He drinks and thinks for a minute before sitting in the chair that Ryder vacated. “That client is going to be a problem, but I’ll keep tabs on him.”
This is news. “How so?” I ask, leaning back in my seat.
Alester sets the cup on my desk and folds his arms, making his muscles bulge across his black shirt. He’s been hitting the gym more and more lately with the stress of opening another chapter and coming back to the midwest. I guess we are all handling it differently. I work more, Alester lifts weights, and Ryder takes a different woman to his bed each time. “The numbers are good, but the way he acted at the club after you left wasn’t an image we want connected to our company. If he starts spouting that we are doing work for him, I’m concerned we will lose out on clients that suit our brand.”
“What are you saying?” I wave my hands for him to getto the point. “Just come out with it. It’s just us. There’s no HR here waiting to drag you into their office.” I’m growing impatient. We need to set up this location and have it be successful, so I can possibly decide where to settle down in life. Our start up is doing so well in New York, but with everything that’s happened these last few years, I really want to try to live my life like my dad was always telling me to. Maybe near my hometown, so I can try to go to the holiday dinners with Ryder and Alester again.
“Patrick is a dick. He was talking down to all the waitresses and grabbing some. I had to step in and rip his hand off of one, so she could leave the VIP area and do her job. He seems to think his money makes him entitled to do whatever he wants to whoever he wants. I won’t sit back and watch that, and I don’t want us being dragged down because of it. No amount of money is worth that behavior.” Alester gives me a pointed look. “We both know what it’s like to not have all of this. That man child doesn’t seem to get that.”
I rap my knuckles on the desk. Having grown up without money is the reason I make it a point to work with smaller or struggling companies. I give back to numerous lower-income companies, donate to charities, and own more properties than I know what to do with. I still have more than I need, but the company needs people like Patrick to fund the bigger projects. “Ryder seems to think that he’s the only way to fund our larger side companies here,” I tell Alester. “There’s quite a fewI’d like to get on our books, and partnering with Kemp can make that happen.”
Alester scoffs. “Then Ryder needs to go hunting for more rich assholes because I can tell you now, this is going to be an issue.”
“Okay.” I pull up a new email to Stacy to outline a new limited contract. “You’re the tech guy. Find dirt that we can use to keep Kemp in line, and track his money and location. If he steps out of line, we will end it. I’ll draft a new contract limiting our work and outlining additional amendments to what we allow in his personal life and how we want our company branded by him. If he goes against any of the terms, we will terminate his contract and make a public statement stating why and what kind of companies we stand with.” Alester sips from his cup, his black hair swooping into his blue eyes as he nods. “Best case, he cleans up his act and we don’t have to make changes. Worst case, we have to make a couple speeches at the Fireside Ball in a few weeks. I’ll add an amendment that we still keep the deposit and half the year’s agreement. Maybe then he will listen. If not, at least we will have a good amount to fund employees and a couple smaller projects.”
He coughs. “You mean, you will have to make speeches. You know Ryder and I don’t do those. That’s why you have the bigger share, boss.”
“Ugh. I hate when you call me that.” I grab another ball from the basket and launch it at him, but he catchesit easily. “We came up with this company together, remember?”
“Yeah, yeah, but it was mostly you. We just offered our expertise in other areas. Plus, your dad is the real bread winner here. Sorry, was. How are you doing with everything?” Alester asks. If it was anyone else, I don’t think I could give a real answer. I’m just pre-conditioned to give the ‘fine’ response.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I honestly don’t know. Sometimes I forget he’s gone, and I pick up my phone to call him only to realize I can’t anymore. I’m trying to do more things to make him proud, but it’s hard.”
Alester gives me a knowing look. “You’re free to take time for yourself whenever you choose. I know it’s been years, but that doesn’t make it easier. Ryder and I can pick up the slack and set up this area. We all know Stacy is the one handling most of the candidate information at this point. We just have to fully vet them in person. But I get it. It’s your baby. We’re here for you in whatever capacity you need, man.”
I nod at him as he gets up, heading for the door. Alester and Ryder are basically my brothers, we’ve been together our whole lives, our moms being the kind of sisters that loved being in each other’s business every single day. It was basically like we had three moms we could go to for whatever we needed. Now we have two, but it doesn’t feel the same for me. We wouldn’t have it any other way, even if we bicker at times. They’re familyand now that Dad is gone, they’re all I have left. I should get a cat or a German Shepherd or something. Someone to keep me company at home.
Alester gives me a two-finger salute as he heads into the hall. “Let me know if you need anything, or when we are ready to vet candidates.”
Without looking back, he goes down the hall to his office full of computers where he keeps track of all of our IT issues, spreadsheets, and background checks that go beyond the regular limits. It’s how we keep the best of the best for staff and how we know what they need from us to stay the most competitive. Is it fully ethical? Maybe not, but it ensures we have happy employees who don’t drown in debt, but they aren’t aware of this little tidbit.
Ryder, Alester, and I may operate differently within our company, but we have to keep the boat steady and reduce waste in training, and it helps us retain a higher income overall. We decided higher spending in the forefront to invest in the best employee was worth the risk. Alester keeps our cost analysis sheets up-to-date, so we continue to run smoothly.
I shake off my rabbit hole and jump back into reviewing the applicants that Stacy deemed worthy of our time. The less resumes I have to go over the better. I pick my top choices for a few positions and shoot them over to Alester to do a deep dive for the best out of those choices.
After a few more hours, I close my programs and lock down my office before heading home for the night.
CHAPTER 7
Alexandra
The phone keeps ringing,and just as I think it’s going to go to voicemail, she answers. “Whhhyyyyy the hell are you calling this early?” Ashlyn’s groggy voice comes through the line, and I hear her bedsheets rustle as she burrows deeper into her bed.
“Seriously? It’s 10a.m. Why are you still asleep?” I’ve been up since 6a.m. pacing and trying to figure out what the hell I’m going to do. Mostly spiraling and not getting much done, but I couldn’t sleep, so here we are.
“Ugh. Okay, Mom.” I laugh as Ash huffs and stomps across her room. “Obviously I met afriend,as you say, and things progressed rather late last night.” I hear running water echo through the phone.
“The bouncer? So, you’re not going to work today, then?” I walk over to the bar-stool and sit as I listen to her move around her apartment.
“Maybe. Oh that. I’m sick. Cough, cough.”
I hear a loud thump then cussing across the line and try to hold in my laugh. “You can’t say ‘cough’ when you’re faking it. Please tell me you didn’t do that when you called in?”
Ash scoffs. “Obviously I sent an email. I’m not dumb. Although I probably shouldn’t read said email.” I hear the distinct snap of a pod being secured in her coffee maker.
“Whyyyy?” I drag out the word, but internally I’m already laughing at her ridiculous behavior.Never change, bestie.
“Because I sent it when I was still slightly intoxicated. Who knows what I put in there?”
