Chapter 26

RIVER

When River finally made his way back to his house, it was the weekend. He and Mariah had finished the bulk of his work, and it was time to bring Edward into the mix and see what he could do with Wholesome Foods.

River had been leery of telling Edward what was going on but only because his friend was so worried about the company. Certainly, Edward and River had been friends for a long time, and River felt a bond with his friend more so than anyone else that worked at the company. But Edward was also a businessman, and River had paid close attention to how Edward behaved in the board members meeting.

Edward appeared to have been a very important part in setting up the meeting as River had noticed several of the board members looking to him for guidance once things started to go poorly. But River couldn’t risk not bringing Edward in on the decisions that were being made with Mariah and Elizabeth. Edward was his right-hand man; Edward was the one person that River needed on his side if he was going to keep Wholesome Foods working with them.

“Hey,” River said as he called his friend. “Do you want to come watch the game?”

Edward paused for a long time before he answered. River knew that it was unusual for him to invite Edward over to his house for any television watching. Typically, if they were going to watch a sports game, they always went to a bar. The atmosphere was just what they were looking for so they could be loud, drink beer, and eat wings. So when River invited Edward over to his house, it definitely set off a red flag for Edward.

“What’s up? Is there something going on?”

“I just think we need to talk. Why don’t you come over?”

“Sure, I’ll come over. But talking to me isn’t going to help you with the board. They are set in their ways, and it's going to be pretty hard to change their minds.”

“That’s alright. Just come over; we can chat about everything.”

River hung up the phone and got himself ready. He could tell that he was going to have to sell the new plan to Edward just like he would have to sell the plan to the board members. Edward was a businessman, though, and as a businessman, River knew he would be able to sell Edward on the new plan when he saw the projected numbers that River had worked up.

His estimates were very much under what River was expecting, but he would rather estimate low than to estimate high and not be able to reach the goals. River went through all the charts, advertising, and other paperwork that he had on his kitchen table ready to show Edward.

When the doorbell rang, River was quick to answer it. His excitement over what Edward was going to think of the project was almost too much for River to handle.

“Hey man,” River said as he opened his door. “Good to see you.”

“You too,” Edward said as he shook River’s hand.

It was clear that Edward didn’t feel very comfortable around River at that moment. But River was going to have to just push through the uncomfortable feelings. He was on a mission, and there wasn’t anything that was going to get in his way. Plus, Edward was his friend, and he was going to see the new plan, and River just knew he was going to be as excited as he was.

“Okay, so I know you guys want to kick me out of my company, but hear me out,” River started the conversation.

“No. River, we don’t want to kick you out. We just want to ensure the financial well-being of the company.”

River felt like Edward was lying right to his face, but he wasn’t going to call him on it. Instead, River was going to show Edward everything that Elizabeth, Mariah, and he had been working on. The business plan for the upcoming project was insane, and River knew that once Edward saw everything, he would be able to go back to the board and tell them to back off from their plans. Or, at least, that was what he hoped Edward would do.

“Okay, so here is the deal. Mariah and I have been working on a plan to roll out the new Family Meal option with a one-week free trial for anyone that signs up.”

“Wait, that’s going to cost millions of dollars. That’s not going to work.”

River had expected that Edward wasn’t going to like the idea of the free week. That was why they had pulled research from other companies regarding their sales and how giving away a freebie had helped them.

“Here is a projected sales sheet that includes a low estimate of total sales if we offer a free week. It also includes my upfront capital to fund the free weeks and to ensure that Wholesome Foods does not lose money from the new marketing strategy.”

Edward grabbed the paper from River and seemed very interested in what it had to say. He analyzed the numbers while River sat back and waited to see what Edward had to say.

River had never been very good at waiting for things, and he certainly wasn’t going to start at that moment. He anxiously waited for Edward and soon found himself getting up and pacing around the dining room while he tried to give his friend time to look over the numbers. But it was simple enough; River was the only one that would be risking anything. It would be his money that supported the free week of deliveries. It would only be River who had to worry about things not turning out if they tried his plan.

“I like these numbers, River. I do; so please don’t take anything I’m going to say the wrong way. But how do you expect to get sales like this?”

“Those are normal sales number for a big rollout with a special offer like this.”

“No, I mean with your current public relations disaster. How do you expect to get sales like these? People aren’t going to buy from you like they used to. Why don’t you consider stepping down and just take a payout from the company? Then you’ll get the money without having to do any of the work?”

River felt his anger growing at the idea he would ever give up his company and just take a paycheck. There was no way in hell River was going to hand over his hard-earned company to someone else to run. No one would ever run the company as well as he did.

“Edward, I love you. I hope you know that I do. I couldn’t have invited you here to show you my plan if I didn’t care about you. But we need to get one thing straight right now,” River said as he took in a long breath. “I will not be handing my company over to you or anyone else. And if you can’t get over that, then you better just leave right now.”

“I’m sorry, River. I know that sounded harsh, but I really do want what’s best for the company.”

River was pacing again as he thought about the best way he could sell Edward on the idea. He needed Edward’s help, and he couldn’t let himself get wrapped up in the anger like he had been the last few months. River had to think straight and ensure he delivered his message as clear and accurately as he could.

“Here’s the deal, Edward. I’m going to give you this packet of information. It contains my whole marketing strategy and all the data we could pull up. I’m moving forward with this plan next week, and I need to know that Wholesome Foods is on board. You currently work for me, and as my employee, I need you to go to Wholesome Foods and convince them to get on board with this plan.”

River paused while he gathered up the paperwork for Edward and handed him the file. It was going to be up to Edward if he decided to do as River asked him. Certainly, Edward could show up at Wholesome Foods and not tell them a single thing about River’s plan. He could simply come back and tell River that it wasn’t going to work. But River hoped that Edward would at least give it a shot.

“What if they say no?”

“If you go in there and share that enthusiasm I know you can have—if you show them the numbers and tell them I’m footing the initial free weeks, I can’t imagine that they would ever say no.”

Edward seemed very uncomfortable with the conversation, but River wasn’t about to give him an out. There could be no excuses for why Edward didn’t make the deal happen. River couldn’t afford Wholesome Foods to say no, so he wasn’t going to even give it as an option for Edward.

“Man, I don’t know. There are a lot of people who want to take you out of leadership and go an entirely different route.”

“It’s my company, Edward. I need you to help me here. I need you to see my vision and help me reach the goals that I have. If you don’t help me with this, I know our company will go under.”

River purposely said the word ‘our’ as he talked to Edward in an effort to make him feel like they were on one team. Edward had to see where River was coming from, and he had to help him.

“I’ll give it a try, but I can’t guarantee they are going to say yes. Even if you ignore the fact that your board members are trying to get you out, Wholesome Foods might not want to work with you at all. Have you considered that option?”

Edward was right. Wholesome Foods might not want to deal with River at all. Even a fabulous business plan wasn’t always enough to convince someone to go into business with River. Wholesome Foods was a business, though, and they were interested in money and sales. If Edward could just explain that side of the project to them, Wholesome Foods would certainly be on his side.

“That’s all I can ask, Edward. I know things are tough right now, but I really need you on my side. I need you to go into that meeting with the fire that I’ve seen in you a hundred times. Go in with that never-ending energy and don’t take no for an answer.”

River knew he couldn’t force Edward to make the deal happen, but he also knew that Edward had the ability to make the deal happen if he really wanted to. In all the years that River and Edward had worked together, there hadn’t been many deal that Edward didn’t get. He was just really good at reading people and seeing what it was that would make them happy.

“I’m going to head out,” Edward said as he grabbed the file folder of information and stood up. “I’ll do my best.”

When Edward left, the first thing River did was call Mariah. He had to tell her about the meeting. Even though Edward had been very standoffish, River felt like the numbers were going to win Edward over, eventually. As soon as he started to look through all the numbers, that would be when Edward would change his mind and decide he really did want to keep River. Once Edward had that thought firmly in his mind, there was no doubt River would be staying in as CEO of his company.

“So I think it’s going to work out,” River said to Mariah.

“I think so too, River. I just have a feeling that everything is going to be just perfect. Even though I’m not really sure about your statement still.”

River knew that the statement was what was bothering both Mariah and Elizabeth the most. River wasn’t all that sure of it himself. But he wasn’t ready to back down from it yet. He couldn’t see another option that would let him get his side of the story out. Plus, Mariah had been the one who originally told him that making a statement was the right thing to do.

“I know you’re nervous about the statement. I am too. But I just feel like I need to get it all out there.”

“I’m here for you. If you decide to make the statement, I think you should totally do it.”

“Just a second; I think I hear someone pulling into the driveway.”

River looked outside, but he didn’t recognize the car. It could have been Edward’s car though because he had recently purchased a new one.

“I’m going to have to let you go. I think Edward just came back. Maybe he wants to talk more about our plan.”

“Sounds good. You take all the time you need. If we are going to do the press conference, though, I think you should do it Sunday. More people watch press conferences on Sunday than any other day of the week.”

River couldn’t help laughing at Mariah. Even when she didn’t like his plan, she was still trying to help him make sure it was an effective one.

“Will do. I’ll let you know first thing in the morning.”

As River hung up the phone, he looked out his window to see who had pulled up. When he saw the governor walking up his steps, he didn’t know what to do. Even though he hated the governor, it was still a huge shock to see the man walking up to his house.

River didn’t wait for the governor to knock. He quickly opened the door and was on the offensive rather quickly. River didn’t know why Kimberly’s husband was there at his house, but he certainly wasn’t welcome there, and he needed to turn around and leave right away.

“You need to get off my property right away,” River said as he looked intently at the governor.

“I’m not going anywhere. I heard you talked to my boy about him being your son.”

River seemed really confused. If the governor had been the one to tell Jackson about everything, why on earth would he be surprised when River talked to Jackson about it all?

“Jackson came to me. He hugged me and told me that you were the one who told him I was his dad. He said you did it to make me angry and to make him not like me. Well, it didn’t work at all. Jackson and I are closer than ever. In fact, I was planning to hold a press conference tomorrow so I could tell the world that I was his father.”

The governor shook his head in disdain at River as his face started to turn red.

“Don’t you dare expose my son to the press like that!” the governor said.

“Your son? The Press? Give me a break. You’re the one talking about him on the campaign trail all the time. You’re the one who leaked the information to the press about the story. Were you the one who called and threatened me with the story as well?”

“You were threatened with the story?” the governor asked looking surprised.

“Give me a break. It was probably you who called me.”

“Screw you! I wouldn’t ruin my family over something so stupid.”

“Screw me? Really? That is so presidential of you.”

Before River could get the door closed, the governor pulled back his fist, rapidly threw it at him and landed a shot right on River’s already sore eye. The governor was surprisingly a really good shot as River staggered into his living room and tried to regain his composure.

The governor followed River into the room and started to swing at him again. River moved around the room in an effort to get away from the governor, but everywhere he went he was met with a punch to the face.

“Stop punching me you asshole,” River yelled at him.

“I should kill you for what you did to my family.”

“I didn’t rape Kimberly!”

“No, you didn’t. But you took away my ability to be the hero in my own family. I am Jackson’s father, and now he looks up to you and talks about you instead of me. You deserve to get your ass kicked for that.”

As the governor went to take another swing at River, he ducked down and avoided the punch. But unfortunately, he also fell to the ground. Once on the ground, River was an easy target for the governor.

The first kick took his breath away, and River felt himself trying to get more air into his lungs. He could hardly stand the pain as the governor kicked him again. Over and over, the governor kicked River, and he started to get worried that the governor wasn’t going to stop.

River reached for the governor’s foot and pulled on it as he tried to destabilize the man. With all of his strength, River grabbed both of the governor’s feet and yanked them from beneath him, sending the governor plummeting into the glass coffee table. At the same time, the governor’s foot slipped from River’s hand and kicked him right in the face.

The room went black almost instantly.