Page 118 of A Bossy Surprise

“No, we don’t, but we would like to see him all the same.”

The reception laughs. “You can’t just walk in here off the street and demand to see our General Manager. You have to make an appointment and Mr. Radcliffe is a busy man, he’s probably booked for weeks.”

I step forward. “Why don’t you call up and let him know that we are here. I’m sure he will take this meeting.”

We didn’t make an appointment because Arthur knows Casper and Maurice well, after having worked with them in the same city for years. According to him, they will see this as an opportunity to rub their victory in our faces one last time. Arthur thinks they’ll probably think we are here to beg for our people back. They’ll have no idea of the sucker punch they are about to eat.

The receptionist eyes us before he picks up the intercom on his desk and makes the call.

He has a quick whispered conversation, and when he hangs up, he says, “Mr. Radcliffe’s assistant will be down shortly to show you up.”

“Thank you,” Arthur says.

We wait a little while before a young brunette lady in an ill-fitting skirt suit fetches us and takes us up to Mr. Radcliffe’s office.

When we enter the office, Casper is sitting behind his desk and Maurice stands right in front of the table, but a little off to the right. Kind of like a guard dog.

“When Casper told me you were here, I insisted on being present for whatever is about to unfold,” Maurice says.

“Now, now, Maurice. Is that any way to speak to our guests?” Casper says as he stands up and comes to settle beside Maurice and face us head on. “Welcome to NNA. How may we help you?”

I step forward and offer Casper my hand. “Mr. Radcliffe, you and I have never met. I am the Senior Vice President of the Grant Media Group, GNN’s parent company.”

Casper shakes my hand. He is smiling like the cat that got the canary. I can’t wait to wipe that smug smirk off his face.

“It’s nice to meet you. What brings you here this lovely morning?”

“It’s obvious what they want,” Maurice says. He then imitates what he thinks is the voice of a sniveling child as he says, “Please don’t steal all our employees. Don’t destroy our company, pretty please!”

Casper looks at Maurice and chuckles. “If that is why you are here, then I’m so sorry to inform you that there’s nothing we can do for you in that respect. We don’t mean any disrespect by what has gone down.”

“It was a business maneuver. The best man simply won,” Maurice chimes in.

“Oh, no. That’s not why we are here.” Arthur steps forward.

“We came to let you know that you can have as many of our staff as you want. Just as long as you’re willing to pay for them,” I say.

Casper’s smile falters. “What do you mean?”

Now it’s my turn to smile. “From the looks on your faces, I take it none of the people you poached told you they have a non-compete with GNN.”

“What?” Casper turns and glowers at Maurice.

I start to explain, “Yes, when Grant Media acquired GNN. We required every member of staff to confirm their employment under new management by signing a new contract. It’s in every single one of my employees’ contracts that they are free to leave GNN at any time. However, should they want to work with a rival media house, that media house will have to pay $500,000 per year for two years for each employee.”

“So, the question is, are you willing to pay us $1 million over the next two years for each of our employees that you’re trying to steal?” Arthur asks.

“You’re lying,” Maurice says. “I read those contracts, there is no non-compete clause.”

I laugh. “Actually, there is. You just missed it. It’s in the fine print. Even I didn’t know it was there until all this and my lawyer made me aware of it. Perhaps you can have a lawyer confirm, but it’s there.”

Casper switches gears so fast. “Do you really want these people after they were going to leave you high and dry?”

Arthur laughs. “Casper, you’re ever the schmoozer. You’ve lost. Accept it.”

Arthur looks to me and I say, “To be honest with you, I don’t know what I’m going to do with them once they come back, because you are right. They showed a lack of loyalty that is alarming. However, for now, I will be satisfied with having them back under GNN’s umbrella, and away from you.”

“You can’t do this,” Maurice says.