Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Fletch
I stare out at the city. Our company’s headquarters are located on the top five floors of this twenty-eight-story building.
I watch the little ant-like people walking on the streets below. In the distance, I can just barely make out Hearts Lane Park. I wonder what Cam Tanner is up to today. Did she read my contract? Is she considering it?
I smirk at the memory of her telling me I was permanently banned from her store.
She acts all feisty with her fighting words, but somehow based on my conversations with Al and that Hutch guy, I think she’s actually a giant softy.
I just don’t know how to break that outer hard candy shell to get to the gooey center.
I turn back around and take in my office with its expensive furniture and high-tech communications.
I’ve never known any different. My grandfather took the company public before I was born.
He expanded it globally and managed to stay at the helm of the board.
He was so successful that the board easily voted in my father when the time came.
I suppose they thought the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
And I’m sure they’d vote for Spencer or Dalton, but definitely not me. I ruined my chances of that years ago. No amount of success can undo an internet search.
I curse my younger self under my breath as I walk back to my desk and sit down. God, I was an idiot. I’d blame it on youth, but I knew I was fucking up even back then. I just didn’t care. I was so self-centered.
People expect me to be that way still. But somehow, when our mom had a cancer scare and Dad called to tell me, I just changed. In an instant, I realized none of the people around me were my real friends or family. I got on a plane from Ibiza and went straight to see her.
Realizing I could lose a family member snapped me out of it, whatever it was.
Fortunately, Mom was fine. At Mom’s encouragement, Dad offered me a shit job at the company and I took it.
For the first time, I wanted to be a McDowell.
Not just for the perks, but because I wanted to be part of something bigger than me.
I study the plans for the new store that are lying on my desk. I’m supposed to approve them, but my mind keeps drifting back to Camryn. The contract I had our lawyers draw up wasn’t as harsh as I originally had wanted.
It provides for the sponsorship. We get to keep any recipes developed for the show for exclusive use at our stores, which will of course be attributed to her.
If she wins, she gets to keep all the money.
If she loses, we get a fifty-fifty stake in her company with the ability for her to buy us out after five years.
Now, it will only take one year to put her out of business, but who’s counting?
Dad wanted us to take full ownership, but I know she wouldn’t even consider that.
I’m about to head over to the store to see our progress when I see a text.
Unknown: I have my own terms and conditions. I can meet you at your store at three today.
One hundred percent Camryn. But I also want to fuck with her.
Me: Who is this?
Unknown: Seriously? (glaring emoji)
Me: Seriously.
Unknown: Three P.M. Fucker.
I laugh out loud.
Me: I’ll make sure to be prompt, Ms. Tanner.
Unknown: Try bringing some manners as well.
Me: I’ll have you know, I am the epitome of manners.
Unknown: (laughing-out-loud emoji)
Unknown: Wait. Were you serious?
Me: I’m always serious.
Unknown: Interesting. Not what Page 6 had to say about you when I looked you up.
Me: Looking me up? Interesting.
Unknown: (angry face) Don’t flatter yourself. I always research who I may OR MAY NOT be doing business with. Or do you not know what research is?
Me: Not personally. I have people who do that for me.
Unknown: Shocking.
Me: See you at three.
Unknown: Yeah. See you.
I put the phone down and smile. I’m going to have so much fun fucking with Ms. Tanner.
I wonder how many buttons of hers I can press?
It’s almost like a challenge, a quest. If only I could find someone to date who could provide me with such witty banter.
On the other hand, I’d probably want to kill them.
Bring it on, Camryn. At least I know you’d never date a man like me and quid pro quo.
* * *
I have the foreman give me a final tour of the kitchen area, which is coming together after a month's delay. I’ve chosen the opening day for three months from now. It’ll allow us to get through this competition and then know the game plan for how we are going to proceed here on Hearts Lane.
A woman clears her throat from behind me and I turn to see Camryn. I look at my watch. It’s five till three.
“You’re early,” I state.
“Early is on time. On time is late,” she says as her eyes bore into me.
“Touché,” I retort. I motion to some stools over by a table where building plans are rolled up and stacked to one side.
Camryn unfurls a document and sets it on the table. “My counteroffer,” she says as she pushes it toward me.
“I don’t believe I said I would entertain a counteroffer, Ms. Tanner,” I say as I push the paper back toward her.
Her cheeks turn dark pink. I smirk. I have already flustered her. I’ll take the point.
“Well, I never said I was agreeing to your terms, Mr. McDowell. So, this is my counteroffer,” she says as she taps on the paper.
Curiosity gets the best of me and I snatch the document from her and read through it.
She’s kept most things the same except she’s made it a fifty-one percent ownership that she retains in her store and we pay off her loan.
Interesting. I look at the loan amount. It’s six figures, but peanuts for us.
“That’s a big loan,” I say with a raised eyebrow, deciding to play coy.
She rolls her eyes. “Last year, McDowell’s made five hundred million dollars in profit.
You are projected to exceed that by nearly one hundred million this year.
You own approximately four hundred stores with another twenty scheduled to open this year.
I hardly think that sum of money would make anyone blink.
” She motions around us. “Hell, you probably spent that in here during the first two weeks of renovations.”
She’s not far off. For reasons I can’t explain, I say, “Fine. Accepted. But I’m adding a clause that you need to get someone to run your store during the competition. I want your full focus on our team winning. We’ve never lost when we sponsor someone.”
She swallows and I wonder if my new stipulation will cause an issue.
“Fine,” she says after a beat.
I hold out my hand and she slowly raises hers to mine. I close my fingers around hers and we shake. I can’t help enjoying the feeling of her smaller hand in mine. Her skin is incredibly soft and smooth. I wonder for the briefest of moments if her skin is that smooth everywhere.
“I’ll have my team draw up the official contract and courier it over to you,” I state as I stand.
“Wonderful,” she says.
“And we start working on recipes in two days,” I add as she begins walking toward the door. Her step falters and I know she’s surprised by the word we.
She turns and looks up at me. “We?”
“Yes. We. As in, you and me,” I restate as I fight not to smirk.
“I-I didn’t realize you’d be so…involved,” she adds.
I shrug. “I like to see my investments in action. You understand, right?”
She glares at me and I know she already regrets agreeing to this, but I also know she needs to do this competition and no other company is knocking down her door. I saw to that with a few simple calls.
“Fine. Saturday night. After I close,” she says.
“I’ll see you at nine,” I say and I see the look of irritation because she hates that I know she closes at nine on Thursdays.
She doesn’t say another word as she turns and walks out of the building.
I watch her walk down the street where she stops to talk to a woman and a little girl.
They all seem to know each other as Cam picks up the little girl and hugs her.
Then they all walk over to her store. I wonder who they are for the briefest of moments.
But then I remember that I just won. This is going to help me figure her out, and by keeping my enemy close, I’ll find the chink in her armor. You’re about to go down, Ms. Tanner.