precinct are going to be released at the end of next month so we’ve only got a window of about four weeks before everybody will see the potential and the price could double.” Stew could barely contain his excitement.
“So you want to be a part of this?” Ben asked
“Yes, 10% plus design for free.”
“Okay, tell me a bit more about it, I can’t think of the area you mean in Rawlinston.” Ben pondered.
“Ah well, that’s the point. It’s not in Rawlinston.” Stew announced
“Where is it?” Ben took the bait.
“Southampton” Stew produced it like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
“Southampton” Ben repeated incredulously, “could it be any further away. We don’t have anybody in Southampton.” Ben could see the dream which had been so promising slipping through his fingers.
“But that’s the beauty - you don’t need to” Stew answered, “if you send down a few of your best workers who could live on the site during the week, pick up the rest from the pool down there and then supervise it yourself.”
“Me!” Ben was incredulous.
“Yes - if you worked on it full time you could have it done in six months and the property’s all sold within a year. Plus you’d keep full control of the project.” Stew was very persuasive.
“And you think it’s do-able?” Ben was starting to hope
“Look, absolutely it’s do-able - if you want it. But like I said we’ve only got a short time frame.”
Ben sat back and exhaled, in his stomach he could feel the butterflies of excitement starting to fly. This could be just the project they were looking for, but Southampton, it was a shame it had to be so far away.
“Stew, thanks, give me a couple of days to talk to John and Charlie and I’ll get back to you.”
“It’s a great chance Ben. I wouldn’t let it go if I were you. First step to your first million!” he joked.
Ben laughed “First step to my first thousand will do me - or even to paying off the overdraft.” They shook hands with an arrangement for Stew to email Ben all the details so he could bring it to the BW team. Feeling the need for a small celebration he tried to catch Katie’s eye to see if she wanted another drink. Tamsin’s friend Rita nudged Katie as they sat talking about the lotus position; at least that was the last position they had been talking about when Katie had actually been listening, they had soon moved off reality TV and onto their shared love of yoga. It seemed to Katie that yoga was definitely a participation sport. Rita nudged her again
“ Don’t look now but I think someone wants your attention?” Rita giggled
Katie looked up to see Ben gesturing did she want a drink - Oh God, yes and a large one! Seeing her chance to escape any more talk about mantras she made her excuses and headed to the bar.
“Another one?” Ben asked
“Oh please, yes - remind me never to take up yoga, it is possibly the most boring conversation piece ever.” Katie rolled her eyes and grabbed the large glass of Chardonnay that Andy had just plonked in front of her, taking a large slurp she smiled,
“Ah, now that’s much better” she sighed
“So not to your taste then?” Ben raised an enquiring eyebrow as he nodded Tamsin’s crowd.
“No, not really. I mean they seem very nice people - with all that meditating and communing with nature they really ought to be - but they take it so seriously! So how did your meeting go?”
“Actually I think it went very well. Stew had a good proposition for BW. It needs more looking into, but it could be a goer.” Ben’s eyes lit up as he talked about the project and the possibilities that it could open up for BW. It seemed that an extra light had been turned on inside and the shower of blue from his now quite remarkable eyes would have drawn ships into port if Ben had been taking a stroll along a cliff. For the first time
“So you want to be a part of this?” Ben asked
“Yes, 10% plus design for free.”
“Okay, tell me a bit more about it, I can’t think of the area you mean in Rawlinston.” Ben pondered.
“Ah well, that’s the point. It’s not in Rawlinston.” Stew announced
“Where is it?” Ben took the bait.
“Southampton” Stew produced it like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
“Southampton” Ben repeated incredulously, “could it be any further away. We don’t have anybody in Southampton.” Ben could see the dream which had been so promising slipping through his fingers.
“But that’s the beauty - you don’t need to” Stew answered, “if you send down a few of your best workers who could live on the site during the week, pick up the rest from the pool down there and then supervise it yourself.”
“Me!” Ben was incredulous.
“Yes - if you worked on it full time you could have it done in six months and the property’s all sold within a year. Plus you’d keep full control of the project.” Stew was very persuasive.
“And you think it’s do-able?” Ben was starting to hope
“Look, absolutely it’s do-able - if you want it. But like I said we’ve only got a short time frame.”
Ben sat back and exhaled, in his stomach he could feel the butterflies of excitement starting to fly. This could be just the project they were looking for, but Southampton, it was a shame it had to be so far away.
“Stew, thanks, give me a couple of days to talk to John and Charlie and I’ll get back to you.”
“It’s a great chance Ben. I wouldn’t let it go if I were you. First step to your first million!” he joked.
Ben laughed “First step to my first thousand will do me - or even to paying off the overdraft.” They shook hands with an arrangement for Stew to email Ben all the details so he could bring it to the BW team. Feeling the need for a small celebration he tried to catch Katie’s eye to see if she wanted another drink. Tamsin’s friend Rita nudged Katie as they sat talking about the lotus position; at least that was the last position they had been talking about when Katie had actually been listening, they had soon moved off reality TV and onto their shared love of yoga. It seemed to Katie that yoga was definitely a participation sport. Rita nudged her again
“ Don’t look now but I think someone wants your attention?” Rita giggled
Katie looked up to see Ben gesturing did she want a drink - Oh God, yes and a large one! Seeing her chance to escape any more talk about mantras she made her excuses and headed to the bar.
“Another one?” Ben asked
“Oh please, yes - remind me never to take up yoga, it is possibly the most boring conversation piece ever.” Katie rolled her eyes and grabbed the large glass of Chardonnay that Andy had just plonked in front of her, taking a large slurp she smiled,
“Ah, now that’s much better” she sighed
“So not to your taste then?” Ben raised an enquiring eyebrow as he nodded Tamsin’s crowd.
“No, not really. I mean they seem very nice people - with all that meditating and communing with nature they really ought to be - but they take it so seriously! So how did your meeting go?”
“Actually I think it went very well. Stew had a good proposition for BW. It needs more looking into, but it could be a goer.” Ben’s eyes lit up as he talked about the project and the possibilities that it could open up for BW. It seemed that an extra light had been turned on inside and the shower of blue from his now quite remarkable eyes would have drawn ships into port if Ben had been taking a stroll along a cliff. For the first time
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