This is Hadley Winters. She’ll take care of you. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Morrison.”
Hadley smiled as her eyes settled on mine. She grasped my hand, sending a tingle through my fingers. “Nice to meet you.”
She was younger than me; she couldn’t have been out of law school for long. Her red hair fell around her face in waves, her smile reached her blue eyes.
“Come into my office. We can discuss what you need.” I followed her to a small office and tried not to pay attention to the way her skirt accentuated her ass and her heels showed off toned legs. She sat behind her desk and gestured at the guest chairs across from her. “Have a seat.”
I followed her instructions, glancing down at my sawdust-covered work clothes and muddy boots. I should have changed into different clothes before coming here.
Bookshelves lined one wall, framed degrees hung on the wall behind her, and a potted plant rested on the windowsill overlooking a courtyard. Her office looked more settled-in than her lobby.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Morrison?” Ms. Winters asked, drawing my attention back to her.
“I own the Hapkido studio next door and a contracting business. I want to take my businesses to the next level.” I shifted in my chair.
“How so?” She folded her hands on the desk in front of her and tilted her head.
“For my studio, I want students to sign yearly contracts with the money coming directly out of their credit card or bank account, so I have guaranteed steady income. Most of my students are minors, so this would be for their parents.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “How are they paying now?”
I’d always been casual about my business, but I was reluctant to admit that. I didn’t want her to think I wasn’t a good businessman, but honesty was probably best. “Cash. It’s drop-in, so they show up when they can. Students come and go. It’s not consistent or steady.”
Hadley winced. “It must be hard to know your income with that set-up. What about uniforms? Do you charge for them?”
“Right now, I’m loaning them out.” I sighed. It sounded worse out loud than in practice. It was nice at first since I hadn’t wanted a commitment, but now I needed the money from the studio to fund a side endeavor, making homes handicapped accessible for those who couldn’t afford it. The recipients received partial grants for renovations. I’d used Caroline’s life insurance payout to make up the difference, but that money was dwindling. My expenses were tax deductible, but I needed another source of cash.
“You need something in place. You’re running a business, not a charity. I can draft a membership contract for you and set up the automatic payments. We’ll just need to narrow down the incentives.”
“Incentives?”
“Yeah, you want the students to feel obligated to sign a longer contract. For example, you can charge less for each additional year. You can offer free uniforms if they sign up. Maybe offer a free trial for a week or two to encourage people to try out your place and see why it’s better than another one.”
It sounded like she had some experience with small businesses, particularly karate-type studios. That made me more confident about hiring her. “Have you practiced Hapkido or something like it before?”
Hadley nodded, her lips tilting into a smile. “I don’t remember the exact form, but I did for a few years. My mom didn’t approve, but she indulged me—” She bit her lip and it seemed like there was more to her statement. Her expression moved from happy to sad. “For awhile anyway.”
“She didn’t see the importance of learning self-defense?”
“My parents decided I should focus on my classes and piano lessons.” She waved a hand at me. “But enough about me, I’m here to help you. I’ll draft a few different options and you can decide which you’d prefer.”
“If I agree to hire you.” My voice came out gruffer than I intended but I didn’t want her to think I was going to sign with her without knowing the fees or checking out other options.
Disappointment crossed her face before
