Better Than Before (RightMatch.com Trilogy) by Kathryn Shay Page B

I’d love a real date.
    His response: How about tomorrow night?
    Oh, dear. Sorry, Spence, I can’t leave the kids on a weeknight. But… Annie checked the calendar… Alex has a two day camping trip with his scout troop this weekend. I can probably find a friend for Hope to stay with. Friday night?
    Again, a quick return. You’re on. What would you like to do?
    She remembered something from his profile. How about bowling? Your profile says you bowled with your brothers.
    His response took a bit longer than it should have. Bowling it is. And don’t forget to leave all that gorgeous hair down.
    She smiled broadly at the computer. I’ll leave it down. Just for you!
     

 
    Chapter 3
     “We’re going to have to liquidate AllGreen Gear.” Contrary to how torn he’d been about Annie, Spence was at his best here at work, at his desk, doing business. Across from him sat AllGreen’s founder, who’d flown in from New York to meet with him.
    Jacob Henderson was a middle-aged man with a bald head and shrewd brown eyes, which were now filled with fire. Spence preferred that kind of spunk in a client instead of defeat. “I don’t understand. You gave us a month to come up with a new business plan.”
    “The deal assumed you would keep the assets you already had. In the last weeks, you lost three big customers. Frankly, we have no choice but to act now.” From his inbox, Spence pulled out papers listing the failures AllGreen had incurred. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think the downfall of your company is your fault. The economy can’t sustain the prices. An environmentally friendly wedding dress for twenty-five hundred dollars is steep for the average family. That’s why the shops that had orders with you canceled. Your products aren’t selling.”
    “ Now our prices are high. When we started, that merchandise was in demand.”
    “I realize times have changed, Mr. Henderson, but it’s the present that counts.”
    “What will you do with my company?”
    ”Assume your financial assets as indicated in this contract. Liquidate your inventory. I’ll have to come to New York and will need access to the books to see what else we can do to get our investment back.”
    The guy’s fist clenched on the table and he sat forward. “I can’t let you do this.”
    Spence studied Henderson. There was grit beneath his unhappy exterior. Spence admired grit. Still, determination wasn’t enough. “You have no choice. We retained controlling shares. Our vote counts more than yours.”
    “I’ve got somebody working on more cost-effective materials for our clothing. And my son thinks if we branched out into required items, not ancillary ones, we would sell more products.”
    His interest piqued, Spence tried not to show it because he didn’t want to get Henderson’s hopes up. But he was curious. “Like what?”
    “Eli’s got a plan for all-green uniforms. The market could be huge.”
    Hmm. Global Industries financed or owned shares in a number of businesses that used uniforms. If Spence got involved… Still, he wasn’t sure working with AllGreen was a cost-efficient way to spend his time. “Not a bad idea. But I’m inclined to cut our losses now.”
    “I’m not now, nor ever have been, a loss.”
    Spence shook his head. He should take back his words, but he couldn’t afford to show the weakness Harold had.
    “Give me the full month.”
    “No.”
    “I refuse to cooperate.”
    “Then I’ll have to put our lawyers on this.”
    Now Henderson paled. “You’re a bully.”
    Worse had been said about him, so he wondered why the slur stung. “Calling me names won’t help. Now, we need to make arrangements for me to come to New York to start the liquidation process.”
    After the meeting was over, Spence had his assistant escort Henderson out and pivoted his chair to face the window overlooking Rockland’s skyline. Second thoughts weren’t like him, so he wasn’t sure why he was considering what Henderson had