Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 145231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Yep.
Nice Patton is definitely worse.
At least with boss Grumpybutt, I know where I stand, even if the view sucks and the service is rotten.
Nice Patton, he’s infinitely scarier.
Dealing with him is a blind bet on the unknown.
Everything I’ve been running away from ever since the day little Arlo was born.
10
POKER FACE (PATTON)
It takes me a full week to get Archer and Dexter together for a meeting about Evelyn’s proposal.
She sent everything over in an email so we could scope out the precise location.
Even then, Dex is easily distracted, tapping away on his phone. What the hell has marriage done to my uptight ass of a brother?
I clap my hands in his face.
“Focus,” I tell him. “I brought you guys in today so we could make a big decision. Evelyn deserves an answer sooner rather than later, whatever we decide.”
Dexter gives me an annoyed grin. I barely recognize this man. It’s like the work-obsessed demon that once possessed him has crawled into me instead.
“Okay, fine,” he says, drumming his fingers on the table. At least that hasn’t changed. “So she wants us to invest in one or two properties? The lakefront places?”
“Three cabins, technically. She needs funds to refurbish them, so she’s effectively asking for us to shoulder the cost up front. She also wants a one-time use fee. Future payments will be split between her as retirement income and paying us back for the renovations.”
“And you’re okay with this?” Archer grumbles, pulling at his grey-shot beard. “That’s a damn big investment up front on our part. Even for a family friend.”
“The question is, do we think this market is worth it? I have a few answers.” I bring up Salem’s notes on my laptop, neatly typed and organized, scanning them again. “Preliminary research indicates there is a clear opportunity here. Traffic to the north shore is at all-time highs. Waterfront properties are booming, even for cabin purchases and such. There aren’t enough rentals to go around, and high-end options are practically nonexistent outside Duluth.”
I pull up the graphs Salem compiled showing Minnesota tourism and project it on the screen so they can see. I give them a minute to look it over.
“Can’t see much downside, even if it will cost us a fair chunk of money to buy in,” Dexter says. “We’re also in a strong position. With The Cardinal off to a solid start, and first quarter revenues looking strong, where’s the harm in expansion?”
“Exactly,” I say.
“If we do things her way, there’s limited commitment beyond the renovations,” Archer says. “We can take the hit, yes—but it’s still a risk. The question is, do we want to if things go sour?”
“Arch…” I roll my eyes. “Where would we be without a little risk?”
“Probably avoiding partnerships with men who could get us killed,” he growls.
“Aw, shit. If you’re talking about Haute again, you might as well—”
“Guys.” Dexter holds up his hands. “I took the brunt of that mess, remember? Can we forget about it for ten seconds? I swear, why does this shit always happen with you two?”
For a second, we turn our eyes down, trying to get back on track.
“I looked high and low for major risks in the research,” I say, because I would never turn up to a meeting empty-handed, especially with Archer. “Look at the ten-year tourism trend for northern Minnesota. There’s clearly a gap in the market that’s exploitable. And if we use Evelyn’s properties, we won’t have to purchase them outright ourselves. If there’s a black swan event and it doesn’t work out, we haven’t lost too much skin. We also won’t have to worry about flipping underperforming properties.”
“Losing is still losing. Even when it happens slowly.” Archer wags a finger.
“Welcome to business, my man. Like it or not, you always have to take risks or you’re not moving forward. There’s also the potential for a huge reward.”
I prop my chair up on its wheels triumphantly, leaning back, a dumb habit I just can’t break.
“We have guaranteed rewards here in Kansas City,” Archer says, but I can tell he’s cracking.
The whole Haute incident scared him shitless. He never wanted to partner with anyone else, understandably, but this is Mom’s oldest friend we’re talking about. It’s not like she’d ever crawl into bed with the mob.
This time, it’s different. There’s also less commitment here.
Plus, we’ll be expanding our reach in a way that I know appeals to Archer once he’s thought it through.
“I know our last partnership went way off track. But this is Evelyn Hibbing we’re talking about. She’s not going to call up a mafia hit man if she doesn’t get her way. And haven’t we been talking about moving north, even before Omaha came up?” I pause, letting it sink in before I continue. “We have the potential to get a foot deep into the market there, and if it works, think what else we could do.”