she overreacting to this whole acquisition? Surely anyone who liked dogs would want to keep the pet-friendly perks in place. Maybe her worries about losing the company culture she had fostered were all for nothing.
“You allow pets in the office?” Connor looked up from petting Bailey, his forehead creased in a frown.
Any thoughts she had about how things might work out after all were crushed when she heard his disapproving tone. She straightened her back. “Yes, it’s a benefit we feel helps to retain employees and keep them happy.”
Connor raised one eyebrow and shook his head. Straightening back up, he brushed dog hair from his pants.
“Well, shall we get on with the tour?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ll show you around the offices and the clinic today. Later this week I’ve scheduled some time with Dana in the lab so she can go over our product testing and production process.”
Risa looked down at Bailey who was shifting her eyes from Risa to Connor. “Bailey, stay.” She pointed to the desk, and the dog obediently trotted over, flopping down underneath it.
Connor stepped aside. Putting his arm out, he motioned for Risa to go through the door first.
She slid through the door into the hallway, taking care not to pass too close to Connor who looked amused at her obvious avoidance. She cleared the door then looked back over her shoulder at him.
“This way.” She nodded her head toward the hallway. Connor fell in beside her.
Risa brought him down the various hallways, pointing out the different departments that made up Healthy-Pet and introducing him to some of the people who happened to be in their offices. The company was very small with only thirty-seven employees so the tour didn’t take long.
“It seems pretty informal around here,” Connor said.
Risa figured he was referring to the casual dress and flexible schedules. “Yes, we find people work better when they are comfortable.” Another thing the big corporation will probably change .
She felt her stomach getting heavier as they got closer to their final destination: the clinic. The clinic was her pride and joy-her passion. It was also the biggest reason why she opposed the acquisition.
Risa stopped in front of the glass doors. “In here is the clinic.”
She held the door open for Connor, and they both stepped into the small waiting room.
The room was sparsely furnished. Plastic chairs lined one wall. Shelves with Healthy-Pet products lined another. A U-shaped receptionist desk stood in the middle. A woman with a German shepherd mix sat quietly in one of the chairs.
“What exactly does the clinic do?” Connor asked.
“We provide low-cost pet services to the community: vaccinations, exams even operations and medications. Some of these people wouldn’t be able to afford to care for their pets if it weren’t for us.” Risa felt a swell of pride as she thought about all the animals that had been given a second chance at life because of the clinic and her efforts.
Connor stroked his chin. “Is it profitable?”
Risa felt her stomach clench. She was afraid he was going to ask that. “Well, not directly. But our customers help spread brand loyalty and they do buy our pet foods and supplements.” She indicated the shelves.
“But surely the cost of veterinary care, medicine, and operations must be a drain on the company financials.”
Risa could almost see the wheels in Connor’s brain turning, trying to calculate how much the clinic cost them with no thought to the good it did.
“Well, it’s not that expensive, we do have people who volunteer their time and we get a discount on the supplies,” she offered.
“I guess we’ll let the accounting sheets tell us whether this is a drain on the company or not.” The cold, calculating tone of Connor’s voice turned Risa’s heart to stone.
A drain on the company?
Risa felt her cheeks burn with anger. She’d be damned if she’d
“You allow pets in the office?” Connor looked up from petting Bailey, his forehead creased in a frown.
Any thoughts she had about how things might work out after all were crushed when she heard his disapproving tone. She straightened her back. “Yes, it’s a benefit we feel helps to retain employees and keep them happy.”
Connor raised one eyebrow and shook his head. Straightening back up, he brushed dog hair from his pants.
“Well, shall we get on with the tour?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ll show you around the offices and the clinic today. Later this week I’ve scheduled some time with Dana in the lab so she can go over our product testing and production process.”
Risa looked down at Bailey who was shifting her eyes from Risa to Connor. “Bailey, stay.” She pointed to the desk, and the dog obediently trotted over, flopping down underneath it.
Connor stepped aside. Putting his arm out, he motioned for Risa to go through the door first.
She slid through the door into the hallway, taking care not to pass too close to Connor who looked amused at her obvious avoidance. She cleared the door then looked back over her shoulder at him.
“This way.” She nodded her head toward the hallway. Connor fell in beside her.
Risa brought him down the various hallways, pointing out the different departments that made up Healthy-Pet and introducing him to some of the people who happened to be in their offices. The company was very small with only thirty-seven employees so the tour didn’t take long.
“It seems pretty informal around here,” Connor said.
Risa figured he was referring to the casual dress and flexible schedules. “Yes, we find people work better when they are comfortable.” Another thing the big corporation will probably change .
She felt her stomach getting heavier as they got closer to their final destination: the clinic. The clinic was her pride and joy-her passion. It was also the biggest reason why she opposed the acquisition.
Risa stopped in front of the glass doors. “In here is the clinic.”
She held the door open for Connor, and they both stepped into the small waiting room.
The room was sparsely furnished. Plastic chairs lined one wall. Shelves with Healthy-Pet products lined another. A U-shaped receptionist desk stood in the middle. A woman with a German shepherd mix sat quietly in one of the chairs.
“What exactly does the clinic do?” Connor asked.
“We provide low-cost pet services to the community: vaccinations, exams even operations and medications. Some of these people wouldn’t be able to afford to care for their pets if it weren’t for us.” Risa felt a swell of pride as she thought about all the animals that had been given a second chance at life because of the clinic and her efforts.
Connor stroked his chin. “Is it profitable?”
Risa felt her stomach clench. She was afraid he was going to ask that. “Well, not directly. But our customers help spread brand loyalty and they do buy our pet foods and supplements.” She indicated the shelves.
“But surely the cost of veterinary care, medicine, and operations must be a drain on the company financials.”
Risa could almost see the wheels in Connor’s brain turning, trying to calculate how much the clinic cost them with no thought to the good it did.
“Well, it’s not that expensive, we do have people who volunteer their time and we get a discount on the supplies,” she offered.
“I guess we’ll let the accounting sheets tell us whether this is a drain on the company or not.” The cold, calculating tone of Connor’s voice turned Risa’s heart to stone.
A drain on the company?
Risa felt her cheeks burn with anger. She’d be damned if she’d
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