Chapter 74: The Consonant Professional
Kennison Unlimited Towers, Financial District, Baltiney, New York...
The blue eyes of Dean Hudson had been fixated upon the massive steel tower in the center of the financial district of Baltiney, New York which had the words Kennison written in fancy lettering on the side of the building. He had been impressed that Ken was the founder of Kennison Unlimited, Co-founding the rather extensive and lucrative Fortune Five Hundred company with his father Coleman Kennsion from the ground up. He'd been strangely silent as he pulled into his usual spot, his mind hyper-focused on the task at hand as he parked and turned to have a look at Dean Hudson.
While Dean had known Ken had deep pockets as far as his money had been concerned he had no idea that he'd been this successful when it came to his business dealings.
"This is my company, the one I want back in," Ken explained to a bewildered-looking Dean. "The only way to do that is to keep things professional and survive the dinner my mother has planned, now I don't know exactly what Pop is up to and I bet he wants to feel you out beforehand but don't you go volunteering any information about either one of us or why you're with me....if he asks you're an intern I sent for from...what's that place you say you're from again..."
"Kansas..." replied Dean rather quietly.
"Kansas, right...if neither one of us screws this up I'll be back in my office full-time by this time tomorrow and you'll have that job I promised you," said Ken evenly. "Just gotta get through today and we can both get back to our lives."
Dean nodded liking the sound of that. Although he'd been nervous, he resisted the urge to reach for Ken's hand which had been quite close to him.
"If anyone asks you're my new personal assistant." Ken reminded the lad who nodded once more as a show of understanding.
The older man met Dean's rather sorrowful and curious blue eyes for the first time since they had awoken that morning.
"Look I know I've been stressed if you wanna call it that, but this means a lot to me kid, and if we get through this I promise I'll make it up to you," he said before clicking out of his seatbelt and opening his car door. "We just gotta get through this."
Dean sighed collecting himself despite his disappointment that Ken remained distant from him but the promise to get things back to the way they were once this ordeal had concluded was all he needed.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and slowly got out of the passenger seat of Ken's sports car.
They moved out of the parking garage and toward the elevators where Ken pressed in the code and floor before stepping inside and motioning for Dean to do the same.
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The Main Lobby, Kennison Unlimited Towers, Financial District, Baltiney, New York...
The moment Ken and Dean reached the lobby of the building and proceeded toward the main elevator, the receptionist had taken notice of them with a rather curious expression as she looked over Dean for a few seconds then shifted her rather scrutinous gaze toward her boss. She had specific orders from Coleman Kennison to let him know the moment his eldest son Ryker had been in the building. As she looked upon the rather neat-looking man, she seemed to have been taken aback by how he'd been more like the founder of the place than he had been in recent years since his car accident.
"Mr. Kennison, it's good to see you sir." said the receptionist. "And you too young man."
Ken nodded politely in her direction and headed for the elevator with Dean scrambling behind him still quite nervous about the events that had been yet to transpire. Already he longed to be back within the confines of Ken's estate with the older man off his meds the both of them out of the view of the prying public.
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Main Floor, Kennison Unlimited Towers, Financial District, Baltiney, New York...
Ken and Dean stepped off the elevator and found themselves greeted by none other than Coleman Kennison himself accompanied by his younger sons Jeff Kennison and Bobby Kennison. Bobby had been the youngest being barely a few years above Dean when it came to his age and looked much more like Ken than Jeff had despite them being brothers, it had been Bobby that Ken greeted warmly as the younger Kennison rushed toward his younger brother and hugged him despite Ken's annoyance at having his suit wrinkled.
"It's good to see you, Sir," said Bobby looking upon Ken with a good deal of admiration. "Pop says you were out for a while."
"I was for a while yes, but now I'm back," replied Ken looking at his father Coleman and then at Jeff who'd been watching him.
Coleman had been studying him, Ken had expected as much but carried on as if he had not been privy to it. Bobby had been delighted to see him, the handsome young lad with messy wild locks draping down his shoulders. He had the height of all the younger Kennison men with Coleman being average in terms of his height.
"So you're up and about now huh?" asked Jeff, the second-born son who had been the product of his father's infidelity.
"Looks that way," replied Ken through gritted teeth.
He made it a point to glare at Jeff which made Coleman uneasy. Ryker had well-known animosity toward his younger sibling due to the affair and as a result, despised Jeff wholeheartedly. Ken seemed to have tolerated him in recent years but the way he'd been acting as of late began to make the older man believe that Ryker's influence might have returned in his elder son which would no doubt make his mother happy.
Dean noted Ken's demeanor when it came to Jeff as opposed to when he'd hugged Bobby. He was an only child and didn't understand the inner networking of siblings but he did guess that Bobby was Ken's favorite brother and Jeff was not.
Ken shook his father's hand in greeting once Jeff had been cleared, while the elder Kennison continued studying his eldest son before turning his attention toward a rather silent and well-dressed Dean Hudson.
"And who might this be?" asked Coleman eyeing a rather nervous Dean.
"Deacon Hudson, my new personal assistant, likes to be called Dean," replied Ken evenly. All eyes fell upon the younger, well-dressed man, and whatever the mix of opinions had been, no one said a word to give them away. "He came highly recommended so I sent for him from some backwater Kansas town."
Dean had been relieved that Ken was doing a good deal of the talking. It had been odd enough pretending that he'd been even remotely qualified for a position at such a prestigious company.
"Kind of young ain't he?" asked Jeff eyeing Dean for a few moments.
"Kind of the point to train them young don't you think?" replied Ken not at all liking the way Jeff had been studying Dean. "Anyway, what was so urgent you needed me to come down here?"
Coleman smiled and turned his attention back to business despite taking note of Dean Hudson, the friend his son had told him about.
"There's a new contract that needs to be negotiated, and well they appear to be immune to most aspects of negotiation whenever I or your brother attempt, they request to do business with you and you alone," admitted Coleman much to Jeff's charging.
Ken smirked knowing full well that Jeff wasn't even as remotely savvy in business as he'd been accident or no accident.
Bobby smirked as well knowing how much the conversation pleased his elder brother and how much it stung for Jeff. He had been a fan of both his older brothers but there was always something amusing about their sibling rivalry provided it didn't come to blows.
Dean had not known what to make of Ken's family, for the most part, they'd been an impressive bunch, all dressed impeccably in suits and having rather intriguing conversations about business as if it had been natural to speak in such a fashion. They seemed delighted to be around Ken who didn't seem all that interested in them outside of familiar connection. It seemed that the pills did have something of an effect on Ken, his emotional state being more or less devoid of much expression. It had been the perfect thing when it came to business but not personal affairs.
The Kennison men all ventured toward an elevator on the opposite end of the main floor. Dean followed after Ken unsure of his surroundings as the implication of being around so many people once more set in. Ken glanced at him taking note of his trembling.
"Listen, I gotta swing by my office and prepare something, you guys go on and gather as much information as you can about the deal coming up and I'll see to it as soon as possible," said Ken before stepping into the elevator that led to his office. Dean silently followed and stood in the back grateful to be away from the numerous groups of strangers.
Once inside, Ken turned and placed a hand on Dean's shoulder easing his trembling despite the lack of affection on the man's part he understood the lad had been uneasy.
"Just relax, my office is on the way, you can hang out there while I see to this deal and then we'll go get something to eat," said Ken evenly.
Dean nodded attempting to compose himself. The last thing he needed was to embarrass Ken in front of his family, especially when he just met some of them. Ken didn't seem to mind that they were already heading to his office, a part of him was glad as well to have the pressure of being watched and studied off him.
"You're doing good kid," Ken said reassuring Dean once more before the elevator came to the ideal floor.
They stepped off and slowly made their way into Ken's office while Dean composed himself but the well-dressed lad remained nervous about who they'd meet next.