Chapter 22

“We’re never goingto change her mind.”

Camille slumped dramatically over the folder of data Gigi’s accounting team had left with us at the meeting this morning.

Joel patted her back, forehead creased with a frown. “The situation does look grim. Gigi won’t close down half the stores. We know that. So, what are our options?”

I dragged a hand over my face. I’d called them both to my office so that we could go over the accountant’s report and devise a plan to change Gigi’s mind, but it wasn’t going too well. Despite Austin’s belief I should fight, I had no ammunition.

“There are things we could have done, if only we’d made a move sooner,” I said.

We could have closed two or three of our struggling locations, then used the money from the close-out sales to help finance expanding others into Fox Entertainment stores.

Camille finished my thought. “The way finances stand now, it’s too late.”

“I put all my energy into proving this business model, and I should have been thinking bigger than one store.”

“Gigi never would have gone for bigger,” Joel said.

“He’s right,” Camille said. “We can’t blame ourselves. I just wish we could buy the dang chain ourselves.”

Joel snorted. “Yeah, our pockets aren’t that deep. If we combine our resources, we could buy one or two stores, but not a whole chain.”

“It’s just not fair,” Camille said with a pout, reminding me of our childhood days. “This store launch has been an incredible success. It shouldn’t end this way.”

Wait a second.I straightened in my chair, excitement jolting through me. Perhaps there was a way to preserve our family business if we thought outside the box.

“What if we didn’t have to buy the whole chain?” I asked. “What if we only had to buy one store?”

Camille’s eyes shone as she caught on. “Do you think she’d go for it?”

“Only one way to find out.”

Joel chuckled nervously. “Yeah, but guys, I was kidding about us buying a store. It’s a pretty big gamble, and if it doesn’t pay off…”

“Not necessarily,” I said, tapping the papers in front of Camille. “We all have some equity. If we can talk Gigi into putting our equity into this store and only have to make up the difference…”

Camille nodded. “It’s not an unreasonable risk.” She glanced at Joel. “What do you say, hon? It’s your money too.”

Joel let out a breath. “What the hell? If we’re gonna go down, let’s do it fighting.”

“I knew I loved you!” Camille said with a wicked grin, excited now that we weren’t just wallowing in defeat. “I’ll call the bank and take stock of our finances.”

“I’ll do the same,” I said. “And I’ll call Reggie. He’ll want in on this too.”

Joel looked between us, bemused. “What should I do?”

“Go grab us some coffee from down the street?” Camille asked. “We’re going to be here for a while.”

It was late by the time we’d gotten our finances in order, talked to Reggie and our bank and stockbrokers, and assembled an offer we could take to Gigi. So, we waited until the following morning to meet up at headquarters again—but this time we were a united team. Reggie had even driven back from Spokane to join us.

Liam, Gigi’s personal assistant, looked alarmed when he saw the whole group of us enter the waiting room outside my grandmother’s office.

“Ms. Fox has asked not to be disturbed this morning.”

“We need to speak to her.” When he hesitated, I added, “If she sells, you lose your job too. We’re trying to prevent that.”

His eyes gleamed. “In that case, follow me.”

Liam opened her door and led us in. “Your first meeting of the day is here.”

“I didn’t schedule—” Gigi cut off as she looked up and saw us. Her lips twisted. “I wondered when you’d show up to protest.”

“You expected this?” I asked.

“You took longer than I expected.” Her expression softened. “I know this is hard. It’s not easy for me either. Fox has been my life. But it’s time to stop beating a dead horse.”

“This horse isn’t dead yet,” Reggie declared hotly.

“Close enough,” she said.

I cringed at the metaphor that was going too far. Behind me, Camille shushed our cousin, advising that I do the talking. They all thought Gigi would listen to me.

Nerves tightened my gut and my hands broke out in a sweat. If I let them down, it would be the end of our family legacy. We’d carry on, but we’d lose the bond that tied us so closely together.

But when it all threatened to get overwhelming, I remembered Austin’s fierce belief in me the day before. Remembered his assurances that no matter what my future held, he’d be part of it.

My whole life was waiting beyond this moment, and with that clarity, came calm.

“I’m not here to talk you out of closing the Fox chain,” I told Gigi.

She looked surprised for the first time. “Really?”

“We went over the financials Phil gave us. We can’t continue this way.”

Sadness seeped into her expression. “Times kept changing, and we didn’t adapt enough. That’s my fault. As your leader, I lacked vision.”

“No, you were proud of the vision you had when you built Fox,” I said. “But I have a vision now, and I want to build something too.”

Her brow creased. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“Gigi, when I proposed launching Fox Entertainment, you told me I’d have to do it on my own, remember? From start to finish. I’d stand on my own and I’d fall on my own. You said that, remember?”

She hesitated a beat. Gigi was as sharp as they came, and no doubt she’d figured out where this argument was heading. “Yes.”

“I worked hard to make it a success, and though it’s early, I’d bet my life savings on it.”

“So would we,” Camille said.

“And me,” Reggie added.

Gigi eyed us through the square frames of her reading glasses. “Don’t beat around the bush. Tell me what you want.”

“We want to buy Fox Entertainment,” I said. “You can sell the rest of the chain off as planned. Just let us buy this one store, this one hope for the future, and transfer our accrued equity over to it when you close on your sale.”

She frowned. “That’ll impact the how much I can get out of a sale.”

“I know,” I said. “But we’ll offer you the premium price for Fox Entertainment. You know you can’t get that for the rest of the chain.”

“True,” she allowed.

“You built a legacy out of one store, and you passed it on to us. We just want the chance to do the same.”

“Well, I admire your passion, Chase. You’ve always shown so much promise.”

“Then say yes, Gigi,” Camille implored. “He’s already proven this business model works.”

“Well, the launch went well, but don’t count your eggs before they hatch. If you’re going to run a business, you can’t let hope blind you.”

“Does that mean you’ll do it?” Camille asked. “You’ll let us buy Fox Entertainment?”

She tapped her pen on the open ledger in front of her.

“I agreed to let Chase prove a viable future existed for Fox. If we still had the resources, I’d make good on that deal and adapt our chain. But maybe this is better. You can reinvent Fox, give it fresh life, while the old one retires with me.”

“Thank you, Gigi!” Camille exclaimed. “We won’t let you down.”

Reggie let out a bellow of excitement and grabbed Joel in a bone-crushing hug. I winced in sympathy for my sister’s stoic husband.

“Don’t worry about letting me down,” Gigi said. “You answer only to yourselves now.”

“We stand on our own, and we fall on our own,” I said, “but we’re still family and business is in your blood, Gigi. When you get bored with retirement, I’ll be happy to talk shop anytime.”

She laughed. “Oh, you know me too well. But first, I’ve got a tropical island and a drink with an umbrella waiting for me. I’ve got a lot of missed vacations to make up for.”

“You do,” I said. “Enjoy them, Gigi. You’ve earned some time off.”

“You know, I think I have,” she mused.

For the first time in years, Gigi looked relaxed and happy. Like she was looking forward to the future.

So was I. But not only because I had a business to rebuild. But because I had the perfect man to support me while I did.