Page 89 of February

“Honestly, I don’t think we should buy it.”

“I know it’s not exactly the kind of company we usually buy.”

“No, not because of that.” Monica looked into the café through the window and saw Bridgette standing in the line to order. “I think they’ve just mismanaged it.”

“The Musgraves?”

“Yes. If they make a few key changes, they’d be okay.”

“How haven’t they figured this out? They made it sound like full desperation mode.”

“They’re there, yes.” Monica nodded even though he couldn’t see it. “But they’ve just made some interesting business choices that I think I can help them fix.”

“Help them fix? You’re helping them fix things? You don’t really do that.”

“I don’t normally travel to New Orleans to buy a small business for the company, either.”

He laughed and said, “True. True. So, you’ll be staying there a while longer, then?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I can help, but I’m missing a lot at the office.”

“That’s what you have employees for.”

“It doesn’t bother you that I’m down here and might stay for a bit?”

“No. I miss you as your father, and your mother does, too, but you deserve some time off.”

“What if we don’t end up buying the company?”

“Not a big loss. I think the amount we would pay for it wouldn’t be much, anyway, but we were looking forward to having the card lines. We’d have to figure something out there at Good Day Greetings.”

“But it would be okay?”

“Have they asked us to invest?”

“Ibrought that up, actually.”

“And?”

“I don’t know that there’s much interest there,” she lied.

Monica had brought that up, yes, but only with Bridgette so far, who hadn’t exactly been thrilled with the idea. It was still a good option, though. Arnette would essentially loan them the money and give them time for Bridgette’s ideas to net out. If they didn’t work, Arnette would take over the company, and she guessed that was what scared Bridgette the most.

“No? That doesn’t sound like them.”

“I’ll try again,” she said.

“Okay. Well, I have the lawyers ready when you are, so let me know how to proceed and when.”

“I will,” she replied.

“And I’m glad you like it down there.”

“Me too.”

“I love you,” her dad said.

“I love you, too,” she replied and hung up the phone.

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