he chuckled, but once again his eyes were drawn to the other table, where the women were now getting up to leave.
It was strange the small twinge of sadness he felt at knowing he’d no longer be able to share their night—even if it was from way over here.
Probably for the best.
A hip-hop song flooded the speakers, and immediately two women grabbed him, insisting it was their favorite song and he had to dance with them. With a shrug, he threw back the contents of his drink and joined them on the floor.
This was better. This was his element. This was what made sense.
Chapter 7
E arly Tuesday morning , two weeks after Christmas, James stood in front of the board, presenting the details and projected profit that this Blossom Brew deal would bring to Thornhill Management for the next three years. From the faces of the over-sixty mostly male board, it was easy to tell which ones were on board with his vision for the future and those who were still clearly camp Neil.
But he would win them over.
And if not, he’d at least maintain the majority to make the changes he envisioned. And get that twenty percent it would take to finalize the franchise purchase—since every bank he’d spoken to required that Thornhill cover twenty percent of the costs before they’d finance the rest.
“We are currently in the process of working with Crestfield Bank and Loans to handle the investment cost, and we should have the final approval for that in the coming weeks so we can finalize the deal with Blossom Brew. I just need your vote today to assure that we’ll be willing to front the initial twenty percent of the franchise cost.”
His grandfather remained quiet and stoic until James finished, not showing any sign of approval on that cragged face. They’d seen each other on Christmas Day, of course, surrounded by a sea of family and friends that Cyrus hosted every year that made it difficult for them to spare more than a word or two for each other. Something that James always wondered whether it was intentional.
“Any questions before we vote?” Cyrus asked the board.
There were a few, mostly about Blossom Brew’s detailed launch plan that all franchisers were required to abide by, something that still didn’t sit well with a few members who liked to do things their way and didn’t like the interference. But as James explained patiently, Blossom would also be providing them with the support they’d need to train their employees and would help with the launch of their first store opening this summer.
Dennis, he noted, didn’t rush to his aid to help in describing any of the more complex details, but James wasn’t entirely surprised. Fortunately, with Quinn’s help, James had become well versed in some of the more complex contract details and was able to deflect their concerns. He only wished that Quinn wasn’t conducting her management training today and could be here.
“There was actually one more thing I wanted to discuss today,” Dennis said. “Before the vote. About this employee-assistance plan. Don’t you think that Thornhill is extending itself financially enough as it enters this multimillion-dollar franchise deal that we should postpone this so-called welfare plan until next year?”
James stared at the pompous windbag who’d made it clear since the day the EPA was first proposed this plan that he thought it was pointless and stupid and not their responsibility.
Which was why Quinn had prepared a detailed PowerPoint presentation that they’d gone over at the last meeting and had seemed to gain some consensus that it was worth testing the waters. Of course, the decision for it was entirely James’s, but as new CEO, he was treading carefully, since, his decision or not, he could be booted out of here just like Neil if they weren’t satisfied with him.
“Like we discussed last month, the premiums are well below what we projected we currently lose every month from decreased productivity, absenteeism, and
It was strange the small twinge of sadness he felt at knowing he’d no longer be able to share their night—even if it was from way over here.
Probably for the best.
A hip-hop song flooded the speakers, and immediately two women grabbed him, insisting it was their favorite song and he had to dance with them. With a shrug, he threw back the contents of his drink and joined them on the floor.
This was better. This was his element. This was what made sense.
Chapter 7
E arly Tuesday morning , two weeks after Christmas, James stood in front of the board, presenting the details and projected profit that this Blossom Brew deal would bring to Thornhill Management for the next three years. From the faces of the over-sixty mostly male board, it was easy to tell which ones were on board with his vision for the future and those who were still clearly camp Neil.
But he would win them over.
And if not, he’d at least maintain the majority to make the changes he envisioned. And get that twenty percent it would take to finalize the franchise purchase—since every bank he’d spoken to required that Thornhill cover twenty percent of the costs before they’d finance the rest.
“We are currently in the process of working with Crestfield Bank and Loans to handle the investment cost, and we should have the final approval for that in the coming weeks so we can finalize the deal with Blossom Brew. I just need your vote today to assure that we’ll be willing to front the initial twenty percent of the franchise cost.”
His grandfather remained quiet and stoic until James finished, not showing any sign of approval on that cragged face. They’d seen each other on Christmas Day, of course, surrounded by a sea of family and friends that Cyrus hosted every year that made it difficult for them to spare more than a word or two for each other. Something that James always wondered whether it was intentional.
“Any questions before we vote?” Cyrus asked the board.
There were a few, mostly about Blossom Brew’s detailed launch plan that all franchisers were required to abide by, something that still didn’t sit well with a few members who liked to do things their way and didn’t like the interference. But as James explained patiently, Blossom would also be providing them with the support they’d need to train their employees and would help with the launch of their first store opening this summer.
Dennis, he noted, didn’t rush to his aid to help in describing any of the more complex details, but James wasn’t entirely surprised. Fortunately, with Quinn’s help, James had become well versed in some of the more complex contract details and was able to deflect their concerns. He only wished that Quinn wasn’t conducting her management training today and could be here.
“There was actually one more thing I wanted to discuss today,” Dennis said. “Before the vote. About this employee-assistance plan. Don’t you think that Thornhill is extending itself financially enough as it enters this multimillion-dollar franchise deal that we should postpone this so-called welfare plan until next year?”
James stared at the pompous windbag who’d made it clear since the day the EPA was first proposed this plan that he thought it was pointless and stupid and not their responsibility.
Which was why Quinn had prepared a detailed PowerPoint presentation that they’d gone over at the last meeting and had seemed to gain some consensus that it was worth testing the waters. Of course, the decision for it was entirely James’s, but as new CEO, he was treading carefully, since, his decision or not, he could be booted out of here just like Neil if they weren’t satisfied with him.
“Like we discussed last month, the premiums are well below what we projected we currently lose every month from decreased productivity, absenteeism, and
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