Page 94 of That Conflicted Feeling

“Well, you need to wait.”

“No.No,Idon’t.”

Silence.

Itwas that easy?Allthis time, allIhad to do was tell him no?Huh.

“Okay, then.”Imust sound as surprised asIam. “Ineed you to pull the funding from theYellowBarnexpansion into smaller communities.”

“Areyou unwell?Andheavily medicated?”

“Neverhealthier.Ihave other plans for that cash.”

Iamble back over to the window.Thebird’s still doing its thing.

“Nope.Notdoing it,” he booms. “Thatproject was your idea.Andit was a stroke of genius.Allthe numbers pan out.Fantasticinvestment.Cowswill fly beforeIpull the money out of that.”

Cows?

“Pigs,Tarquin.Pigswill fly.”

“No.Cows.Wayless likely than pigs.”

Iam not going to be drawn into a debate about the flight potential of various farm animals. “Well, anyway.It’snot only my idea.It’salso my money.”

Hedoesn’t even try to disguise his snort. “Max, you brought me in becauseIknow how to handle your financials so they make you even more cash than you already have.Justlet me do my job.”

“Thingshave changed,Tarquin.OrmaybeIhave.”Thehawk gives up circling whatever prey it had its eye on and heads off to the horizon. “AYellowBarnwould killWarmSprings.Andprobably theMainStreetof every other town we were planning to put one in.”

“Youcan’t pull out now.Itwould be a sign of weakness.Sharkshave to keep swimming,Max.”

Idon’t thinkI’vehad a single conversation withTarquinwhere he hasn’t used a shark metaphor.

“I’mnot having it on my conscience.Maybeit’s time this company developed some principles.Maybeit’s possible to make a fortuneandhave morals.”

Hissnort is even louder and more dismissive. “Idon’t know about that.”

“Well,Isure as hell am going to try.Getme a meeting with the head ofYellowBarn.Ihave a better idea for them.”

“Completemadness.Financialinsanity.”Ican almost hear him shaking his head. “Youdidn’t get where you are today by making financial decisions based on morals and principles.”

“Thenit’s timeIstart.Arrangethe meeting.AndtellCharlottewhen it is.Noneed to call me back.”

Ihang up and let out a long breath asIrest my hand on the glass and lean into the view.Thesun’s breaking through the gray clouds over the river for the first time all day.

Andthere’s another one of those little tugboats, pushing a giant load it has no right to be able to control through the busy channels.

Thatwindow in my heart thatPollythought was cracked open a tiny bit?Thispast weekI’vetried with all my might to pull it shut.Butsomething seems to have jammed it open.

28

Two weeks later.

POLLY

Mystomach churns asIbrace myself to say the wordsI’dhopedIwouldn’t have to say, the wordsI’vebeen putting off for weeks.

I’velooked at it from every angle, and there’s no getting away from the fact that, to have any chance of making the shop a success in the face of theYellowBarninvasion,Ihave to cut costs.