Enough was enough.He turned on his heel and was in the hotshot’s face in three steps flat.“If you’d gotten that deal contracted on paper instead of heading to the clubhouse after the ninth hole, we wouldn’t have to be renegotiating at all.”
Red dotted the younger man’s cheekbones, and fury flared in his eyes.
“Landers, go make that call.”Julian wandered over to his desk, but his blue eyes were steely again.
It took five long seconds before his son backed down.“Yes, sir.”
Cam watched every step the kid took until the door closed behind him.“You’ve still got teamwork issues, Julian.”
“I know,” the CEO sighed.He sat down heavily in his chair.“What can I say?He’s like I was at that age, a fiery go-getter.”
Yeah, a go-getter.That’s what the jackass was.
Cam straightened his tie.As far as issues went, Landers Underhill wasn’t even a blip on his radar screen.If he kept going after Lexie, though, he was fast going to become an active target.
Cam turned his gaze back on Julian.As always, accounting spreadsheets filled the CEO’s desk and, as usual, Julian had marked them up with his red pen.There seemed to be more blood on the paper than normal, though.The man looked downright gruff—nothing close to the meltdown he’d had with Lexie, but uptight.
“What did you really call me down here for, Underhill?”
Julian tossed his red pen onto the desk with athwap.“I got a phone call this morning from Teach Me, Incorporated.”
Finally.Cam had been putting enough feelers out there.“We discussed this.”
“I know, but their timing stinks, coming out of the woodwork just when this scandal is hitting.It’s lowball business, and I don’t like it.”
What scandal?The Underhills liked to give off the picture of pious propriety, but that billboard was simply a picture of a pretty girl.With a lot of cleavage.Who happened to look like their daughter.
Cam shoved his hands into his pockets.“We’ve given the turnaround three months, but it’s not happening.Children’s games aren’t the hot ticket right now, especially those in the educational category.”
“I know, I know.Everyone wants computers and bells and whistles.If it isn’t flashing, they won’t buy it.”
“That’s part of the problem.”The other was that Underhill had hit the electronic and computer game market too late.
“The other is kids’ attention spans these days,” Julian said, jabbing a finger into the air.“They play with something for a few days and thenpff, it’s gone.Parents are tired of spending good money on something that’s tossed aside.”
It was a lot more complicated than that, but whatever the reason was, Underhill Associates was falling by the wayside.They might have been top dog in the industry twenty years ago, but there were other, more innovative, more aggressive competitors out there these days.Like Teach Me.Cam didn’t get it.He and Julian had specifically restructured UAI’s debt to make the company more attractive to a big player like that.Julian should be thrilled he’d gotten that call.
Yet Underhill was scowling so fiercely, jowls appeared on the sides of his face.“What’s the bottom line, Rowe?”
As if they hadn’t been over this again and again.Cam planted himself in front of the man’s desk and made sure he had his attention.“Do something to excite your investors or start considering a buyout.”
The scowl became even darker, and Underhill pushed himself to his feet.He stalked back to his spot by the window.He didn’t seem to be watching the people down at street level so much as measuring how far he was above them.“This has always been a family company.I don’t want that to change.My plan has always been to pass the business down to the kids.”
“You just might have to give up that dream.”
“It’s not a dream, damn it.”Underhill’s fist landed solidly against the floor-to-ceiling glass.“I will not have outsiders poking around, thinking my company is vulnerable.”
“You are vulnerable, Julian.You wouldn’t have brought me in if you weren’t.”Cam pointed at the spreadsheets.“You’ve seen the numbers.If you tie your family to this company, it’s going to take them down with it.”
“Not if we turn it around.”Underhill turned on his heel, and his blue eyes were icy.“I’m paying you good money, Rowe.I expected to see better results than this.”
“You asked for the options, and I just gave them to you.”The only one left was bankruptcy.
“Well, find another.”
Cam’s eyes narrowed.It was the same tone the man had taken with Lexie yesterday, and he didn’t like it any more now than he had then.
“Fine,” he growled as he headed for the door.Underhill wanted another way?He’d find another way.
