I would be lying if I said my life got easier with time. The feeling of like something was missing, was starting to become bearable; I was adjusting to this constant ache. I missed her, them, every minute of everyday but I had to do this. I had to.
Working for Thomas Enterprises was surprisingly complicated. So many documents had to be read carefully and signed, business partners had to be kept happy, lawyers had to be on speed dial always, business meetings were boring and a pain in the ass, and being under the power of my father was starting to piss me off. We kept butting heads on ideas, I thought we should approach something one way, but he thought the approach should be different. We could rarely agree to disagree. Where he was still the CEO, it was his way of running things, or no way. It was a piss off and constantly had me angry.
"Hunter, can you go into Mr. Thomas' office? He would like to speak to you." My assistant said to me when I picked up the phone. Finally, I had my own assistant. I wasn't calling Penny anymore.
"I'll be there in a few minutes. You can tell him I'm looking at some paperwork right now."
"I think it's urgent, sir."
"I'll be there when I get there," I snapped. "If he doesn't like that, you can tell him to grace me with his presence in my office."
"Yes, sir." My secretary mumbled into the phone.
I hung up the phone and returned back to paperwork. What I was reading was some deal Mr. Wolf wanted to work on with us about opening a night club. I didn't like the idea of splitting the profits with someone else, especially with a company as lousy as his. My dad was all over this though, wanting to be sure to have partners in case something happened to this company. His main problem would be bankruptcy, if he kept partnering with idiots like this. I kept crossing out information. Mr. Wolf wanted to do a 60/40 ownership with us, where he owned sixty percent of the club, but wanted us to pay for most of the construction of it.
I picked up my phone and dialed the lawyer's number. "Make up a new document regarding the nightclub Mr. Wolf would like to construct. If he would like us to pay for most of the construction, I want sixty percent ownership of the club, or the deal isn't happening. I want to be making money, not losing it."
"Yes, sir." The lawyer replied.
"Send it to him, when you're done. If he doesn't like the conditions, you can tell him there is no deal then. I don't care what my father says. I don't like this deal anyways."
"Got it, Mr. Thomas."
"Thank you. At least you understand basic direction." I hung up the phone and threw this document in the garbage.
"You know, son, that lawyer could put anything on that paper. He could be throwing this company in the hole since you will not be looking over that document." I looked up from my desk, into the eyes of my father.
"I told him what I wanted on that document, if he doesn't follow basic direction, I'll deal with him."
"You shouldn't be so trusting, it'll come back and bite you in the ass."
"What does my employees hating me or being scared of me do? I'll trust them until they give me a reason not to."
"You shouldn't trust anyone in this business. People are just looking for ways to sabotage you and bankrupt the company."
"Well you shouldn't be partnered with so many people then." I stated.
"Partnering can sometimes be a good thing."
"Yeah, good for losing money."
"How do you figure?" My father asked, sitting down in front of me.
"I've been looking at some of the documents you have and the progress of some of the clubs or restaurants you have with other companies. This restaurant with North Incorporated is barely making money and you have a crappy business deal with them. This club your company partnered with isn't making money. There's many more like it. You're going to go bankrupt."
"Fix it," he stated.
"Excuse me?" I asked him.
"Fix it. Go look at the businesses, talk with the people I partnered with, and fix the problems. I don't want to be in the hole, and these places should be flourishing so go ahead and make plans to fix all these businesses."
"Are you joking? I haven't been here a month yet, and you're already trusting me with this?"
You have a knack for business, you know what you're talking about, you know what you want done and what'll work. I think you have what it takes to fix all of this."
"Even if it'll cost you a shit ton of money?"
"I know this company is still doing good financially. I'm sure it can lose a few million to fix all my other small business deals and even get me out of some deals."
"Fine. I'll get my assistant to start planning trips for me."
"Get her to send all your travel information and your plans to me so I can know you'll be at. I trust you'll make the right choices while doing this."
"This'll last the rest of the summer?" I asked him.
"Possibly longer."
"What about college?"
"You can arrange to do it online," he replied. He stated it, like it was obvious.
"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?"
"No, but this is good too. One job at a time. When you get back from travelling to fix my business deals, we'll talk."
"Okay." He stood up and started walking to the door. "Hey dad?"
He stopped and turned around to face me. "Yes," he replied.
"Thanks for trusting me."
"Don't make me regret it." He stated, walking out of my office and closing the door.
I called my assistant. "Yes, sir?" She asked me.
"I'm going to be sending you some information about some of the businesses my father has partnered with. I want meetings with the people he's partnered with and tickets to go check out the businesses. I also want to know more about said businesses. I want all this planned in a couple days. Do you understand?"
"How long do you want to be gone for?"
I pondered the question. I can do college online and nothing is tying me here, or anywhere. "As long as it'll take." I replied, hanging up the phone.