Saving the Company Ch. 02

"Yes, isn't it," Bethany smiled as she sat up and stretched. Joe rolled over and watched her. She could feel his eyes on her. "We'd better get going if we don't want to be late."

"Let's play hooky today?" Joe offered. Bethany looked at him as the pleasure from the night before slowly disappeared.

"We can't," she said. "I need to go in and hand in my resignation," she replied, obviously shocking Joe.

"Just because we slept together?" he asked in amazement. Bethany shook her head and laughed.

"No!" she replied. "I made the decision to quit before I came looking for you yesterday."

"Why?" Joe asked. Bethany shrugged. It wasn't her place to tell him what was going to happen today. She was tempted anyway, but it just went too much against her personality.

"You'd better get going if you plan on taking a shower when you get home," she said, and then smiling she added, "And you do need a shower."

"We could take one together?" Joe offered. Bethany smiled as she looked at his earnest expression. Memories of the night before came back. It was amazing! She'd never felt so good in her life. She'd been far more relaxed then she could ever remember being with another man.

"Not today," she insisted.

"Okay," Joe sighed, and then grew more serious and changed the subject back to her leaving. "The company really can't afford to lose you."

"Of course it can," she snorted in disbelief as she looked away. Joe grabbed her chin and made her look into his eyes.

"No it can't," he replied. "Bradley's better than I feared when I first started, but he listens too much to Karl's opinion. You're a good buffer for him whether he knows it or not."

"I'm tired of playing Bradley's nursemaid," Bethany sighed, realizing she truly meant it.

"You do a lot more than that," Joe insisted.

"Name one thing?" Bethany asked. Joe smiled.

"I can name a dozen," he replied. "You don't realize your affect on the office. The people like you. Do you think the old timers that stood for the last few years would have if you weren't there to listen to their issues? You're the closest thing to a HR director the place has!"

Bethany thought about what Bradley junior was going to do today and sighed to herself. What did she do that truly mattered in the end if the CEO was so intend on destroying the company?

"I don't want to talk about it," she insisted.

"For all intents and purposes you're the office manager as well," Joe said, ignoring her. "That's two important jobs right there. Do you want me to continue?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," Joe sighed. "It's your decision, but don't rush into it. Another few days won't make a difference one way or another."

"I would think you'd be happy with my resigning," Bethany said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Why?"

"Well, dating you wasn't the reason why I decided to resign, but do you really think I would have if I planned on staying?" she asked with a smile.

"Eventually," Joe insisted.

"In your dreams!" Bethany laughed. Joe grinned briefly, but then grew serious again.

"I still think you should hold off a week and thing about it," he said.

"We'll see," Bethany replied, but she was just trying to placate him. "Now go! I don't like being late." Joe shook his head, but left after giving her a gentle kiss. She shut the door behind him and once again rubbed her lips with her fingers, remembering his kiss.

"I wonder how you'll feel about me after Bradley junior forces you to resign by putting you under the COO?" she asked aloud. She stood there a couple more minutes before shaking herself and going to the shower.

She got ready in record time and actually made it to the office early. She spent the first ten minutes typing her letter of resignation and placed it in an envelope. Bethany then started cleaning her area. She was trying to decide which of her tasks should fall to whom and how she planned on training them when Bradley senior and Bradley junior walked in the office.

"Hello," she said to both of them, but she was looking at the father. She realized that she loved the old man like a second father.

"Good morning Bethany!" he said with a smile. "The old place hasn't changed much."

"Not on the outside," she said in agreement. Bradley junior frowned slightly, but Bethany was beyond caring. She'd done her best to give him the same loyalty she gave to his father all those years, but he'd done little to earn it. His decision today would destroy the last of it.

"Please set up a meeting for ten with Judy, Karl and Joe in the conference room," Bradley junior said. He then frowned and added, "You need to be there as well to take notes."

"Should I let them know what it's about?" Bethany asked.

"A reorganization."

"Okay," Bethany said with a raised eyebrow, and then thought to herself, 'I guess there isn't going to be a meeting first as discussed the day before.'

She looked at Bradley senior. He smiled back but said nothing in explanation. Bradley junior was also smiling. He wasn't the type to smile if his father forced him to change his mind. Bethany last hope disappeared.

She made the calls and set up the meeting. Ten o'clock came slowly, but eventually it did come. Karl arrived first. He was almost whistling as he walked into the conference room. What an ass!

Judy came next. She didn't look happy, but on the other hand she didn't look unhappy either. Bethany realized Judy was a survivor. She'd accept whatever came down and do her best to make it work.

Joe was only a moment behind Judy. He looked at Bethany with a raised eyebrow. She ignored it and grabbed her note pad. Her letter of resignation was paper clipped to the back. It would be harder to tender it with Bradley senior present, but so be it. No one ever promised that life would be easy. She'd learned that from her ex-husband.

"I guess I'll take the lead," Bradley senior said once everyone sat down and he introduced himself to Joe. That surprised Bethany in and of itself.

"Yesterday there were some discussions on possible reorganization plans for the company," he said succinctly. Bethany watched Joe as he glanced around the room and realized that he was the only one who was unaware of the fact. He eyes finally fell on Bethany. She refused to meet them.

"Brad came to dinner last night and we discussed the possibilities in some detail," Bradley senior added.

"We stayed up until two in the morning," Bradley junior said with a grin. He seemed far more relaxed then usual.

"As you can imagine in a discussion that went on for that many hours," Bradley senior continued. "A lot of possibilities came up." Judy smiled, but Karl and Joe remained sober.

"So, what was finally decided?" Karl asked. Bradley senior frowned.

"I'm getting there," he said. Bethany smiled despite herself. Karl never worked for Bradley senior. Seeing them interact was amusing. If Karl thought he was going to be able to push the father like he did the son, then he was in for a rude awakening.

"Sorry," Karl said, not really sounding all that sincere. Bradley senior ignored him and continued speaking.

"Somewhere after we finished the second glass of brandy," he said, causing Karl to frown some more. "Young Bradley here mentioned the fact that he wasn't particularly happy being CEO."

"I hate it," Bradley junior added with a grin.

'Wow!' Bethany thought, not sure where this conversation was going.

"He mistakenly thought I would be hurt if he decided to leave," Bradley senior sighed. "I admit it would have been nice if he liked running the company, but I didn't spend all those years becoming a millionaire to force my son into a career he didn't like."

"I'm resigning and going for my masters in education!" Bradley junior said, unable to hold his excitement in anymore. He was a smiling broadly. "Hopefully I'll become an accounting teacher at some college."

"Why would you want to do that?" Karl asked in surprise.

"That's great news!" Judy said with a smile as she overrode Karl's question.

"I'm happy for you," Joe said, sounding sincere.

"So with Brad leaving, that leaves a whole that needs filling in the structure of the company," Bradley senior said, taking control of the conversation once again.

Bethany held her breath. What was he going to do? Judy showed no real interest in becoming a CEO and Joe was too new to the company to be put in the role. That left only Karl and she refused to believe that Bradley senior would leave his company in Karl's hands no matter what Bradley junior said.

"We discussed the possibility of selling," Bradley senior continued. "But, I'm not ready to do that yet. I spent too many years building this company. It like a second child to me."

"So, with a promise to my wife Cherie that it would only be for six months or a year at most," he smiled. "I've decided to come out of retirement and take the role of CEO once again."

"That's great news!" Bethany cried, and then blushed in embarrassment at her excitement. Bradley senior winked at her and continued.

"In that time I'll be making some tough decisions," he said. "Someone has to fill the role once I leave. I haven't decided if it will be one of you or someone I hire from outside."

"Hell, depending how it goes I may decide to just sell the whole thing after all," he laughed. "That's all for now. I'll have Bethany set up a full staff meeting for this afternoon to let the employees know what's going on." Judy looked happy and Joe interested. Karl was the only one who looked uncomfortable.

'You should be worried!' Bethany thought as she looked at Karl. 'Bradley will see through you quickly enough and you'll be out of a job before you know it!'

"I'd like to go to lunch with you and discuss some of my thoughts," Karl said to Bradley senior as the meeting started to break up.

"I plan on meeting with all of you individually sometime today," Bradley replied. "But Cherie packed me some left over pot roast. Besides, I don't often go out to lunch. It takes too long."

Bethany grinned to herself as she remembered what life was like when Bradley senior ran the company. He was over seventy now, but she doubted that his age was going to slow him down much. She was about to get a whole lot busier. They all were. It should have been a bit overwhelming, but Bethany just continued to smile.

"Bethany," Bradley senior said, interrupting her thoughts. "Please stay for a moment." The conference room emptied quickly until only the two of them remained.

"Yes?" she asked once they were alone.

"Do you think you can stand working for me again?" he asked.

"It will be a trial, but I'll cope," she grinned.

"I've missed you," he laughed. "If it weren't for Cherie..."

"Promises, promises!" she laughed. It was an old joke that they only shared in private. Brad was deeply in love with his wife.

"I'll be working from here for the rest of this week," he said, getting serious. "It will give my boy some time to clear out his junk."

"I'll help him," Bethany said. "I have your office back the way you like it by Monday morning."

"Thank you," he said, and then sighed and added, "And you might as well set up individual meetings for me and Judy, Karl and Joe."

"Okay," she replied, taking notes. "Do you want the staff meeting before or after?"

"Before," he answered. "The rumors will start spreading and it's best to nip it in the bud before they get too outlandish."

"Any specific order?" Bethany asked.

"No," Brad said, but then quickly changed his mind. "Yes, start with Judy, then Joe and finish with Karl."

"Any reason for that order?" she asked, but Bethany knew him well enough to know what he was thinking.

"I guess Judy first because I know her. She wasn't the VP of Sales and Marketing when I left, but she did work as a salesman for me a couple of years," he explained.

"And why Joe next?" Bethany asked.

"Well, for a couple of reasons," he replied. "Not the least your and Judy's comments about him during the meeting yesterday."

"Karl isn't going to be happy being last," Bethany said carefully.

"You really don't like him!" Brad laughed. She smiled ruefully.

"I never could keep my feeling hidden from you," she sighed.

"Is he that bad?" Brad asked. Bethany pursed her lips.

"To be fair, he's adequate at his job," she answered.

"But no star?"

"Absolutely not," Bethany replied. "Worse, he's so negative that it affects those around him."

"Well, we'll just have to see how he adjusts to my arrival," Brad shrugged.

"I can't wait!" Bethany grinned, causing the old man to shake his head.

"We'd better get started," he said, changing the subject. "I also promised Cherie I'd be home for dinner every night if I was in town."

"Six?" Bethany asked and Brad smiled sheepishly.

"I got her to agree to push dinner back to seven, seven thirty the latest."

"She'll plan it for eight," Bethany grinned, and then added, "I'd better get going."

"One more thing," he said as she stood.

"Yes?"

"You are planning on ripping up that envelope paper clipped to the back of your pad? Aren't you?" he asked seriously. Bethany met his eyes and sank back into the chair. Neither of them was smiling anymore.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I could hear it in your voice yesterday," he replied. She nodded once, but could think of nothing to say in explanation.

"I'm going directly to the shredder from here," she said.

"Good," he said succinctly, and then changing the subject again added, "I assume your relationship with Joe won't affect your ability to do your job?" Bethany groaned. She'd been so excited about Brad's return that she forgot about how it would affect her and Joe's budding relationship.

"Was it that obvious?" she asked numbly.

"Only for someone who's been your friend for over twenty years," he replied.

"I wish you'd told me you planned on coming back yesterday," she sighed, and then shrugged and added, "I carefully avoided getting involved with Joe because I knew it wouldn't be professional, but after the meeting yesterday I was convinced Bradley was going to make him report to Karl."

"Had a good night?" Brad smiled.

"Amazing!" Bethany answered honestly, surprising herself and him. He ignored her blush.

"As your boss I have to tell you I'm concerned," he said carefully, and then smiled and added, "But as your friend, I'd like you to know I'm happy for you. You deserve a good man in your life." Bethany nodded dumbly.

"I'll break it off tonight," she said glumly.

"Don't you think that's a little extreme?" Brad asked, not really surprised.

"It's either that or I have to quit," she replied succinctly.

"I certainly don't want that!" Brad said quickly.

"Me neither," Bethany sighed. "Not when I have real hope that this company can be turned around again. I've put too many years of hard work to stand on the sidelines now."

"You could try and work the job and your personal relationship with Joe out at the same time," Brad hinted, but Bethany shook her head.

"It won't work," she insisted. "If I'm right and it's not my emotions interfering with my judgment, Joe's going to play a big part in turning around this company. Neither of us can afford to be distracted by personal issues."

**********

"You're serious?" Brad asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Certainly," I replied. "You've got a good company here. If you decide to sell it I'd like the chance of getting some backers and buying it from you." Brad nodded.

"What about taking on the CEO role?" he asked.

"Bluntly?" I asked. Brad struck me as someone who preferred someone who tells it like it is.

"Of course," Brad said.

"I want it," I said with a shrug. "I believe I can do it, but since I've never been a CEO I'll understand if you choose someone outside the company. I'll even do my best to help him or her."

"But not someone internal?" Brad asked, pushing me to state clearly what I tried to infer by my statement. I found myself liking the old man.

"I'm not sure Judy is interested," I said carefully. "Besides, she has less experience then I do."

"And Karl?" Brad prompted.

"I won't work for Karl," I said succinctly.

"That's what Bethany said yesterday," Brad replied. I looked at him carefully.

"She thought that's what was going to happen today at the reorganization?" I asked. It explained what happened and her surprise this morning.

"She didn't tell you last night?" Brad asked, surprising me. That meant he knew we spent the night together.

"Do you need to ask?" I sighed.

"Not really," he laughed. "Bethany wouldn't be that unprofessional." I shook my head.

"Does this mean she plans on breaking it off with me since I'm not quitting?" I asked.

"Yes and no," Brad replied. "She's going to break it off, but because she's decided to stay, not because you're not leaving."

"She said something about quitting this morning," I said with a shrug and then fell silent.

"What are you thinking?" he asked as he watched me.

"I'm trying to decide whether I should quit or not," I replied, shaking my head at the fact that I was seriously doing just that.

"You'd quit just to date her again?"

"I can't explain it," I sighed, rubbing my hand through my hair.

"I can," he smiled. "It happened to me once many years ago."

"What?" I asked.

"Never mind," Brad replied cryptically. "But I think you'd better not quit."

"Why?"

"Well, Bethany has high expectations on what you can do for this company. In many ways it's as much her child as mine. She'll never forgive you if you resign," he said.

"I was afraid of that," I frowned. "She's not a easy woman."

"None of them are," Brad replied. "You should have seen how my Cherie drove me to distraction before finally agreeing to marry me."

"I'm over fifty and already been burned once in marriage," I said quickly. "I have no intention of ever getting married again." Brad just nodded.

"Why don't we see what happens over the next few months?" he suggested. I shrugged and nodded.

"If we're through here, I have another meeting," I said as I looked at my watch.

"We'll be talking again tomorrow," Brad replied. "I've very interested in your ideas of the future of our product." I nodded and left.

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly. I spent a lot of time placating the people I hired since I joined the company. They were nervous about the restructuring. The old timers helped me. They all had positive things to say about Brad. I guessed that most of them were true based on my two meetings with the gentleman.

Bethany found me once the day ended and the building started to empty out. I sighed when she entered my office and shut the door.

"We need to talk," she said without preamble.

"About what?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Last night," she replied. "It should never have happened. I'd like to pretend it didn't."

"Absolutely not," I replied calmly.

"What?" she asked in surprise. I smiled sadly.

"I have no intention of forgetting what happened between us," I said. "Or even acting like it didn't happen."

"But..." she began.

"No buts," I interrupted as I came around my desk and took hold of her arms. "I can't force you to invite me over again, but I refuse to make believe it never happened. It was special to me and I plan on remembering it forever."

"Oh come on! It was just one night of casual pleasure!" she insisted. I shook my head before leaning forward and kissing her again. I persisted until I felt her responding.

"You can rationalize all you want," I said, looking deeply into her eyes as she fought to recover from the kiss. "But you'll never convince me that what we shared was casual."