Chapter 28 #2
She plates the lasagna in the kitchen, in full view of us, as she tells us about the first time she made this recipe with Nana.
“It was quite the honor to be entrusted with the layering of the ingredients, even more so to actually season the meat sauce, especially since the debate over the proper amount of salt has resulted in bloodshed a time or two. By the time I was sixteen, I was allowed to assist with every stage and that was the best lasagna I’d ever eaten. I hope this lives up to it.”
She’s charming, the penultimate host, which makes her next move all that more sweetly cutting.
She brings a perfectly plated square of lasagna to Ross at the head of the table and sets one in front of me at the same time.
Showing some waitressing skills I didn’t know she had, or more likely from having a huge family pile around the table at once, she returns with three plates, two on one arm and the other in her opposite hand.
She sets one in front of Courtney, one in front of Jeffrey, and the other at her place setting.
“Oops, one more,” she says, laughing at herself.
The true message? You are so forgettable, Missy.
I think Violet’s been taking lessons from Courtney on how to cut a bitch without breaking a sweat.
She returns once more with a plate of lasagna that’s slightly fallen over, or my money’s on it being pushed over.
“Sorry, that one fell. Still tastes good, though.”
Missy smiles tightly. Point—Violet.
Ross raises his glass, offering the toast that is his to make as host. “To discovering what’s important in life—family.”
“To family,” we all chime in, sipping before we dig into Violet’s delicious lasagna.
Even Missy can’t resist the power of Violet’s Nana and her lasagna. Sure, she picks at it at first, trying to restrain herself, but soon enough, she’s digging in, almost scarfing it down like the rest of us.
“I hate to mix business into this wonderful feast,” Ross says as he breaks a piece of garlic bread, “but while we’re all here, I wanted to discuss a phone call I had with the contractor.
When he heard about your concerns on price, he said he’d be more than willing to be flexible.
There are a lot of workers in Charlotte who are ready to work, and economy of scale comes into play quickly, cutting our labor costs. ”
“I like it, but I still want a full comparison of the options, especially if we can use one bid against another to increase our bottom line. That will help us as we move forward as well, seeing how everything fits in after Charlotte.”
Jeffrey doesn’t sound like he’s consulting with us.
No, it sounds like a boss telling his underlings what to do.
But that’s not what our arrangement is about.
One Life isn’t Jeffrey’s baby, and we’re not the babysitters.
But it doesn’t matter. This is just the build-up to get Jeffrey where we want him conversationally.
“I think it’s a good idea for us to discuss the post-Charlotte plans too,” Ross says.
Missy stiffens slightly, her fork glancing off her plate as she cuts another bite of lasagna.
Jeffrey, however, remains serene . . . or maybe it’s just oblivious.
“I appreciate a man with vision, always looking to the next thing and planning. Charlotte’s barely underway and you’re raring to go for the next. Exciting, isn’t it?”
Jeffrey seems to think he’s found some camaraderie in Ross with this. He couldn’t be more wrong.
Ross ignores the inquiry, taking the conversation exactly where he wants to go, exactly where we plotted out together. “Are you aware that I’m still a stockholder and silent consultant at Andrews Consolidated?”
Jeffrey nods, sipping his drink. “Of course. I’d expect nothing less. It’s your family’s company and you were there for years. My understanding is the point of our partnership is to step away from that? Make your own name, so to speak.”
“It is,” Ross agrees steadily, his voice almost musing in its quality.
“I could have, of course, gone to my father or gone straight to the company and gotten their funding. After all, they have similar connections to yours. But we chose you instead. However, as I said, I have a stake in all my family’s potential investments, both personal and professional. ”
Jeffrey’s starting to look a little confused as to why our conversation’s taken this turn, but next to him, Missy’s practically squirming like a third grader who really, really, really needs to go pee during class.
Perfect.
I take over, ready to drive our point home.
“So Ross and I were both surprised—no, almost shocked—when Morgan informed us of a particularly interesting opportunity he’s been pitched.
It seems he’s been offered a ground-floor investment option in a new gym conglomerate.
One that looks amazingly similar to One Life Gym.
Similar designs, similar proposed locations, similar business plan. ”
Jeffrey’s brows knit together. “What? How? Do you think someone’s going to beat us to market?” He’s playing dumb, but he’s a slick businessman, we all know that. The question is . . . is he truly unaware? Or is he slyly pulling the rug out from underneath us?
I push past the touchdown zone, needing to see his authentic reaction up close to evaluate it. “As shareholders, Ross and I were able to look at the proposal and the names involved. UniLife Fitness, registered by Melissa Tillman.”
Now that’s how you throw a pipe bomb.
Jeffrey’s jaw drops as he turns to his daughter. But before he can say anything, Missy throws her hands up, her eyes big and doe-like. “Daddy, I can explain!”
“Then you’d better do it right now, young lady,” he booms.
Missy’s face crumbles and the first crocodile tears start to fall. I’ll give this to her—either she’s a damn good actress or she’s actually upset at getting caught like this.
“Well?” he says, even louder.
Her lips thin, and she glares at her father after a moment.
“That! That’s why! I’m smart, smarter than these two idiots!
They strut around the gym like they know so much, do so much, thinking they’re better than me.
I could do it so much better. We have the contract to do Charlotte, but after that, we can take it over. I can take it over and it’ll be mine.”
Jeffrey looks genuinely horrified as the true level of his daughter’s betrayal slowly dawns on him. If he’s acting, he’s damn good. Like Broadway star good. Like shelf full of Oscar awards good.
Like . . . I believe him good.
“What? You . . . you went to Morgan Andrews?” Jeffrey’s voice contains a thread of hurt, probably never considering that the one thing his daughter would ever want is someone else’s money.
Missy’s defiant now, her eyes glittering like cheap costume jewelry as she nods furiously.
“I knew you wouldn’t let me do it. You can pay for me to go to college, you can pay for me to even get an MBA, but the most you let me do is go undercover because no one would ever think I actually have a brain.
Not even you. So I figured out a way to do it on my own.
First, with Kaede . . . though that didn’t work. And then, I went to Morgan Andrews.”
I knew it. There’s no way this woman was so dick-hungry that all this chasing me was just about . . . me. She wanted to control One Life, just as I thought. Me and my dick were just gravy to her.
I shudder to think what would’ve happened if she’d actually gotten my dick. I would’ve been tied up in a mess of her making.
I scoff, shaking my head. “You think you can do what we do?”
Missy turns on me, her vile rage twisting her features.
“Absolutely! Everyone knows gym sales are all about tits and ass. I’ll reel them in with marketing and manage the books, and I’ll hire some slick talking hotties like AJ to keep them there, paying money hand over fist. I’ll have the best facilities, the best location, and be the BEST! ”
She sounds maniacal, about this far from needing a happy pill and a straight jacket, but I think this is barely the summit of her hissy fit.
Missy fit? Missy hissy fit?
She’s gone full Veruca Salt . . . give it to me now, I want the world, I don’t care how, I want it now!
Something in what she said piques my attention, and I tilt my head. “AJ?”
Missy slams her fist down on the table triumphantly, blind to all she’s saying. “Yes! He loves me, follows me around like a lapdog, so I know he’ll go with me. And my gym is going to put you out of business!”
Ross takes over, feeding her more rope to hang herself with as Jeffrey goes red as a tomato. I have to hand it to Sanders, though. He’s not stopping Missy from verbally spilling it all, nor is he stopping Ross. I think Jeffrey wants to hear all this too.
“Did you think my father wouldn’t tell me about this deal?”
Missy laughs. “I knew he didn’t know exactly what you were doing, didn’t know about the deal with Daddy. I heard you talking about it with Violet.” She smiles smugly. “The more you know, you know?”
I must’ve missed the afterschool special where they covered conniving, backstabbing, and corporate espionage.
Violet pales, looking at Ross. When did this happen? I mean, I wish he’d told me all along, but I don’t care that Ross shared everything with Violet. They’re a team. But . . .
“When?”
“The day of our ‘planning meeting’,” Missy spits. “I needed money, he’s got money, and sometimes, keeping the circle tight is the safer bet. Let your own Daddy issues keep me protected.” She’s smarter than she comes off, that’s for sure, but not nearly smart enough.
“And when, if I may ask, were you going to inform your father that you’ve violated oh, about a dozen different securities and exchange laws with your little plan?
” Courtney asks, her face stone-cold serious.
“Not only as the notary public who certified the contract but as an employee of your father, also exposing him to civil and criminal liability?”