Slade was tired at this point. He’d had this same conversation with his father many times. The result was always going to be the same. Slade wasn’t about to engage in dirty shit to appease hisfather.
He turned around, facing his father, squaring his shoulders. “Listen, I’m tired and really not up for this rant you have planned. How about we just review the previous versions of this conversation and keep pushing? I’ve gotta head back to myranch.”
“I’m tired of your attitude, boy. Logan Industries is mine,” Bullsnarled.
“For now,” Sladecountered.
It was the same old argument again, the real reason behind the chasm between Slade and his father. LoganIndustries.
His beloved grandmother hadn’t wanted to leave the family business to her wily son-in-law after Slade’s natural mother preceded her in death, but Slade was too young to take control of the company when his grandma Ester passed. She’d left it in a trust, and left his father and two others as the co-executors. Bull would be in power for another five years. On Slade’s fortieth birthday, the entire company would be handed over tohim.
“My mama-in-law was a wonderful woman, but she didn’t know shit about business. The fact she left it all to you is proof of that. You botched this up for us, so I’m gonna make youpay.”
“Exactly how, Bull? It’s not like you can fireme.”
“No, I can’t fire you, but I can determine exactly where you work in this company. Those two hens your grandmamma named as co-executors to your trust don’t have shit to say about general business dealings. Those decisions are left to me. Since you want to act like a bitch, I’m gonna send you to a division where I think someone with your displayed sensitivities would flourish. You’re going toVenus.”
Slade did a quick mental query. “The cosmeticsdivision?”
“Yup. Right now it’s dragging. Needs something fresh to keep it alive, or I’m gonna cut it,” Bullanswered.
“But Memaw loved that division. She started it up. You can’t cut it,Bull.”
“Oh, yeah, I can. And if it’s not making money, the other executors will have to agree to sell it. I’m turning it over to you and giving you an assignment. There’s a rinky-dink cosmetics operation that’s based in Brooklyn, New York. It’s currently owned by Sadie King. They’re tiny, but they’ve got some impressive sales. I want to buy them, dissolve them into Venus. You’ve got a meeting in two days with the owner. Lori will pick you up from the airport when you land. Your plane leaves in anhour.”
Slade ground his teeth until his jaw began aching. “You made travel arrangements for me? I haven’t agreed to any ofthis.”
Bull laughed as he watched Slade. “You will. Because you know I’ll sell that son of a bitch for no other reason than to piss you off. This is the only chance you have at saving it. Get me that cosmetics line and the formulas behind all its products or Venus isgone.”
Bull stood up with a slick smile on his face. He tipped his cowboy hat in a mock salute and walked out of Slade’soffice.
Slade grabbed the nearest thing his fingers could reach and launched the empty glass tumbler across the room. When the sound of its shattering pieces erupted in the room, Slade could hear a hearty laugh coming from the opposite side of the door. Once again, Bull had Slade just where he wanted him. Right under Bull’sthumb.
* * *
Mandisa Avery pored over the spreadsheets in front of her, her eyes crossing as the digits and lines blurred. It was only four in the afternoon, but she’d been inside the tiny office of her Atlantic Galleria store for twelve hours attempting to perfect her proposal. If she could get this presentation together, she’d be able to lure investors to help her realize her mother’s dream: a national franchise of her mama’s Sweet Sadie’s Beauty Supply stores, and its signature cosmetics and body lotion collections, Sweet Sadie’s Treats, distributed in all the major retail stores throughout thecountry.
She had two days before her first meeting with a rep from Venus Cosmetics. Of the three companies courting her, Venus was her favorite among them. They were already in all the chains she wanted to break into, and their brand was known for quality and affordability, two things she insisted upon with her ownproducts.
“Hey, Mandisa, a few of us are heading over to Syn tonight after we close. Youdown?”
Mandisa wiped her blurry eyes and focused on her friend, Kandi’s, face. Kandi may be Mandisa’s store manager now, but she’d been looking out for Mandisa’s interests far longer than the handful of years she’d worked at Sweet Sadie’s. They’d been friends since Mandisa moved onto Osborn Street in Brownsville, Brooklyn, when she was eight. Kandi was queen of the block. Fortunately, they’d clicked from the first time Mandisa had proven herself as an asset on Kandi’s double Dutchteam.
Back in the day, if you were a little black girl in the ’hood, you either jumped double Dutch or you didn’t exist socially. Between Mandisa’s mama and all her aunties’ instruction, she literally had the double Dutch game on lock. Hell, at thirty-three years old she still had a pristine double Dutch rope made of plastic clothesline—because everyone who jumped double Dutch knew plastic clothesline was the best material for a rope in the ’hood—tied up neatly, resting in the back of her trunk just in case a spontaneous game of Numbers brokeout.
“I’d love to, Kandi.” Mandisa yawned. “But this presentation is kicking my ass. I’ve got to get it perfected. I’m meeting with the rep from Venus Cosmetics. Lori Harris arrives in two days. I’ve gotta have everything in place bythen.”
Kandi stepped farther into the office, closing the door behind her. She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, not even attempting to disguise her disappointment with Mandisa’sexcuse.
“Girl, you’ve been working on that proposal since you and Mama Sadie first cooked up this idea all those years ago. I know every detail this rep could need or want is already included in your ridiculously organized slides. What you need to do now is relax, so you don’t seem like a desperate beggar when you arrive at thepresentation.”
Mandisa took her hand off the wireless mouse and sat up straight in her chair, rubbing her temples. Desperate wasn’t that far off from the way she felt. Mandisa knew her products were quality. She’d seen to that herself in the lab when she created each item in both lines. Her sales were concrete evidence that consumers loved what she created. If she wanted to continue meeting the demand, she needed to grow her business. Growth equaled the need for capital. She wasn’t financially hurting by any means; her stores remained in the black with a sizably impressive profit eachyear.
Her current success notwithstanding, if she wanted to expand, she’d need to impress an outside investor with not just numbers, but charm. Kandi was right. Mandisa’s data was flawless. What she needed to do now was work on herlure.
“Sure, count me in.” Mandisa started to return to her work but noticed Kandi still standing there. “You needed somethingelse?”
“No, I’m just surprised,” Kandi muttered softly with her head slightly tilted to the side. “I didn’t think convincing you to hang would be thateasy.”
