“Progress?” His dad didn’t waste words when it came to business.
“Eight pink slips this morning and two early retirements accepted yesterday.”
“Real estate?” Uncle Dan was a land man.
“Harder to untangle. Property is owned outright—”
“Then what’s the big deal? You put it up for sale. It’s not like you had to renegotiate leases like I did, and even with that, I closed three stores outright, and put seven others on sixty-day notices.” Danny cracked his neck and straightened his shoulders. He was in ass-kicking mode.
“Different industries. If we could sell, the land would need to be rezoned; second, we would need to pay for pricey environmental impact studies; and third, there would have to be demand for the land, which there isn’t. Trust me, I did my homework.” No need to mention the possibility of a wind farm. They wouldn’t understand, and he wasn’t confident enough in his research to be able to explain that idea. He did his best to ignore Danny’s stare, and focused on the people who mattered. But he didn’t see friendly faces there either. Next break in the staring contest, he’d take another Tums.
“Will the business be profitable enough to sell in ninety days? Who are you approaching, Son?”
“With all due respect, sirs, the energy industry plays by different rules than retail. You have set Danny and me up for an unfair fight because government regulations limit my actions. If he chooses, Danny can liquidate assets, close a bookstore and remove the payroll with only minor lease fees and Cobra costs.”
“Cobra costs aren’t cheap,” countered Mr. Schmidt. Of the partners, he’d taught James the most about balancing longer term expenses.
“Which is why I’m encouraging buy-outs. A store closes, people are out of a job and a place to shop. A power company closes and people are out of electricity, which tends to make them a bit grumpier, especially if no one else is filling the void.”
His father narrowed his eyes. “The sooner you sell, the better.”
His gut clenched. Either his bowels were trying to absorb his stomach or the other way around. “I advised against this investment for a reason.”
“But here we are, in a different industry, yes, the core goal is the same,” Schmidt said.
“With a partnership on the line,” Danny added in that bratty tone reserved for diminishing anything James did.
Dad’s phone chirped. “Time to go. Hamilton awaits. The air of the viper den dissipated, and Dad slapped him on the back. “Illyana can’t wait to see you. She bought a watercolor at some gallery she wants you to show you. Dinner reservations tomorrow at seven.”
Uncle Daniel extended his hand. “Good to see you. I have to admit, not seeing my nephew every day I’m in the city is a little strange.”
As James shook his uncle’s hand, Danny interjected.
“Dude, you been by the apartment yet?”
He shook his head.
“Wait till you see the cold brew coffee maker. It’s crazy. I have no idea how to use it, but this hottie at the dentist office said it’s supposed to be better for bleached teeth, not that you have anything to worry about. Oh. Don’t wait up for me. I’m the plus one for a super-exclusive party. I could maybe get you into the pre-party, but not with that haircut. You’re a mess.”
Squinting against the blue-white of Danny’s teeth helped mask what his mom called the ‘eyebrows of irritation.’ At least no one could see the acid multiplying in his gut. The Tums were not working. He needed heavier duty meds for this trip.
As the boisterous Fordham men stumbled down the hall toward their evening activities, Mr. Schmidt raised a finger at him in a silent invitation to wait in the conference room. He poured two glasses of Perrier and slid one to James.
“The country air seems to suit you.”
“Thank you, sir, but I’m not sure what you mean.”
“You stayed assertive the whole time, and you’re right. This isn’t a fair fight, which is why you must win this absurd competition. Dan Jr. is hopelessly shortsighted, but he understands how to manipulate situations. I expressed my displeasure at their method of decision making, but in a two to one situation, the majority rules. You know how the two of them are.”
“Driven to outdo one another.”
“Most of the time it’s been good for business, especially as we ramped up operations. There was a reason I invested in the two of them, but also a reason I will take my name off the business when I retire. Remember, there are multiple paths to the same end.”
“Thank you.” He closed his mouth and pointed his finger toward the bathroom. Something wasn’t right inside. Although his instincts lately were as shaky as his gut, vomiting or burping on a partner, even an outgoing one, would destroy his chances.
Chapter 6
At times, Claire’s brain scrambled to keep disparate bits of information stored together. She regretted never picking up her grandmother’s habit of using a day planner to keep track of the little stuff. Claire needed to reorder HO left turns, repaint the pregnant figurine to look more like the Methodist minister’s wife, get new underwear before her date on Monday. Cute, but not too fussy or sexy. She didn’t want to appear over eager, easy, trampy, desperate like her mother, or any other derogatory reason. She didn’t consider herself any of those things. Except maybe desperate. She hadn’t met any man she liked even half as much James for a couple of years. Her toes curled thinking about that kiss and what was to come.
“Woo-hoo. Hello in there!”
The impatient voice startled her, returning her consciousness to the retail surroundings. A slightly overweight middle-aged man stood before her, snapping his fingers. His coat was expensive. “Sorry sir. I’m a little short on coffee today. How—”
“My wife phoned in an order. I’m here to pick