20. James #3
I close the door behind us as we make our way to his large conference table. “Coffee?”
“That sounds great. Thanks.” I take a seat as he fills two mugs.
He slides a mug to me before sitting in the seat across from me. He places his hat on the table then takes a drink. “I’m assuming this visit is about that Taylor guy.”
“We did hear about that, but this visit is more to check in with you. See if you need more from us. We’ve been doing business with your family since the start of my company, and my first priority is your farm.
” Jake sits, quietly sipping from his cup, while his dark eyes take in everything I’m not saying.
“I’ll take care of Taylor. It’s my next stop actually.
As I’m not convinced the story I’m hearing is true, but if he offered you a better package that is of interest to you, I’d like the opportunity to make a counter offer. ”
Jake sets his mug down with a chuckle. “Shit, James.” He looks up at his rustic ceiling.
“You know I don’t like dealing with city people.
And that Taylor guy. Well, let’s just say he didn’t get the warm welcome he was looking for.
” He takes me in, calculating his next words.
“I wouldn’t mind readjusting our contract though, since you’re here. ”
“I figured you’d enjoy that.”
We dive into his business needs. He wants to expand his cattle and get his reach a little further, but given his family was my first contract, I will always keep their rates lower.
Which is where Taylor will never be able to compete because any company he works for will never be willing to take as deep of a cut as I do with Family Farms.
“Great. It seems like you’ll be ready to dive in when you get your new designer on board,” Jake says as he stands. “That timeline should work great for my production too. I’ll be moving the cattle to a different field soon, so I’ll be busy until that’s done.”
I get up from my chair and reach out to shake his hand. “Sounds great. I should have some designs sent to you within a couple weeks at most. You can get back to me whenever you’re done with your work.”
“Perfect.” He places his cowboy hat back on his head, and I follow him out of the barn. “I wouldn’t worry about Taylor if I were you.”
“Why’s that?” I ask .
Jake shoves his hands in his jean pockets. The wind is picking up, the temperature unforgiving today. “He isn’t grown enough to be making business decisions. He had no idea the farm had changed hands, no knowledge of current prices, and just an overall bad attitude.” He shrugs.
All of which solidify my thoughts from last night. I don’t believe Taylor has the backing that he’s boasting he does. He’s just an enraged child running around.
“Thanks, Jake. I’ll have Ryder send over the new documents when they’re ready, and I’ll see you tonight at the fundraiser.”
Jake tips his hat towards me with a chuckle as I walk back to the SUV and climb in. Thomas has the heat blasting, which is nice since I forgot to bring gloves. I hold my hands up to the vents as he turns us around to head back to the city.
My phone starts buzzing on the seat next to me. I glance at the screen before I answer it. “Ryder?”
“Well, did you get the contract?” he asks.
“Yes. It was never an issue, but he does want to expand some. I have more details that I’ll type up in an email, so you can draft a new contract. He is going to need new designs once our designer starts.”
I can hear him plop onto a leather couch. “Great news. Except, we don’t have a designer yet. I hope you didn’t give him a deadline anytime soon.”
“I told him a couple weeks and we would have it.”
“You did what!” A loud thud comes through the phone.
I grimace as he keeps yelling. “Fuck! Shit! What the hell? How are we going to find someone that’s actually good, hire them, and get them to produce designs ready to see in a couple weeks?
Are you insane? Motherfucker, I spilled coffee all over myself and the couch.
You can’t come at me with this kind of news when I’m not prepared.
” Ryder takes a breath. I can hear running water in the background.
“Stop being so stressed,” I tell him. “I have everything under control. I just need you to make a new contract for Jake. I’ll be back this afternoon.
I need to stop at Collins and Sons before I come to the office.
” Thomas is chuckling to himself up front.
No doubt he hears Ryder yelling through the phone.
“Yeah, right. Easy for you to say with all of your secrets. I’m going to have an aneurysm. I have to go home and change, I look ridiculous.” Ryder huffs. “You should probably hire a cleaner for your office. Coffee is all over your couch. It’s a mess. But it’s also your fault.”
I rub my temples. “Jesus, Ryder. Just ask Stacy to call one in. I’m kind of busy taking care of our other problems.”
“Yeah, yeah. Fine. How was your night with Alex? I’m really bummed about poker night. Can we do it tonight instead?” he whines.
“If I get all of this figured out, then maybe.” I regret the words as soon as they exit my mouth.
“Great! I’ll set it up. Bye!” He clicks off the line before I can say anything else. I sigh and set my phone back on the seat. He’s going to be the death of me. I pull up my email and go through the numerous updates from other clients during the rest of the drive.
I’m almost through my backlog of emails when Thomas clears his throat. “We have arrived at Collins and Sons.”
I look out the window, and sure enough, we made it back. I rub a hand over my face. This is why I need a driver. It saves me so much time when I can continue to work while going places. I don’t have to waste hours behind the wheel.
I grab my briefcase with my backup documents in the case Collins is, in fact, in on Taylor’s scheme.
I walk through the front door and lock eyes on the blonde receptionist. I quickly scan her desk in search of a name plate before I reach her.
“Celest! I’m so sorry to interrupt your afternoon, but I need to speak with Mr. Collins. ”
She blinks up at me, clearly trying to figure out how I know her name, and if we know each other already. “Of course. Let me check his schedule … What was your name again?”
I smirk. “James. James Edward.”
Her face turns white with realization. I guess she has heard of me. Good. After a stunned moment, her head swivels back to her computer as she hazardously types and clicks around. “Umm. Just a minute. Let me see what he has planned.”
“I could just go up there and check for myself. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” I take a step to the side, and her hands shoots out at me.
“No no no. I’ll just call up to him. One moment please.
” She picks up the phone and swivels her chair away from me.
The moment he picks up, she whispers into the phone as fast as she can, peeking over her shoulder to ensure I haven’t bolted for the elevator.
I would never do that to her, but she doesn’t need to know that.
I smile every time she looks back at me, which causes her to talk faster.
“Okay. I’ll send him up.” Celest gently sets the phone on the cradle and looks up at me. “Mr. Collins will see you now. His office is on the fifth floor, the corner suite.”
I rap my knuckles on the desk. “Thank you, Celest. You’ve been amazing.”
I make my way through security to the elevators as Taylor slams the main door open. It rattles against the wall but stays intact. I wave my fingers at him as I hit the button for the fifth floor.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Taylor rushes across the lobby after me, but security stops him.
Celest stands up from her chair. “Taylor, you need to leave.”
Taylor tries to push through the large muscle man they have for security, but he doesn’t budge. “He can’t go up there!… He…” The elevator doors click shut and gentle music starts playing as it travels me up towards the top floor.
A ding echoes right before the doors slide open and a short man with gray hair in his fifties steps towards me. “James, I wasn’t expecting you,” Collins says as he reaches out his hand.
I shake it firmly before looking down my nose at him. “Unexpected visits tend to happen when you start trying to poach my clients, especially the ones who have been with me from the start.”
The confusion on his face makes me pause. “Let’s go to my office and figure this out.” He glances over his shoulder at the open offices surrounding the elevator, but doesn’t say anything more.
I follow him down the hall to the corner suite where windows line every external wall and the view of the city is spectacular.
The sun reflects off the river to the East with snow lining the shore.
Collins motions for me to sit on the chair in the middle of his living room-like set-up, while he sits in the chair adjacent, leaving the couch open.
He reaches towards the phone in the center of the table between the furniture and dials.
It rings three times before a man picks up. “Yeah?”
“My office. N ow .” He hangs up and throws me a sympathetic smile, but I just sit back and wait to see what’s going to happen next.
I turn towards the door when it snicks open. A mousey looking boy barely in his twenties steps through, and another slightly older version of him follows behind as they shuffle to the couch.
Collins looks at the boys with disdain. “What have you two idiots been up to?”
The older one elbows the younger in the ribs. “Ouch, Josh. Could you not?”
“This is your fault, Bobby.” Now Bobby slaps Josh across the head.
“I didn’t tell her to go fuck that idiot!” Bobby yells at his brother.
“Enough! I asked you a question.” Collins throws a coaster at Bobby and nails him in the face. It’s really hard to keep my composure.
“Ugh! What the f…” His dad shoots him a death glare. “Hell. I was going to say hell.” Josh elbows him again. “Motherf—.” He looks at his dad and stops. “It wasn’t us.”
“What do you mean? What wasn’t you?” Mr. Collins is getting red in the face. I lean back in my chair and enjoy the show. Josh lifts his arm to hit Bobby again, but Collins jumps to his feet. “I asked you morons a fucking question!”
It’s Josh’s turn to look like he’s going to get beat when I leave here. “We just made a bet. You wanted more clients, so your princess, Clair, decided we should see who could get the most first. It’s not our fault she’s cheating and using some other guy to do it.”
“Clair?” Collins’ face turns more white than red. “Where is she?”
“Uh. I don’t know. Probably with that guy?” Bobby slides down the couch .
Yelling starts in the hall, and I crane my neck to get a better look of what’s happening now.
“What in the actual fuck is going on in my business?” Collins points at the boys on the couch. “Stay, idiots.” Collins opens the door to his office, and I spot Taylor speed walking down the hall with Celest and the giant trailing after him.
“Taylor, get back here! I’ve told you, you can’t come up here without an appointment!” Celest yells.
“I’m going to make Mr. Collins millions. I think the least he can do is not listen to that dumbass James over me,” Taylor shoots over his shoulder.
Well, this is going to get interesting. Collins holds a hand up. “It’s fine. Celest and Bruno, you can go back down, so I don’t have any more guests coming upstairs. I need a fucking minute to deal with this shit-show.”