I got up and quickly went through my morning routine. Shower, shave, dressed in one of my better suits since Darioappreciated professionalism. In the kitchen, I filled a large water bottle and found some medication in the cabinet, setting both on the nightstand along with a note telling Pip to call if he needed me.
My boy was already asleep again, breathing steady but labored. I pressed a kiss to his forehead, grimacing at the heat. After a few moments of coaxing, I convinced him to take the first dose of meds, then I set off to my meeting.
The drive to the place where I was meeting Dario took twenty minutes. I spent it reviewing the financial projections on my tablet, making sure every number was precise. Dario didn't tolerate sloppy work, and I had built my reputation on being meticulous.
He’d have his own numbers pulled, of course. But I wasn’t going to go into this blindly trusting him.
The restaurant was upscale, the kind of place where deals got made over expensive wine and perfectly cooked steaks. Dario was already seated at a corner booth, his presence commanding despite the relaxed setting. It was the blank look he always wore. I’d never seen him show an expression of joy or interest in all the years I’d known him.
"Henri." Dario dipped his head my way in greeting.
He never shook hands. His germ phobia prevented it. Though, Pip had suggested on more than one occasion that his phobia wasn’t real. He told me he had a sixth sense about Dario that needed more time to ruminate before he could share.
I slid into the booth and accepted the menu the waiter offered, though I'd already decided on my usual.
"How's my cousin?" Dario asked after we'd ordered.
"Busy. The Bratva situation required more attention than anticipated, but it's settled for now."
"I heard about that meeting. Messy business."
"But contained," I said. "No casualties or police involvement. Pharrell and Ricardo handled everything rather efficiently."
Dario's expression shifted slightly. "Speaking of Ricardo. That's why we're here, isn't it?"
"Yes." I pulled out my tablet and brought up the first set of numbers. "He's proposed an expansion focused on our adult entertainment store. He claims there’s potential for significant revenue increase."
"I've seen his proposal." Dario sipped his coffee. "What Pharrell wants to know is whether the numbers actually work, or if Ricardo is being ambitious beyond what is capable."
This was the line I had to walk carefully. Ricardo was adamant this would work. His expansion plans were sound in theory but required some upfront investment with no guaranteed return.
Not that it truly mattered. Pharrell would fund it even if the thing went south. Most of this meeting was about appearances and support. We couldn’t not be there to back Ricardo up on this endeavor—especially since our boss was enamored.
"The projected revenue is realistic," I said, turning the tablet so Dario could see the detailed breakdown, "based on current market conditions and our existing infrastructure. However, the timeline Ricardo proposed is aggressive. He's estimating six months to full profitability. My analysis suggests longer is more accurate."
"That’s a significant difference."
"It accounts for variables Ricardo didn't include. Potential pushback from clientele, the learning curve for new personnel, getting the word out." I pulled up another chart. "If we follow his timeline and it fails, we're out of luck. If we follow mine and build in buffer room, we're protected."
Dario studied the numbers, his expression unreadable. "I’ve calculated the upfront costs. They’re in this folder.”
He pointed to one lying on the tabletop beside him.
Opening it, I read over the material. "This looks reasonable. Plus, most of the funding is connected to setting it all up. After that, operating costs drop significantly."
"Still a substantial investment for a maybe."
"It's a calculated risk," I corrected. "Every expansion carries risk. The question is whether the potential return justifies the initial outlay. In this case, if we hit even seventy-five percent of Ricardo's projections, we recoup the investment pretty quickly and profit substantially after that."
Our food arrived. I had ordered salmon, prepared simply. Dario had steak, rare. We ate in silence for a moment while Dario considered.
"What's your recommendation?" Dario asked finally.
This was the critical moment. My word carried weight. If I endorsed Ricardo's idea, it would likely move forward. If I advised against it, Dario would probably shelve his opinion to agree with me.
Didn’t mean Pharrell wouldn’t override us both. It just meant we needed to be on the same page.
"I recommend telling the boss it’s good to go with modifications," I said. "Fund the expansion but implement a longer timeline. Give Ricardo the resources but make the benchmarks realistic. And you need to oversee the financial side from start to finish. Ricardo is excellent at operations, but he's not a numbers person. He needs someone watching the budget."
