uttered the words as a threat, but she knew he had the power to bring her world down around her ears.
For a moment she battled with a longing to belt him. Why the hell couldn’t he be as good as he’d seemed at first? Why couldn’t the cancer-research-funding, hospice-volunteering philanthropist be the real guy?
She felt an intense, piercing regret and fought to keep from yanking her hand away and belting him for not being the man she’d hoped he was.
“Great,” Alex said, “when we examine the info, we’ll decide who to go after and you can arrange a discreet meeting.”
“Me?” she said, the word rising.
“Yes, you,” was his reply. “You’re an insider, remember? They’ll trust you more.”
“Oh, right,” she said, thinking furiously. “Right. That makes sense.”
God, she had to produce an actual stock holder and expose him or her to Alex’s brand of charm and logic? Who the hell was she going to throw to the lions? Who even could she trust with the truth ?
CHAPTER FIVE
“Hey,” Brian said, sticking his head in Alex’s doorway, “I heard an interesting rumor this morning.”
“Come in,” Alex invited, placing the telephone receiver in the cradle. “What did you hear?”
“Something on the Michele Cosmetics deal. I happened to be talking to John Minor, the attorney for Millennium Tech? Anyway, we were discussing the disposition of some of their assets in Michigan and he happened to mention that it was too bad they didn’t have larger facilities in that area because he’d heard of a company looking for more space.”
“Who?” Alex asked.
“Beauty by Georgette,” Bryan said with satisfaction. “Aren’t they Michele Cosmetics’ primary regional competitor?”
“Yes. That’s the company owned by Eden Merritt’s uncle.”
“Well, we should start cultivating them for an offer on the Michele Cosmetics Michigan plant. It may be just what they’re looking for and we could snag their interest with offering a property that’s already set up for their industry needs.”
“That’s great,” Alex said. This was what he loved about his work, the almost serendipitous money-making opportunities.
Bryan sat back in his chair, a big grin of satisfaction on his face. “I thought you’d love that. Now, once we have Michele Cosmetics under control, we can terminate the existing plant employees and pretty much offer it ‘as is’ to the Beauty by Georgette people.”
Alex’s brows drew together in a frown. Terminating employees—with a reasonable compensation package—was standard procedure, but he couldn’t help remembering Eden’s hesitance to put her people out of work.
“Shall I put out some feelers?” Bryan asked. “Just to check on their interest in a property we may have in a few months?”
“Of course. That company will be a good sales possibility,” Alex agreed, options pinging in his head. “But don’t mention anything about the specifics.”
“No,” Bryan said, getting up. “That’ll wait.”
“We might,” Alex said slowly, “want to offer them a better deal, eventually.”
“What do you mean?” Bryan paused in leaving.
Alex shrugged. “It might be in our favor—as well as the Michele Cosmetics’ employees—to offer a package deal: factory and personnel.”
“Okay,” Bryan’s expression was puzzled, “but we don’t usually protect employees.”
“I know,” Alex said offhand. “It might make a sweeter deal, in this case, though.”
Bryan shrugged. “Okay. Whatever you think. I’ll put out some very casual feelers.”
“Do that,” Alex said, picking up the phone as his friend left.
He always preferred win-win situations and this could work out best for everyone. Particularly for Eden’s conscience. The possibility made him feel more cheerful.
***
“So…,” Eden said slowly, hearing little over the roar of anger and disappointment in her ears, “you’re saying I’m not treating Wendi nice? She’s not going to be
For a moment she battled with a longing to belt him. Why the hell couldn’t he be as good as he’d seemed at first? Why couldn’t the cancer-research-funding, hospice-volunteering philanthropist be the real guy?
She felt an intense, piercing regret and fought to keep from yanking her hand away and belting him for not being the man she’d hoped he was.
“Great,” Alex said, “when we examine the info, we’ll decide who to go after and you can arrange a discreet meeting.”
“Me?” she said, the word rising.
“Yes, you,” was his reply. “You’re an insider, remember? They’ll trust you more.”
“Oh, right,” she said, thinking furiously. “Right. That makes sense.”
God, she had to produce an actual stock holder and expose him or her to Alex’s brand of charm and logic? Who the hell was she going to throw to the lions? Who even could she trust with the truth ?
CHAPTER FIVE
“Hey,” Brian said, sticking his head in Alex’s doorway, “I heard an interesting rumor this morning.”
“Come in,” Alex invited, placing the telephone receiver in the cradle. “What did you hear?”
“Something on the Michele Cosmetics deal. I happened to be talking to John Minor, the attorney for Millennium Tech? Anyway, we were discussing the disposition of some of their assets in Michigan and he happened to mention that it was too bad they didn’t have larger facilities in that area because he’d heard of a company looking for more space.”
“Who?” Alex asked.
“Beauty by Georgette,” Bryan said with satisfaction. “Aren’t they Michele Cosmetics’ primary regional competitor?”
“Yes. That’s the company owned by Eden Merritt’s uncle.”
“Well, we should start cultivating them for an offer on the Michele Cosmetics Michigan plant. It may be just what they’re looking for and we could snag their interest with offering a property that’s already set up for their industry needs.”
“That’s great,” Alex said. This was what he loved about his work, the almost serendipitous money-making opportunities.
Bryan sat back in his chair, a big grin of satisfaction on his face. “I thought you’d love that. Now, once we have Michele Cosmetics under control, we can terminate the existing plant employees and pretty much offer it ‘as is’ to the Beauty by Georgette people.”
Alex’s brows drew together in a frown. Terminating employees—with a reasonable compensation package—was standard procedure, but he couldn’t help remembering Eden’s hesitance to put her people out of work.
“Shall I put out some feelers?” Bryan asked. “Just to check on their interest in a property we may have in a few months?”
“Of course. That company will be a good sales possibility,” Alex agreed, options pinging in his head. “But don’t mention anything about the specifics.”
“No,” Bryan said, getting up. “That’ll wait.”
“We might,” Alex said slowly, “want to offer them a better deal, eventually.”
“What do you mean?” Bryan paused in leaving.
Alex shrugged. “It might be in our favor—as well as the Michele Cosmetics’ employees—to offer a package deal: factory and personnel.”
“Okay,” Bryan’s expression was puzzled, “but we don’t usually protect employees.”
“I know,” Alex said offhand. “It might make a sweeter deal, in this case, though.”
Bryan shrugged. “Okay. Whatever you think. I’ll put out some very casual feelers.”
“Do that,” Alex said, picking up the phone as his friend left.
He always preferred win-win situations and this could work out best for everyone. Particularly for Eden’s conscience. The possibility made him feel more cheerful.
***
“So…,” Eden said slowly, hearing little over the roar of anger and disappointment in her ears, “you’re saying I’m not treating Wendi nice? She’s not going to be
Similar Books
