The Chosen Heir (The Bolles Dynasty Book 3) (5 page)

“Before we meet with the owner, I want to caution you not to give anything away. We are here to gather information not to give false hope.”

The breath in her lungs stilled. He was standing much too close to her and she needed space. What was it about him that caused her body to react? In the fashion world, she came into contact with attractive men all the time and she would feel nothing. Yet, a Bolles descendant, whom she despised for his lack of morals, caused her to become breathless. It was unfair. She needed to focus on his flaws not his captivating, intense look.

She tried to pull away but he held her tight. For a moment, she wondered if he would kiss her. Their gazes were locked in a silent duel of wills and she became aware of his breathing.

“I understand.” She looked away from him and waited for him to release her.

He let go of her arm and trailed his fingers along her jawline. “You are proving to be a welcome distraction.”

Stepping abruptly to the side, she wrenched the door open and walked into a dingy office space. Looking around the outdated space, she knew William would not be impressed. Hopefully he would concentrate on the products being made downstairs.

He whispered to her, “They are not squandering money on décor.”

Patrick Breen came out of one of the offices and greeted them warmly. He was in his fifties and had worked at Breen since he was twelve years old.

“This is Olivia’s brother, William Bolles. Allow me to introduce the owner, Patrick Breen.”

She waited for them to shake hands and exchange a few pleasantries.

Patrick said, “I thought we should assemble in the conference room, and then we could call in different employees as you have questions.”

***

William walked into the cramped conference room. At least it had windows with a view of the street. They had various products displayed on the table.

“With all due respect, this visit is not about the quality of the products you produce. It’s about the numbers and how willing you are to change your business practices.”

Patrick Breen rubbed the back of his neck. “We are open to re-positioning the business, Mr. Bolles. We want to protect our employees.”

It was better that he didn’t soften the blow. “It will depend on their willingness to change and their skillsets.” If they expected the business to go forward then they must accept change. Leaving everything the same and just adding money didn’t make sense.

“Let’s get started. Bridget, I’d like to speak with the bookkeeper and get a list of outstanding accounts.”

He pulled out a chair at the end of the table and began flipping through the latest financial records. Patrick awkwardly stood by the door.

“I’ll call you when I’m ready to speak with you.” The owner nodded and left the room. He thought he noticed relief. Were he afraid of being questioned?

The bookkeeper, a woman in her sixties with a trim figure and glasses on a pearl necklace, came in with a large binder with hand written account statements.

He greeted her and then asked, “Are these statements in the computer?”

“No, we reply on a manual system and then when the customer pays, we record the payment in the computer.”

He couldn’t believe they relied on paper receipts. “How do you know what customers owe on any given day?”

“We total up the amount once a month.”

“Bridget, can you total this? And get the director of marketing.” He handed her the book.

He turned to the bookkeeper. “If you’ll stay for a few questions?”

He spoke with her without pressing too hard. It was obvious she was conscientious but not particularly savvy about technology.

After speaking with the marketing manager, an image of the company began to form in his mind. They hadn’t stepped into the new millennia. They were doing business as they had fifty years ago. It wouldn’t be that hard to assemble a team to revamp their business practices. It was far easier than solving the issues at the golf resort. Within a year, the Breen Hat Company could be bringing him a profit.

He wanted to see how far Bridget North would go to convince him. Did she believe in the company? Watching her with the employees, he saw that she could put them at ease while asking tough questions and leading them down a certain path. She could be an asset to his management team, for this project and the golf resort.

He spoke with Patrick Breen at length behind closed doors and was satisfied with his responses. When he negotiated fifty percent of the company for an influx of currency and the technology to revamp their business practices, he almost cried. William cautioned him that he wanted to wait one week before announcing the partnership structure and swore him to silence.
 

“My attorney would be in touch in the next day or so with the legal agreements and a check”

Leaving the office, he gestured for Bridget to come with him. He led her through the shop without stopping and out to the parking lot.

“William, have you made a decision?”

“Let’s discuss Breen over lunch and then I’ll drop you at the train station.”

He took her to a local pub, a favorite place of his in the old part of Dublin with cobblestone streets and architectural splendor. It would be crowded, but he was recognized as a regular and the server found a table for them.

“Have you been here before?” It was a well-known establishment and a favorite of locals.

She shook her head. “I’ve spent the last five years in London working on my career.”

“You left Ireland after University?”

“Before, really. My mother had been ill for years and I have an aunt in London who helped me get into a business school there. She works in fashion, so I had access to internships and opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

“How about your papa?” She retreated slightly.

“He lives in Dublin and I visit him often.”

The server came and took their order. Bridget ordered tea and a salad. He ordered a stout and a steak.

“If I move forward with acquiring Breen, it would be contingent on you working with me for a year.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m happy working at Olivia Grey Designs. I can’t resign. It wouldn’t be fair to ask me to.”

“How serious are you about saving the Breen Hat Company? Olivia gave me the impression that she wanted you on the project.”

“I can help for a few weeks and then you can put a manager in place.”

The server placed their meals in front of them.

“I’m not willing to take on a failing company without a solid commitment from you. Olivia mentioned a year and then you would be offered another position within her company.”

A strained silence sprung up between them.
 

“I can’t walk away for a year. All of the contacts I have built will be lost.”

If he were take on Breen, he wanted her to manage it. “You have a decision to make. I’ll let Olivia know you are considering it and we can have a chat in a week. I’ll be in London for my nephew’s baptism.”

She placed her fork down. “I don’t want to relocate to Dublin. But I know that Olivia will insist that I work at Breen for the year.”

He wondered if she had a serious boyfriend that Olivia didn’t know about. Maybe that was why she seemed reluctant to come back to Ireland?

“You have a difficult choice ahead of you.” He would find her price point and exploit it.
 

He finished his meal and gave her a chance to think about the opportunity.

“I’ll double your salary and when you return to Olivia, your experience will only help your career. It can’t be a bad thing to have the founder of the company in your debt.”

***

Bridget had an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. Why did he want her to work at Breen? He could hire an experienced businessperson who would be grateful for the work. Was it payback for her telling him off a year ago? Did he intend to make her life miserable?

He couldn’t possibly understand her motives. She wanted to help Olivia, but she couldn’t spend the next year in Ireland. There were too many painful memories. It would break her heart to see her destitute father each week instead of a few times a year. He had never changed and continued to dream of making it big. She could barely hold it together as he spoke about his next scheme. He was even still talking about the dreadful golf course. They had lost everything to those dreams.

 
“I’ll need time to think about it. Breen makes a wonderful product, but I don’t know if I’m suited to spend a year in an old-fashioned factory. I’ve never been excited about the production process. I’m much more interested in helping to build a line or figuring out new ways to reach customers.”

 
“If I take on Breen, it won’t remain in the dark ages. I’m offering you a position on my management team. Breen would only be one project; there are several other companies.”
 

She took a small bite of cucumber and thought about his offer. She felt resistance in every cell of her body. Her rational mind knew it was a good offer, but she couldn’t escape her visceral response to putting herself back in harm’s way.

“I’ll double your salary and give you an expense allowance to travel back to London frequently.”
 

A rise in salary would get her father a nicer flat in a better neighborhood. She wouldn’t have to worry so much about him. But could she live in Dublin and keep her sanity?

“Why would you want to do that? There must be so many more qualified candidates.”

“You have a natural rapport with people, but you are intelligent enough to see the bigger picture. Olivia sings your praises. There are some individuals that are brilliant with numbers but can’t effectively deal with employee issues. My guess is that Breen will need a considerable amount of hand holding.”

 
She met his gaze. Was he complimenting her? Or did he expect her to deliver bad news to the employees?

“You might find that I’m more sympathetic to your employees than I am to you.”

William took a sip of his stout. “I hope so, as long as you remember who writes your paycheck.”

“I can’t be bought.” Her spine straightened as she said, “If you intend to pay me an exorbitant salary and have me do your dirty work then you will be disappointed.”

“Ms. North, you have such an imagination. I’m not sure what you are referring to in terms of dirty work, but I’m guessing you mean firing employees? Rest assured, I have no problem firing people myself. But I have no interest in holding an employee’s hand and gently encouraging change or growth. That would be your domain.”

He signaled for the check. “You have a train to catch. I’ll see you in exactly a week and you can give me your answer.”

Bridget allowed him to guide her through the hectic restaurant and out onto the street. She guessed he preferred a valet service but seemed at ease retracing his steps back to his parked Porsche. This time he opened the door for her and their bodies touched briefly as he helped her into the low sports car. She couldn’t wait to escape his presence and be safely on the train.

They barely spoke on the short drive back to the station and he double-parked near a taxi stand. He leapt out and retrieved her overnight bag from the back seat.
 

“Safe travels, Ms. North. Until we meet again.” He smiled at her and then abruptly left her standing there. She didn’t allow herself a final fleeting glance at him and instead walked into the station and looked up at the departure board.

Taking a deep breath, she attempted to settle her nerves. She should feel pleased that she had a choice, but somehow it didn’t feel like much of a choice. Olivia would be clamoring for her to take the position and it would be massively difficult not to accept the higher salary. She had been struggling for so long that it almost felt too good to be true. But what would she have to give up for this gift?

Chapter 3

William flew his Cessna Mustang solo for the short flight from Dublin to London. Flying by himself, even on short flights, allowed him to breathe. The trip was meant to combine business with pleasure. Not only would he be attending his young nephew’s baptism but he also scheduled a few meetings meant to bring in capital to his struggling investment group. Having the Bolles name had limitations, but it also opened doors to a number of extremely wealthy individuals in London. He would need to be careful or his brother-in-law, Fionn, would know that he was starved for cash. It limited whom he could approach.