Camera Shy (Lessons in Love, #1)(133)
“Great. Fly to Cancun and tell that to the board, please.”
I laugh. “Listen, you have a board member, Wallace Frank—”
“Yeah, Mr. Frank is our most senior advisor.”
“He’s a snake in the garden, my friend. I did some digging, and he just invested over sixteen million dollars into Legacy’s biggest competitor. He’s not rallying the board members to do what’s best for the company…he’s bought and paid for, Hunter.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“No, I’m not. This is as close to insider trading as you can get, so you could go to the authorities, or you could invite Mr. Frank to remove himself from the board in exchange for your oversight of the matter. Then you need a few little tweaks to your branding strategy.”
“Such as?”
“Legacy Resorts should stay luxury. It just also needs to be kid friendly. Parents want to enjoy adult time, knowing their kids are safe. You should take a page from Royalty Airline’s book. Invest in high-end childcare with actual teachers with security cameras, rotating daily activities, and a little curriculum. Parents love when their kids have fun learning. And get the kids involved in the luxury aspect. Mommy and me spa days, Daddy and son mini-golf. Make sure all the restaurants have kid-friendly menus and have family versus adult dining times. You don’t need to exclude anyone from the resorts, just segment out the experiences. The possibilities are endless. Family luxury—that’s the only hook you need.”
“Avery, it’s a great idea. We could really use you. And I got your email about Arrow exclusively consulting for Legacy Resorts and bringing Mason on board, and we’re willing to play ball. Whatever the cost to get you to sign with us.”
I am not a saint. I am not perfect. I am a human being and an opportunity has presented itself. Sue me.
“Hunter, if I’m being honest, Mason is subpar at best. He gets his work done, but honestly a chimp might be more productive. The bottom line is he is replaceable and is absolutely not worth a seven-figure salary. I am the backbone of Arrow Consulting…which is no more. Mason and I are splitting the business and parting ways.”
“Oh, I spoke to him this morning and he didn’t tell me that.”
He doesn’t know…yet. “He was probably trying to be professional. But the bottom line is, I’m no longer available. I am so flattered and appreciative of the opportunity, but I think my heart is in small business, so I’m going to focus my attention there for a while. But I can give you some stellar recommendations, and you have my number. Call anytime and I’ll be happy to bounce around ideas with you.”
“How about another fifty thousand?”
“Hunter—”
“Sixty-k and a company car?”
“Hunter—”
“Seventy-k, a company car, and I turn a blind eye if you use the company black card every now and then. There is literally no limit on that card…you could buy Tahiti.”
I snort. “That’s tempting.” Not really, though.
I don’t want Tahiti. I want pajamas, I want thrift shopping girls’ days with a friend like Lennox. I want a cuddly man who will watch a movie with me…and then bend me over the side of the couch and spank me a little. I just want to laugh, breathe, learn, and relax. I don’t want to work sixty hours a week anymore. It’s not worth the prestige. I just want to enjoy my life and build a family.
“There’s nothing I can do to convince you?”
“No, I’m sorry.”
He grumbles. “All right, well, expect a few follow-up emails from me that will involve a little more begging.”
I laugh. “Fair enough.”
“Thanks for the call, Avery, and for the information about Frank. I’m going to go talk to our CEO and we’re going to take out the trash.”
“Good. I recently did the same. Feels good.”
“Take care. Get home safe.”
Home. “I will.”
I thought my anger and angst would fuel me through the drive, but I couldn’t swing it. I had to stop at a hotel and sleep a bit before I drove myself right off the road. Let the record show, Red Bulls are good for nothing except their tastiness.
When I pull into Dex’s driveway the next morning, I see the fish guy’s van parked on the side of the road. Great. I just want to go to sleep. I have a crying hangover. My eyes are puffy, my head hurts, my back aches from this long drive. I’m not an idiot. I don’t care how angry I am at Palmer. I just lost the longest, most significant relationship of my life.
Friendships don’t have to end. They aren’t exclusive. I was always taught to keep the old and make the new. The dynamics can change. You can go from talking daily to yearly. Sometimes friends can drift apart and then snap back together. They need each other in different ways at different stages of their lives. Love doesn’t have to fade due to distance. Friendships can endure…
Unless someone sabotages the relationship.
Palmer could’ve prevented this. She could’ve kept it in her pants. She could’ve talked to me. She could’ve found a way to love me, almost as much as she loved herself. But she didn’t. And it’s going to hurt for a very long time.
I’m going to heal…