“Finally!” Diego exclaims. “I’ve been wanting to meet my inter-office buddy in person. Your email about color-coding expense reports changed my life.”
“You actually implemented that?” Thatcher asks, delighted.
“Are you kidding? Mr. Brand loves it. We’ve cut processing time in half.” Diego turns to me with a respectful nod. “You’re lucky to have him, Mr. Dellcourt. Look after him, or I’ll use my contacts in HR for evil purposes and poach him away from you.”
The casual comment makes me feel uncomfortably possessive. “Thatcher is irreplaceable.”
Brand’s office overlooks the park, floor-to-ceiling windows framing the view like artwork. We settle around his conference table, Thatcher immediately pulling out his notebook and arranging his colored pens in neat lines.
“So,” Brand begins, spreading financial reports across the polished surface, “as you can see from the quarterly numbers, we’re experiencing unprecedented growth. Twenty percent increase in client acquisitions, a fifteen percent bump inrevenue, and our employee satisfaction scores are the highest they’ve ever been.”
I scan the documents, impressed by the consistent upward trends. “These are excellent numbers, Paul.”
“They are, but they’re creating new challenges.” Brand points to a chart showing office capacity. “We’re running out of space. Currently, we occupy floors thirty-two through thirty-four, but we need to expand.”
“A fourth floor?” I ask, making preliminary notes.
“Exactly. And here’s the interesting part: I heard through the grapevine that TLA Consulting, the company on floor thirty-one, is looking at offices uptown. If they move, that floor could become available.”
The opportunity is intriguing, but my attention keeps drifting to Thatcher. He’s taking meticulous notes, occasionally writing something on his sticky-note pad that he slides discreetly toward me. His tongue pokes out slightly when he concentrates, the same expression he wore last night when he was sketching me into complete surrender.
“The infrastructure needs are significant,” Brand continues, pulling up building schematics on his tablet. “Enhanced IT systems, additional conference rooms, maybe even a dedicated client entertainment space.”
I nod, though my mind is replaying the feeling of Thatcher’s pencil moving across paper like he was touching my skin directly. The way his voice had dropped to that hypnotic whisper as he described every line he was drawing, every shadow he was capturing.
My tie feels suddenly too tight. I run my finger between the collar and my skin to loosen it a little, but it doesn’t work.
A sticky note appears beside my elbow. Thatcher’s handwriting reads:
Heat crawls up my neck as I glance at him. His expression is perfectly professional, but there’s mischief dancing in his eyes.
“Pierce?” Brand’s voice cuts through my reverie. “You seem distracted. Everything all right?”
I clear my throat, forcing myself to focus on the expansion plans. “Sorry, just processing the scope of what you’re proposing. The numbers are significant.”
“They are,” Brand agrees. “But the growth projections support the investment. What are your initial thoughts?”
“I’ll need to review everything thoroughly,” I say, grateful to have something concrete to focus on. “Run projections, analyze the cost-benefit ratios, maybe explore alternative financing options. This is only day one of three. I want to give youcomprehensive recommendations, not knee-jerk reactions.”
Another sticky note appears:
I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling.
The meeting continues for another hour, with Brand walking us through staffing needs, technology requirements, and timeline expectations. Thatcher asks surprisingly insightful questions about workflow optimization and employee satisfaction metrics, his creative perspective offering angles that pure financial analysis might miss.
“Excellent points, Thatcher,” Brand says, making notes. “You really do think outside the box.”
Thatcher beams at the praise, and I feel that surge of pride again. He deserves this recognition, deserves to know that his unique approach to problem-solving is valued.
When Brand finally closes his folder, the late-morning sun is slanting through the windows.
“I think it’s time to take a break. I’ve booked lunch at a local bistro, where we’ll meet with the rest ofthe New York management team. After lunch, we’ll give you a tour of the office.”
I nod and close my folder.
Diego, who’s been taking notes for Brand, collects his stuff and turns to Thatcher. “Come on. You’re having lunch with me. I’ll introduce you to everyone, and then I’ll show you how you can get the really good coffee we serve the directors.”
“I didn’t hear that,” Brand says.
