Page 34 of Matchmaking the Rival

He told a clever story for why their sales numbers weren't up where they should be, then added, "Besides, with your distribution network, you could easily double that in a year."

"No doubt I can strengthen this business in the first year, but that doesn’t mean your asking price is correct.” He wasn’t going to weasel me, thinking he’d get the best of me. His tone deafness to the situation annoyed me. “I'll put my CFO in contact with you. He’ll tell you what financial documents he needs to start the valuation."

“That sounds like a good start,” Arthur concurred, looking somewhat relieved. The guy was not as savvy as he thought he was.

I checked my watch. We still had half an hour remaining. "Do you have any other questions? Otherwise, we can wrap up early."

"I think we’re good," Arthur said just as Meredith nodded in agreement.

"I'm going to call Sonya real quick to ensure she doesn't have any other questions, and then we can go, Meredith," Arthur said. "I’ll wait for you outside."

"Sure."

"I've got a couple more questions for Meredith," I said, noticing her cheeks instantly pinken. Had she always blushed like that? I didn't remember it happening in high school. Then again, I'd been a fucking fool back then. I hadn't noticed her in that way at all.

Arthur stood and shook my hand. The second he left the room, Meredith squirmed in her chair.

"What did you want to ask me?"

I walked around to her, sitting at the edge of my desk. She pushed her chair back, looking up at me.

"I want your honest opinion. If you were in my place, would you go ahead with this acquisition?"

"Oh, that's what you... Okay."

"You thought I was asking you to stay so I could make you blush?"

Meredith cleared her throat, putting her hands in her lap and picking invisible lint from her dark orange pants. She jutted her chin forward, eyes fixed on me. "It crossed my mind."

"Don't worry. I'll get to that too."

Her mouth formed anO. She put a hand to her ear as if she wanted to push a strand of hair behind it, but it was all pulled up.

"But no, I honestly want your professional opinion. You’re very good at what you do, and you have a lot of experience. I value your thoughts."

"Thank you," she said, maybe even surprised by my compliment. "I think you could use Sonya's brands to attract those customers who think they're too good for the mass-market products. But I also think you have the in-house knowledge to develop those high-end products yourself. Granted, it would take longer to establish them, of course. Sonya already has a reputation amongamateur connoisseurs." She'd coined the term in the presentation, and I couldn't agree with her more. She truly was a marketing genius.

“So it's all a matter of how fast you want to move into that market," she continued. "If I were you, I'd want to do it as quickly as possible. It’s growing, and there are a lot of players trying to dominate that market. By using Sonya’s branding, you’d already have a foot in the door and can build upon that."

"Thank you. I appreciate the honesty." I shifted a bit closer. She didn't make any move to back away. "And now, as to the blushing part..." I was so close to her now. I could barely keep myself from kissing her.

"Meredith!" My grandmother's voice rang out through the room as the door banged open.

I straightened up fast, grasping the edge of the desk.

Meredith spun around, eyes wide. "Jeannie, how lovely to see you again!"

"Oh, I can't believe it. I was certain it would take you two a bit longer to admit what's happening between you."

Meredith blinked, glancing at me, at a loss for words.

I recovered quickly. Then again, I had much more experience with my grandmother than Meredith did. I opened my mouth to tell her to dial down the meddling. Then I was struck by how astonishingly happy she looked. Grandmother’s smile was wide. Her eyes were warm, maybe even misty. So, instead of telling her to mind her own business, I said, "What can I say, Grandmother? Your instinct was right." I put my arm around Meredith's shoulders.

She glanced up. "What are you doing?" she mouthed.

"Oh, lovely," Grandmother said. "Well, I don't want to disturb you two. I assumed you were available because your assistant told me your meeting was over. I'll just wait for you in the lobby."

"I'll be with you in a moment, and then we can go to lunch."

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