Chapter 15
Kenneth
I have my driver drop me off early outside the agency. The building is quite extraordinary, had I actually cared about working with these fools I’m sure they would bring a lot to the table. I grab a seat at the local coffee shop situated opposite the agency. The young waitress makes her way over with a smile on her face “Hey, what can I get you today?” I look at her with a blank expression “Large coffee, hurry up and don’t dawdle.” She looks at me disapprovingly and walks away to fetch my drink like a good worker bee. She looks much better from behind I’ll give her that.
I keep my eyes peeled on the agency across the street, waiting for Cassandra to show her pathetic little face. I bet she has to walk to work after I took that precious car from her. Good. She could use the exercise, she needed to tone up more. I love fantasizing about how difficult her life must have been when I took it all away from her. The waitress interrupts my daydream and puts the coffee down next to me. As she’s walking away I notice the saucer has a drop of coffee on it. I click my fingers twice “Oi! Come back here.” She begrudgingly made her way over with a fake smile “How can I help?” I point at my saucer and raise my voice “Do you think this is acceptable?” She leans in and notices the splash of coffee “I’m terribly sorry, I’ll go grab a napkin.” I raise my voice even more “No! You will bring me a fresh coffee with no disgusting spillages this time. Do you understand?” I could see she was beginning to go bright red, whether it was anger or embarrassment, I didn’t care. I don’t put up with incompetence. The waitress reaches over and collects the coffee “I’m sorry about that, I’ll bring over a new one.”
I continued to watch the building hoping to spot Cassandra, she must have been running late. She usually arrived early when she was working for me. I bet she she’s too busy caking herself in makeup and playing around with her hair. Typical woman. The waitress made her way back over and there was no sign of a smile on her face anymore. She put the coffee down next to me and walked away without saying a word. She didn’t even shoot me a glance, I must have touched a nerve. Probably on her period or something.
Ten minutes passed and half way through a sip of my delightful coffee I saw a magnificent black car pull up to the side of building and park in one of the spaces. Guess who happened to step out? That fucking bitch, Cassandra. She was on the passenger side though, who was she with? She still doesn’t own her own car so she has to carpool. Absolutely pathetic. She is nothing without me. Shows how feeble her new fiancé is if he can’t even afford to get her a car.
I stared at Cassandra as she began to walk around the back of the car. The driver side then opened and out stepped a tall, well-built man. He was wearing a luxurious fitted suit and he stood tall with pride. I can judge a character pretty quickly and I can tell he’s a hard worker. I might try and poach him for my company. I’ll have to find out which department he works in.
Instead of walking to the entrance, Cassandra made her way over to the guy getting out of the car. They wrapped their arms around each other and gave each other a quick kiss. What the fuck! She’s marrying that guy? Why the hell doesn’t she have her own car if he can afford a car and a suit like that? I continue to gawk at them while they babble as they walk to the entrance of the building. He’s even walking her to the front door, Jesus! What an overbearing dick, she can walk on her own you know! Don’t worry Cassandra, I will save you from this tyrant. You need a humble and courteous man, like myself.
I sat there, glued to what was unfolding in front of me. They both made it to the front door and he opened it for her with a grin on his face. I bet he thinks he’s a real gentleman, doesn’t he? Piece of shit. When she entered the building he followed her in. What was he doing? Why did he follow her in? Does she need help getting up the stairs as well? Wait. Nice car, nice suit. Holy shit! Does he work here? How did I not suspect that! I am such an imbecile. Today is just full of surprises, what more can it throw at me?
The meeting wasn’t for another thirty minutes yet. I’ll give them another ten minutes and then I’ll arrive early so I can put them on the spot. I don’t want them to be prepared. I’ll catch them off guard and work my magic. After all, I can’t ruin my reputation just because of some little girl. I need to handle this meeting with tact and play my cards right.
Aaron
Mark and I sat alone in his office on two separate white leather couches facing each other. Behind Mark is a giant pane glass window that looks out into the city. There’s a pure glass coffee table in the center with both our laptops resting on it. At the end of the couch is a single white leather chair.
I put on my black fitted suit today. Whenever I meet a new potential client I need to feel powerful and respectable. Mark and I have the perfect balance for these meetings. I play bad cop he plays good cop. I leant back on the couch “Who is this guy, Mark? What’s this meeting about?” Mark was much more relaxed, he had a blazer on with no tie and his top button was undone “Honestly Aaron, I’m not one hundred percent sure. He’s an old friend from college. I haven’t seen the guy in years, but he wants to discuss business. I don’t usually give in to friends but he runs Ali Ross PR. It’s a big time PR agency and he can shove a boat load of work our way if we play nice.”
Mark’s assistant opens the door to the office “Mr Leonard, Mr James has arrived and he is waiting in the lobby, shall I send him in?” Mark gives Aaron a nod and looks back at his assistant “Give us two minutes Amelia, then send him in. Thank you.” I look over to Mark and lean forward “He’s earlier than expected. Trying to catch us unprepared is he? Oldest trick in the book. How do you want to play this? Shall I go easy on him considering he’s your friend or are we staying firm?” Mark smirks “Business is business, but be careful. Don’t underestimate him. He must be a hell of a negotiator to have made it this far.”
I wasn’t worried about this guy, all these meetings are the same. We talk sports for a few minutes, get down to business, I high ball him, he low balls me, we meet in the middle and it’s done. Piece of cake. I’ll wrap this proposal up and then sneak off to pester Cass for a coffee break. We’ve got a wedding coming up after all. The only thing we’ve decided on is the location, we were gossiping in the car and we like the sound of Jamaica the best. The culture is amazing, and the sea and beaches are phenomenal. Plus there’s the added bonus of experimenting with some herbal refreshments, if you know what I mean. We’ve both enjoyed it in our younger days and would like to experience it again together now that our lives are infinitely better. It will be a blast!
Kenneth
The assistant made her way out of the office and closed the door behind her “Mr Leonard and Mr Maxfield will be ready shortly. Would you like anything to drink while you wait, tea, coffee, water?” I locked eyes with her “Cut the formalities, I know Mark, he’s an old friend. What is his partners name? I’ve never met him before.” The assistant hesitated before saying “Mr Maxfield’s first name is Aaron.” I like that, it’s a strong name. Let’s hope he puts up a bit of a fight in this meeting. I looked the assistant up and down and focused mostly on her perky tits “And what’s your name? A pretty thing like you must have a sweet name to go with it.” I could see she was uncomfortable and she looked at me awkwardly. After an awkward pause she managed to break out of her shell “My name is Amelia and I would appreciate it if you kept this exchange professional, Mr James.”
Oh, she’s feisty! I love it! I can see why Mark hired her. There’s nothing like a great pair of tits that can stand up for themselves. I looked her up and down one last time and let out a cheeky wink with a devilish smile. “As you wish, Amelia.” I waited for her to sit back down at her desk and get comfy “Actually, Amelia. If it’s all the same to you, could I get that drink now? I’d like a fresh glass of orange juice, if you have it.” I could see I was getting on her nerves, seeing her squirm was fantastic. She stood up again “Certainly, pulp or no pulp?”
I pretended I was giving it some thought, but it was just so I could get a longer look at her tight body “I’ll take the pulp please.” She wandered off and thirty seconds later she came back with the orange juice and handed it to me with a napkin. I stared at her ass as she made her way back over to her seat. As she sat down and got comfy again I took a sip “I changed my mind.” Amelia back to me and I could tell she was starting to get frustrated “Could I trouble you for a glass of orange juice with no pulp instead? Thanks.” Amelia got up out of the chair and walked over to me and took the glass without saying a word. She left the room and after another thirty seconds she came back in with a fresh glass. As she handed me the glass I shot her a wicked grin “You’re a star.” I didn’t even bother taking a sip this time, I wanted the pulp one. I was just passing time. I let her sit down and readjust herself so she was comfortable.
“You know what, Amelia? I think I had it right the first ti--” she cut me off mid sentence without even looking at me “I didn’t bother changing it, Mr James. That is still the pulp one. I know what kind of game you are playing and I am very busy. Please entertain yourself without including me.” Damn! She caught me off guard. She’s much smarter than she looks. I let out a small laugh and guzzled down my drink. That passed a minute, what else can I do? As I was about to wind Amelia up a bit more, she interrupted my train of thought “Mr Leonard and Mr James are ready for you now. Please make your way in.” I leapt up and shuffled over to the office door. As I opened the door I glanced at Amelia one last time “Nice meeting you, Amelia.”
I closed the door behind me and took in my surroundings. I saw Mark sat down on a white leather couch with a giant glass window behind him. The room was beautifully lit and it had an excellent view. I could only see the back of Aaron’s head, as he was sat on the opposite couch. Mark was the first to notice my presence and he stood up. Aaron followed suit and stood up with him, then he turned around.
No. Fucking. Way. Are you serious right now? I feel like I’m part of a fucking prank show. What is this bullshit? It’s the fucking guy who walked Cassandra in and drove her here. She’s fucking HIM?! She’s getting married to this fucking loser? Jesus Christ, what the hell does he have that I don’t? What a fucking joke.
I need to stay calm, I can’t let my emotions get the better of me. I still need to keep cool and get down to business. There’s no way I’m going easy on this prick. I’m walking out of here with the best deal and I am getting myself an invite to that shit wedding. I took a few deep breathes and cleared my head.
They both made their way over to me and Mark was the first to speak “Hello Kenneth, long time no see! How long has it been now, 30 years?” He extends his hand out for a handshake. I reach out and match him “Too long, so this is what you’ve been up to? You’ve built quite an empire. I like the atmosphere of this place, hard workers every where.” Mark released his grip “Yeah, we’ve built up quite a team here. We only hire the best.” Mark then gestured over to Aaron “Have you met Aaron? He runs the agency with me and he’s part of the reason we’re doing so well.” Aaron reaches his hand out for a handshake and I lock with him “Nice to meet you, Kenneth.” He has a firm grip and I can tell he is eying up his competition. I’m the first to break the silence “Strong handshake you have there, compensating for something?” We unlock hands and he countered me faster than I expected “Sorry, I need to watch my strength around the elderly. I’m working on it.”
The elderly?! Who the fuck is this guy calling old? I’m only in my fifties. He has a fucking mouth on him and I am about to slap him down a peg. Before I could reply, Mark stepped in “Can we at least talk business before you carry on with this dick measuring contest?” I’ve always respected Mark, he’s a no bullshit kind of guy. “Certainly.” I looked over at Aaron “Behave yourself, Aaron.”
I could see Aaron tense up and he wanted to blurt something out. He looked over at Mark and held his tongue. He obviously values Mark’s words. I should use that to my advantage to get an invite to the wedding. Mark turned around and made his way over to the couch. Aaron and I both followed, they both sat on the opposite couches and I sat on the lone chair. Mark starts the conversation “So what would you like to discuss, Kenneth? There must be a reason you’ve got in touch after all these years. What are you after?” I looked over to Mark “I’d like to collaborate, we’ve just picked up a new client and this brand is big. They’ve hit millions almost over night. Needless to say they’re going to be getting interviews left, right, and center. Social media is exploding and all that jazz. We can handle the PR, but they have no advertising agency backing them.”
Aaron’s ears stood up like an excited dog “Why did you come to us? What do you have to do with advertising, shouldn’t this new client be finding an agency themselves?” I switched my glance over to Aaron “Well, I figured I could let them run off and sort themselves out, or I could partner up with an advertising agency and earn a hefty referral bonus for bringing them such a prosperous client.” Aaron’s face took a more serious tone “How hefty are you thinking?” I glanced over at Mark and glanced back to Aaron “Fifty percent.” Aaron shot to his feet full of energy “Fifty percent! Are you insane? You want fifty percent just for bringing the client to us while we do all the leg work? Forget it! Absolutely ridiculous.”
A huge grin came across my face and I kept silent. Aaron sat back down and Mark took over “How well-off is this client, Kenneth? Cut to the chase. You know we’re never going to accept an offer like that unless you have the numbers to prove it.” I reached down and opened up my briefcase. I grabbed the clients files and tossed them over onto the coffee table. Mark snatched them up and gave them a quick read. He remained silent for a few moments and looked up to Aaron “It’s legit, a campaign with this client alone would triple our profits for this quarter. Who knows how much work they could throw our way if they continue to flourish like this.” Mark passed the files over to Aaron. He opened them up and gazed into them for much longer than Mark. I could see his tiny little brain crunching the numbers and finding the catch.
Aaron dropped the files on the table and locked eyes with me “We’ll do it if your cut drops down to twenty percent.” I stood my ground “Fifty percent or I walk.” I looked over to Mark and he didn’t seem worried, was this a trick? What are they trying to pull? Aaron piped up again “Then walk. We’re the best advertising firm in the city. Even if you go to one of our competitors and take fifty percent, you’ll still earn less than if you take twenty percent with us. What are you going to choose, your ego or your greed?” This kid has his head screwed on, I’ll give him that. I don’t give a shit about the money, but he doesn’t have to know that. “I’ll tell you what. Call it twenty-five percent and send me an invite to this fancy wedding you have planned. I love a good party. I’m sure a guy like you won’t hold back, free bar I assume?”
I could see by Aaron’s expression that I’d caught him off guard. He hadn’t prepared for this. “How do you know about the wedding? I haven’t mentioned it at all.” I reached over and grabbed the clients file from the coffee table “I overheard some gossip on my way in, you know what girls are like.” God damn I’m smooth. Toying with lesser minds is always fun. I could see that Aaron was contemplating the deal, he looked over to Mark and Mark just shrugged his shoulders. The ball is in your court Aaron, what are you going to do? I guess this falls back down to ego or greed, funny how things turn out.
Aaron stood up again “We have a deal, Kenneth.” I mirrored him and stood up as well, we shook hands to finalize the deal. “Perfect. Have the contract sent to my office so we can get it all in writing, I need to dash.” I turned around and shot for the door, Aaron and Mark followed me to escort me out. As I left they both said there good byes to me.
I closed the door behind me and made my way over the the stairs. As I passed by Amelia I couldn’t resist myself “Good bye, darling. It was a pleasure meeting you.” She completely blanked me but I could see her tense up. What a wonderful day!
Aaron
After walking that asshole out, Mark and I sat back down on the couches. Mark let out a large sigh of relief “That was ballsy, I didn’t think he would go for that deal. You played that perfectly, our profits are going to sky rocket with this client… Did he give off a ‘weird’ vibe to you? Maybe it’s just his business strategy but I couldn’t settle around him.” I nodded in agreement with what Mark was saying “He was feisty, I’ll give him that. The guy was at my throat instantly, it usually takes some one ten minutes to build up to that.” We both laughed and we could relax again now.
“I don’t know why he wanted to attend the wedding so bad, now I have to tell Cass we need to squeeze an extra person in. Ah well, it was worth it. Even if he kept fifty percent we’d still be better off. An extra twenty-five percent and all I have to do is put up with him at my wedding? Easy choice really.” Mark smiled “Taking one for the team! People are going to be over the moon when they see their bonuses at the end of this quarter.” Mark has always split the pot with the whole agency, he doesn’t keep it to himself and now that we’re partners, nothing has changed. We all get a nice bonus, spirits are kept high and everyone tries their best because they know it’s fair. Happy people, happy life, happy business.
I stood up and checked my watch “Perfect opportunity to go for a coffee and break the news to Cass that a complete stranger is now attending our wedding. Wish me luck!” Mark chuckled and I heard him shout as I left the office “Good luck, she’ll understand!”