Love Interest(67)
Thanksgiving is next week, cutting down on our prep time, and the presentation is scheduled in between Hanukkah and Christmas. That is objectively a horrible time of year to be making important business decisions.
Tracy’s not thoughtless. What are the odds she genuinely thinks this is a good plan?
What are the odds she knows it’s a bad one, but she’s out of time?
What if a shiny Bite the Hand business proposal is her last-ditch attempt at convincing the board this company is worth saving?
When my eyes cut to Don, he’s watching me with a frown, and that’s when I realize we’re both in on the same secret. We might even be having the same thought: This presentation isn’t going to decide whether or not to launch a subsidiary. It’ll decide whether LC stays independent or gets sold for parts.
* * *
“You’re coming with me to Tracy’s office,” Don says on our way back up to ninety-eight. “I know you know. We need to talk about how to handle this with the others.”
I nod mutely, fully embodying a child who’s gotten in over her head.
I couldn’t even look Alex in the eye for the rest of the meeting. It felt like a betrayal not to celebrate this step forward with him, but an even bigger betrayal to act like I thought everything would work out the way he wants it to.
But he must know something is wrong with me.
“Short timeline?” I probe, repeating Gus’s words from earlier.
Don sighs. “The terms of the other company’s offer expire in two months. I have a feeling one plus one equals two here.”
Don looks … mad. I’ve never seen him like this. He’s usually so docile, but as he storms toward Tracy’s office and barges in, I’m fully aware he’s about to go to bat for something he believes in.
“We need to talk,” he says, and Tracy’s mouth falls open before she hits the END CALL button on her desk phone. “Whose idea was it to present a BTH launch plan in four weeks?”
“It was mine.” She reclines in her chair, perfectly at ease.
Don crosses his arms over his chest. “Does this mean what I think it means? Is the presentation supposed to be some sort of signal about LC’s ability to stay solvent?”
“To be perfectly honest,” Tracy says, “it’s less about whether BTH can make money and more about whether it’s exciting enough to rally the board to our side.”
Don rubs at his forehead. “If the entire company’s future is riding on the back of one team’s ability to deliver an exciting presentation, they should at least be allowed to know it.”
“No,” Tracy says. “Nobody tells anyone anything.” She looks right at me, like she knows I’m the weak link. “This is privileged. I mean it.”
I have no idea where my bravery comes from, but I match Don’s aggressive attitude and say, “On one condition.”
Tracy narrows her eyes. “I can’t believe I’m indulging this, but what condition?”
“Schedule that workshop with Fari. Did you know she got more than ten job offers? She chose LC because of you, and now she can barely afford to go home for Thanksgiving!”
Tracy blinks. I think my words both very much confuse and also somehow land with her, because she retreats into herself, and her voice comes out muted when she says, “Of course. Thank you for reminding me.”
I nod, satisfied, and avoid the blushing face of Don, who is no doubt highly uncomfortable discussing one employee’s pay with his other employee in the room.
“Why is this all happening so fast?” I ask, steering the subject back on course.
Tracy picks up a pen and twirls it through her fingertips, sighing. “Dougie wanted to accept the offer from Strauss Holdings this morning.” Strauss Holdings. I make a mental note of Tracy’s slip so I can research the company later. “At this point, he’s content to get bought out of his well-endowed contract and retire, and he’s even managed to convince the other board members it’s the right call. Robert Harrison deserting was a huge hit to their faith. I got Dougie to postpone until the original deadline, but he needed a reason. I told him the launch plan might change his and the others’ minds.”
“Will it?” Don asks.
“Hope so.” Tracy shrugs. “Because I, for one, am not ready to get bought out of my contract and retire.”
Don narrows his eyes at her. “You don’t seem confident he’ll be persuaded.”
She shoots me a pointed look, and Don turns to me. “Alex’s involvement doesn’t exactly help,” I explain.
“Right,” Don says. “The corporate warfare.” He shakes his head and looks at me. “I still can’t believe Gus hired that kid. It should’ve been you.”
No, it shouldn’t have.
“Look,” Tracy says. “Blood in the water aside, I wouldn’t have suggested this if I didn’t think Bite the Hand was ready for it. That subsidiary launch was always coming. It’s just coming a little sooner now.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The next day, Alex comes home with me for the first time.
He wanted me to sleep over at his place last night, but I knew seeing him without a night to process my conversation with Tracy and Don would be a horrible idea.