Page 46 of Sleighing You
Chapter 20
Chris
“As you can see on page three of the printouts, with modest capital expenditures to expand Maple Grove’s StoryBook Christmas store—the creation of Santa’s workshop and Mr. Pohle’s café idea—we project a double-digit return on our investment and thirty percent NOI growth for this location by this time next year.”
I was in total awe as I turned to page three as she instructed. When in the hell did she have time to make this binder and print up nearly twenty copies for everyone? I was with her almost nonstop for four days… and even all night last night. I couldn’t help but smile as she finished her presentation and the table clapped for her.
There were a little less than twenty of us at the board meeting tonight and thank God for this incredible dining room that made it the perfect place to not only convene for a meeting, but also eat.
My sister caught my eye and smiled… that was, until Helena cleared her throat, tearing both of our attentions away from Avery and the presentation toward her inappropriately low-cut dress. It looked like she’d gone shopping directly out of JLo’s closet.
“Thank you all so much for your time,” Avery said, ending her presentation.
I stood as Avery took her seat beside me once more. “Thank you, Ms. Pinkerton.” I smiled at her in a way that I hoped maintained the professionalism she desperately wanted from me tonight. But inside, I wanted to draw her into my arms and kiss her.
Across the table from us, Tristan scoffed. “I think these projections are a little unrealistic.”
“Oh?” she asked. Though outwardly she seemed calm, I’d grown to know Avery so well in these last few days, and I could see from the way she twitched her head slightly and sucked the insides of her cheeks in… his question annoyed her. “How so?”
“Double-digit returns? Most retail expansions are lucky to break even in their first year, let alone turn any sort of profit. It seems naïve and maybe a bit obtuse.”
Her brows jumped. “Obtuse?” She blinked and glanced momentarily at me. “Well, those projections aren’t simplyguesstimates. They are based on the current numbers for this location and the exponential growth it has seen since I began managing it five years ago. Storybook in Maple Grove isn’t simply a place to buy Christmas decorations and gifts… it is anexperience. For as small as we are here, people travel from all over to come to our Christmas Fest. I think you’ll see just how mighty our little town is tomorrow at the parade.”
Tristan snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Like I’m sticking around for that. Helena and I are getting out of here first thing in the morning, aren’t we, babe?” He reached over and draped his hand on top of hers.
But rather than immediately agree with him, her gaze lifted, steeled directly onto me. “Oh, I don’t know. I might stick around longer.”
Tristan glanced between her and me.
“Christmas Fest in Maple Grove is an incredible week of merriment and festivities,” Dad said, and my mom nodded in agreement.
“In fact,” Avery said, her voice edging into a dangerous zone, “if you haven’t been here to experience the massive amounts of people who travel in simply for Christmas Fest and to visit our store, then maybeyou’rethe one being a bit obtuse.”
Across from me, Mallery laughed and quickly covered it by clearing her throat.
My Aunt Nancy chimed in, pulling her reading glasses off of her nose. “This looks really wonderful, dear. But stores of this size if we move forward with the expansion have several managers… not just one. They have assistants who manageeachdepartment, and the main manager needs to delegate tasks. Are you prepared for that? That’s a lot of work.”
“I am fully prepared for that,” Avery said with confidence.
“And she won’t be alone,” I said and tapped my knee to Avery’s beneath the table. “I’ll be moving to Maple Grove to help launch the expansion and run the store.”
“What?” Helena screeched. It took everything I had not to roll my eyes at my ex. As if she had any chance of getting back together with me… not that she was concealing her motivation for being here all that well. I almost felt bad for Tristan… almost.
There were a few glances and whispers around the table. I knew that people never expected me, the self-proclaimed city boy, to ever leave Boston. But I wanted to be here. I actually liked it here in Maple Grove… and in just four short days, I saw the opportunity here. And I was excited about it.
Beside me, Avery straightened, her spine going stiff. I had hoped for a slightly happier reaction. I certainly didn’t expect her to throw herself into my arms at the news, but I’d hoped for a smile or acknowledgment.
Instead, she kept her white-knuckled hands clamped on top of the table. “Yes. Mr. Pohle and I are fully prepared to work together on getting this expansion completed on schedule and managing the new and improved StoryBook flagship store.”
“Any other questions?” I asked. No one else lifted a hand or offered any other arguments. “Great. Let’s take a vote on this expansion and the proposed budget. All those in favor?” Every hand around the table lifted in the air… even Tristan’s. Helena gasped, her nostrils flaring.
“Tristan,” she hissed.
“What? It’s a pretty good proposal.”
Pretty good? It was fucking flawless. I ignored them and continued with the vote, according to our bylaws. “All opposed?”
No one raised their hand. And for good measure, I also had to ask, “Anyone abstaining?”
