Considering the sleeves on Finn’s button-down are rolled up exactly the same distance on each arm, I’m not sure I wouldn’tflinch if he were my brother. There’s perfectionism, and then there’s Finn.
On his neck, partially hidden by his collar, I spot what looks like a tattoo. Some kind of curved line disappearing beneath the fabric.
Holston steeples his fingers. “So, first things first. We’re thrilled to move forward. The next step is formalizing the partnership. If we come to terms today, our legal department will have a legal agreement ready for you mid-next week.”
Finn’s gaze flicks to him, then to me. “We’d like to lock things in today.”
Holston’s smile holds. “Today?”
Adam jumps in, all smooth edges. “We’ve got a tight calendar. And we want PR locked in ASAP.”
“We completely understand the urgency,” I assure them. “Especially since you’re shifting focus.”
Since I’m not completely sure Holston’s had time to go over all the ins and outs of the brothers’ business, I summarize as quickly as possible. Which is a great tactic since it’ll also show Adam and Finn that I’ve paid attention.
“In short,” I say, finishing up. “You want to be the company people come to for private events and national celebrations like the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve.”
Finn nods. “Correct. With safety being our primary selling point. Our systems include redundancies that exceed industry standards by forty-three percent.”
Adam rolls his eyes. “What my brother means is that we make things go boom without burning down the world.” He smirks at his own joke. “You’re right. And the first thing we’re going to launch with our drones is the Phoenix Array.”
Finn growls at his brother as he reaches into his folder. “We agreed to wait,” he sighs exasperated. Then he slides a stack of papers onto the table. “We prepared an NDA for today. It coversboth of you personally and Holston PR as an entity. There’s also a preliminary service agreement.”
I can’t help smiling at the old-school physical contract he’s sliding toward me. Truth be told, I prefer this to digital agreements, which are much easier to fiddle with.
While Holston scans the first page, I look at their embossed logo. A serpent eating its own tail, with the center circle printed solid black. Elegant. Designed to be looked at more than once.
“Is that Ouroboros?” I ask even though I already know the symbol.
For the first time, something like approval flickers across Finn’s face. “You’re familiar with the symbolism.”
I nod. “The eternal cycle. Destruction and recreation.”
“Perfect for pyrotechnics,” Adam adds, but it sounds rehearsed. Like they are someone else’s words he’s repeating. “We create controlled destruction that turns into something beautiful.”
“The serpent contains everything within itself,” Finn says quietly. “Beginning, middle, end. Cause and effect.”
During my research, I found that they changed their logo about a year and a half ago. Maybe this was when they started preparing to change lanes, or something to symbolize Finn joining the team.
Though I had to dig deep to find their logo, which is weird. Most companies have that on their website. But not North Coast Effects. Or maybe they’re not showing it off until the new part of their business is ready to completely launch.
Holston clears his throat. “We’re happy to sign your NDA today,” he says smoothly, “and we’ll review your preliminary agreement at the table. A formal countersigned contract from us will follow mid-next week.”
Despite the papers across the table, the server arrives with our food. I frown slightly. It’s customary to wait until papers aren’tlittering the table. Then again, most business lunches finish with paperwork instead of opening with it.
Holston quickly moves the contracts to the edge of the table, smiling tightly as the server puts the plates in front of us.
“What we want, Nathan, is momentum.” Finn’s polite edge makes Holston’s answering smoothness feel forced. “We sign today,” he adds, tone making it clear it’s not up for discussion.
Holston looks ready to object, but I step in before he can tank the deal. “Finn, Adam…” I look between them. “While we can sign the NDA today and start preliminary work, the full contract should still go through proper channels next week.”
“Raven,” Holston says, and I can feel his eyes on me.
Choosing to ignore him, I continue. “Holston here is putting a lot of trust in my abilities, and so are both of you. But as you know, I’ve just spent close to two years in Paris. And they do things differently in Europe, so I’d love to make sure everything protects you instead of rushing into things.”
Finn’s eyes flick toward me, sharp and assessing, then he gives a curt nod like he’s testing how far I’ll go before folding. Adam just beams.
“That sounds fair,” Adam says. “We’ve had agencies promise the world before, but you seem like you actually know what you’re talking about.”
