28. Drew - The Pitch of a Lifetime

Chapter twenty-eight

Drew - The Pitch of a Lifetime

After a lot of thought, I believe that I have come up with a creative solution that will save the hotel and preserve Seaside Cove's charm. I know that going against my family's wishes is risky, but my plan is still good business.

It puts everything on the line for love, and for the town, but I can make it look to Troy and my sisters like I'm still focused on the bottom line.

I fly back to headquarters and begin what will be the biggest sales pitch of my career.

Knowing I'm walking into the pitch straight from the airport, I dress in my best boardroom attire before getting on the plane. It feels strange getting back into these clothes that used to feel so natural, like a second skin.

It feels weird, foreign, to be dressed as the man I've realized I don't want to be. But since I'm putting everything on the line, I'm going to dress the part and make every second count.

Normally, I just briefly review my talking points before going into negotiations, because I know I can win. Right now, I can't say the same. I spend the majority of the flight going over and over my notes, thinking of things my brother and sisters could argue against and how I can counter their points. I can't leave any stone unturned with this plan.

The plan is to affiliate with the Seaside Inn as a silent partner. The money we infuse for upgrades will bring it up to the standards of the Bellamy brand but without the name change. We will share the profits with Meg's family and bring the hotel into our marketing and reservations processes.

I plan to end my pitch with the idea that this can be a first for us, as a new and inventive way to build our empire without the anguish caused by total buyouts. If I can convince my family that doing this will improve the Bellamy image, then I can win their favor.

"You're so tan!" Lillian says, greeting me with a smile and a big hug when I join her and Troy in the smaller conference room.

"Staying by the beach will do that to you," I reply, as I shake Troy's hand. He looks more well-rested than the last time I saw him, so hopefully that means he's in a better mood.

"I told you the place would do you some good," he grins. "Let's take a seat and get this going."

"Did you get the owner to sign?" Lillian asks, opening her laptop.

"Not yet but that's why I needed to meet with you guys," I start. "I have an alternative plan that I think would warrant better results than a total buyout."

Troy glances at Lillian, who glares back.

"How about instead of shutting him down before he starts, you hear what he has to say, Troy?" Lillian snaps, catching both of us off guard. "Seriously, it's like you guys are kids again," she says more quietly.

"Okay," Troy says. "What did you have in mind?"

If this works, I need to give Meg all the credit, because a majority of my points are using her arguments in favor of not selling the inn. These are the same points I couldn't argue with myself, and the same ones that made me wonder if she was a contract negotiator in a past life.

"Our company name has a cold and detached reputation among small hotels and inns and that needs to change," I say, delivering the hook that gets their mutual attention.

"This should be good," Lillian grins.

"Instead of doing a total buyout, we should affiliate with the Seaside Inn as a silent partner," I say, gauging Troy's reaction. When I see that he isn't completely objecting to the idea, I keep going.

"These small hotels and inns that we buy have rich histories about them and connections with their communities. When the Bellamy brand takes over, we strip those qualities down to nothing before reshaping the property into our same model over and over again."

"I think you're stretching it," Troy starts to object.

"That's the exact reason why the owner of Seaside won't sell to us," I interrupt him. "And I'm not done, so save your questions for the end, okay?" He presses his lips together before leaning back into his chair.

"We should invest in upgrades that will bring the place up to Bellamy standards without putting our name on it. We can bring the hotel into our marketing and reservation system and share the profits. There will be no layoffs, no huge changes that strip the place of the heart that's already there."

"So, we'd be investors but beyond just putting money into the place there would be no other obvious identity as a Bellamy resort," Lillian clarifies.

"Exactly," I nod.

"No, we're not doing that," Troy interrupts again.

"Why? Because it's different? Because we've never done something like this before?" I challenge him.

"Because it's not how we do things." He gets to his feet. "Forget it, Drew."

I slam my hands on the table and stand to meet his gaze. "I'm not finished," I say.

"Yes, you are…" he steps closer, getting into my space. "I don't know what the hell got into you but you need to remember your place in this company."

"Just because you're older, don't make the mistake of thinking you can kick me out," I scoff. "Dad made sure of that before he died, remember?"

"Both of you calm down." Lillian stands and puts herself between us. "It's like I said. You guys can't disagree without turning back into children," she snaps, surprising me again. She can't stand confrontation.

"It's not my fault that he makes up his mind before giving me a chance," I argue.

"Oh, cry me a river." Troy rolls his eyes. "The first time I say no and your panties are already in a twist."

"Hey!" Lillian cuts in again. People who make sexist comments can often bring out the bolder side of her. "Can we talk like adults? I mean, it's not like we're in a conference room in a billion-dollar company or anything."

"I need some air," Troy says, before stomping out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Guess not. "What the hell has gotten into him?" I ask, as Lillian makes each of us a coffee from the cart in the corner of the room.

"He won't tell me or Mona much." She shakes her head. "I keep trying to check his work calendar for important meeting details, I keep checking with the accounting guys, but nothing is pointing to what could be bugging him."

"I don't remember him being this intense when it comes to the family business," I say, as I accept the creamy cup of coffee. I look out to the world fifteen floors below our feet, and it's not long until my mind travels to Meg. I wonder if she's doing okay.

"I think he just wants to prove that he can be as great as Dad was," she says, leaning against the coffee cart. "They're some big shoes to fill."

"No one asked him to be like Dad," I say. "And he and Mom have been gone for seven, no, eight years now?" Damn, almost ten years .

"It's not like business has dropped since then either," Lillian points out. "If anything, it's growing faster under Troy's leadership than Dad's."

"One contract shouldn't have him on edge like this though. Especially with such a small property like Seaside," I reply.

"I think he doesn't want to change anything so he doesn't risk failing," she says, with a quiet sadness in her voice. "I think he's trying to keep up with you."

"Me? What are you talking about?" I ask, downing the rest of my coffee.

"Since you started working in the company, has there ever been a deal you didn't get?" she asks, lifting her brows at me.

"You look just like Mom when you do that." I shake my head. "And no, I've never lost a deal."

"Troy has. Several of them," she points out. "He's been doing this longer than any of us, but you're the better brother when it comes to closing. One could say that's the most important part of being an executive."

"I'm not better than him," I deny. "I just do my research, nail down my points, and go from there. There's no magic to it."

"Well, if you were in his shoes, wouldn't you worry about someone better coming along? He can't be kicked out, but he can be demoted. Maybe other members of the board see that and think you should take his place instead?" she theorizes.

"I don't even want to be in the business anymore!" I blurt out. It comes out so easily because it's true.

"It's about time you admitted it," she smirks.

"Excuse me?"

"Just because someone's good at their job, it doesn't mean they love it." She rolls her eyes. "The last couple of years, it's seemed like you've just been going through the motions, doing what you have to do because it's your job. You're not passionate about working here, Drew. That's not a bad thing."

"Isn't it?" I ask. "People would kill to have this job, to have my paycheck, to have all the privileges that come along with the family name. I sound like a spoiled brat if I say I don't want to do this anymore…simply because I don't like it."

"I feel like it's more than that. I think it has something to do with the Florida girl Troy mentioned."

"Now you're really reminding me of Mom," I grumble. "She could always read our minds."

"So, the girl…what's going on with her?"

"I just, I didn't realize how this job made me so…"

"Grumpy and cold all the time?" she asks, sitting at the table again.

"Something like that," I reply, as I sit across from her.

I don't bother holding back the smile that comes when I think of all the wonderful things about Meg. "I'm not like that with her. She brings out this side of me that I really like."

"Around her, I don't have to think three moves ahead to win something. I can waste time walking on the beach with her and not care that I could be doing something more productive. I can laugh and be silly with her and it's so…"

"Effortless," she smiles. "It's been a long time since I've seen you this happy. And I've never seen you this smitten."

"Smitten?"

"That, right there on your face, is the smile of a guy in love," she chuckles. "No wonder you want your plan to work."

Smitten, huh? "Speaking of, I know I can get them to agree to us being a silent partner. But how do I get Troy on board?"

"I think you should just try again," she shrugs. "Explain how important a move like this is and what it can do to add to the Bellamy name."

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one who has to talk to him," I say.

"Oh, no, we're both going," she says, as we head out the door and down the hall to his office.

His secretary nods when I point to the door, signaling that he's there and he's alone. Just before I raise my hand to knock, I think about what Lillian said about what he might be going through. I can understand the pressure of expectations when they come from other people, but I can't speak much to expectations imposed on myself when it comes to work.

"Please work with me, Troy," I whisper, as I knock three times.

"Enter," he says.

When we walk in, his desk is immaculately tidy as he eyes his computer monitor. He doesn't bother looking up at us when we walk in and take a seat across from him.

"Round two?" he asks, typing a few things in before turning to face me.

"I don't want a fight," I say softly. "I would like to talk to my brother."

"I don't see what this has to do with Seaside."

"Troy," Lillian says, opening her laptop. "Just listen."

"I know you want to do everything by the book. By Dad's book," I start. "Lillian says the business is doing better now than when Dad was running it, thanks to you. It's something to be proud of," I add.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." He shakes his head.

"Neither will keeping a closed mind to finding different ways of expanding the business," I point out. "Dad always said that a boss argues in favor of only doing things his way. A leader listens and considers new ideas."

"Are you saying I'm not a leader?"

"I'm saying you're not listening and that's going to bite you in the ass one day."

"Why reinvent the wheel?" he shrugs. "It's gotten us to where we are now."

"But now, smaller businesses like Seaside are aware and on guard against executives like us who want to buy up and throw our name on their properties.

We won't be able to keep doing things the way we have once more private properties catch on. Then what? Dad's book is completely thrown out and we have to shift gears…

"Wait a minute," I say with a pause, the lightbulb finally flickering on in my head. "How many private hotels have turned down contracts for buyouts recently?"

Troy presses his lips together, his eyes suddenly looking anywhere but at me or Lillian. He has a ‘tell' too, just like Meg.

Bingo . "Things are already changing for the business now," I realize. "You can't keep doing things by the book anymore and you're freaking out about it."

"It's always worked before," he insists. "But…five properties have turned us down and Seaside is looking to be number six."

"Then we readjust and look at a different way of doing things," Lillian reminds him. "Luckily, you have a brother who is already on top of that."

Troy rubs the back of his neck before letting out a deep breath. He leans his forearms on his desk and looks up at me once more. "Okay, let's hear the rest of your pitch."

"I've heard guests say they come to Seaside to escape the hotel franchises that they see all the time. People enjoy small towns that make them feel like they're experiencing something new."

"They're getting away from the cold world of corporate America," I explain. It's a hard truth to admit but it's one Troy needs to hear. Some optimism returns to me when he starts scribbling things down on a legal pad.

"The place is already doing great on its own so investing in some improvements and getting a cut of the rewards can make everyone happy. We can be part of adding life to a place rather than stripping it down to make it into the same basic hotel over and over again. It will improve our reputation and give us a new way to get people on board. This is a deal I think, no, I know, I can get the owner to sign."

After my closing argument, I watch as Troy jots down some more notes on the legal pad that's suddenly filled with numbers and figures. Lillian types into her laptop, making notes and plans as she usually does during meetings.

The silence is deafening as I wait for their reactions, their thoughts, and if they can at least consider the possibility of doing something different. Finally, I clear my throat and end the silence.

"So, what do you think?" I ask.

Troy speaks first, his eyes still glued to the legal pad. "It's different. We've never done anything like this."

"But," Lillian adds, "It would add some warmth back to the family business."

"Excuse me?" Troy asks her.

"Oh, come on. Like you haven't heard other businesses and hotels say the same thing about how we treat hotels when we buy them?" she asks. "Just because you ignore it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"I'm not saying I haven't heard it," Troy admits, before shifting his gaze back to me. "Depending on percentages, this could work."

"Mona agrees it's a great idea," Lillian says, as she looks up from her emails. "I think we should do it."

"But a total buyout," Troy tries to argue again.

"They won't go for it," Lillian reminds him. "Deal with it. Either we go with Drew's plan or we miss out on another stream of revenue altogether."

I can't help but lean back and smile, knowing I've already won. Knowing Troy, he'll try arguing everything he can in favor of a buyout but I have Meg's counterpoints at the ready. I'd be lying if I said it isn't amusing to see him slowly deflating as he realizes he won't win this time.

"The hotel already has returning guests who refer their friends all the time," I add. "When they see the improvements we make, I think we'll be turning people away for lack of vacancies."

"It's either this or Seaside becomes another lost property," Lillian says, as she shuts her laptop. "Are you a boss or a leader, Troy?"

He sighs. "Okay. Let's get Finance in on this and start putting some figures together," he says. "Can you really get the owner to sign?"

"It won't be a problem," I say, with the most confidence I've felt in days. And Troy is actually grinning as he tells me: "Okay, go get ‘em."