Page 6 of Protecting Love

She marched into her office, dropped her shoulder bag down that was much lighter now that it didn’t have the eight reports in it. That was how many they’d asked for, so she’d let them keep the extra three.

“How did it—” London stopped mid-sentence, her eyes dropping to the bag. “That bad, huh?”

“Sounds like you had a bad one too. Pop some calories in your mouth before I find out what your problem is.”

London laughed. “No problem. Why? Who said I had one? Is Molly ratting me out?”

“Sounds that way. Toss me one. I don’t care what.”

Her sister pulled two out and threw one in the air towards her. She snagged it with one hand and sat in the chair across from London’s desk.

“I’m fine,” London said. “I didn’t sleep much last night and was rushing out the door. Not sure why I always fall into a deep sleep an hour before the alarm goes off.”

She grinned around the rich chocolate and sticky caramel in her mouth. “Is Spencer used to your moody mornings yet? Guess I’m glad you spent the night with him. Though if you didn’t sleep well, could be on him anyway.”

“I told him that,” London said. “He didn’t buy it. I had heartburn. It was on me.”

She laughed. “Hot Thai food last night?”

“Yeah. I told you I was craving it. I got my fix now for a long time. I’ll just remember last night, and if I don’t, Spencer will remind me in that patient, annoying tone of his. You know, just like you did now.”

“Hey, be happy you got a guy who knows you so well. So if that is all your problem is or was, then you don’t get as much chocolate as me. Give me another.”

London pulled out two and tossed them both, Paris catching them between her hands, thankful she didn’t squish them as she clapped her palms together.

“Tell me how it went.”

“As bad as I thought it’d be. Nope, it was worse. They were already deciding what they wanted before I even gave options.”

“That always happens,” London said. “Too emotionally invested in their idea being right.”

“Yep. But Henry isn’t wrong. There won’t be a five-year plan if they can’t make it a year. So though they could be more profitable going slower, they still need the funds to get through the first year and that doesn’t seem feasible without a large line of credit.”

“I’m sure they aren’t willing to do it when it’s already a sinking ship. If they could even get the funds.”

“Exactly,” she said. “I’m positive they are going with the third option.”

“How much of the workforce will be cut?”

“A third now, software purchased, people trained and in a year another third will go.”

London cringed. “After they’ve been trained?”

“Yep. If West bought the company, he’d cut half now because he would have brought people in already set up to use the software.”

“Which is why he has the big bucks,” London said. “Does West know about this company? Did I miss something that it’s an option for him to buy it?”

“No. There was a fourth option for them to sell. Not much work involved in that, but I gave them what I thought the company was worth. That was shut down exactly as I thought it’d be. There isn’t a big enough profit in it for West.”

They knew somewhat where West went with his businesses. Hell, some of their jobs were to assess businesses that West wanted to acquire, not to mention those he had a stake in.

The two sisters had years’ worth of work from their cousin alone.

To the point both of them were now putting in a lot more hours than they should be.

Paris leaned over and threw two wrappers in the garbage and opened the third.

“You’re really going to town on them. You don’t take too many jobs to heart. Why this one?”