frowned. "I just agreed with the Molloys'
suggestion that we meet with their accountant after we visit their offices
tomorrow."
"Yes, certainly." He
jerked his gaze away from her lips. "We can do that."
"You told me we were returning to New York at 3 in the
afternoon. We'd have to change those plans to accommodate the accountant."
Amanda still had a squiggle of concern between her eyebrows.
"I'll check with Jack," Logan said. "Let's
assume it's something we can do."
Amanda nodded while Bill Molloy typed in some notes on his
Blackberry. Then Molloy looked up and met Logan's gaze with a hard stare.
"After seeing our operations," Molloy said, "I'm sure you'll
agree that the price you're offering for the company is ridiculously low."
Logan's mind was jerked back to business. "It's a fair
price."
"No, it's not. You're taking advantage of the fact that
we have to sell in a bad market due to my wife's condition."
"A bad economy reduces the value of all assets,"
Logan replied evenly. "That's not my fault. I can't and won't pay more
than the company is worth to me." He leaned back in his chair. "You
are always free to reject my offer."
"You bastard. You know we
can't find another buyer."
Logan pressed his lips together to force back the words he
wanted to say. No buyer ever thought a purchase price was high enough. Despite
Mrs. Molloy's illness, Winter Enterprises was not a charity. Logan had to price
every deal with the expectation of making a profit. Even then, some deals never
made money, and he simply had to swallow the loss. But he couldn't go in
planning to lose money.
He thought this company might be perfect for Amanda and,
when his relationship with her ended, it would be an easy move to transfer her
from his main company to Daily Eats.
"We haven't finalized any terms yet," he said to
Molloy.
Molloy pointed a finger at him. "You cheat me, and
there will be hell to pay."
He grabbed the handles of Mrs. Molloy's chair and wheeled
her out of the room.
Logan called room service to remove dinner. Then he returned
to the dining table and sat down. "What's your opinion of the deal?"
"Naturally, they've overpriced the company."
Amanda glanced down at some notes she'd made on a paper pad. "There are
also red flags other than the price."
"Such as?"
"They only want to sell a minority stake. You don't do
minority stakes."
He raised his brows. She'd done some homework.
"They would be undercapitalized, even with the stake
they're putting up for sale."
Logan nodded. "I figure they need twice
as much money as they think, minimum."
"Right. If they don't spend
more on marketing, it doesn't matter how good their product is."
He liked the way her mind worked. "What other concerns
do you have?"
"Mr. Molloy seems quite hostile. Although his desire to
remain Chief Executive Officer is reasonable on the surface, I wonder if his
presence would doom the deal if he can't reconcile himself to the terms."
"For all the reasons you've outlined, the deal will
only work if I invest more money, buy a majority stake, and force Molloy
out."
"I don't think he'd go quietly."
"Money always talks."
"I wouldn't want the job at the expense of someone
else."
"That's your choice, of course. But if I were to make
this investment, I would need someone loyal to me to run the business. If
you're not interested, I won't do the deal."
She sighed. "I didn't say I'm not interested. But
why do I get the feeling that you're already planning my departure? How many
other exes do you have running subsidiaries of your company?"
He had to press back a smile. "I have several protégés
running small companies I've acquired." He met her gaze. "None of
them could be considered exes."
"Fine." Her tone said it
was anything but. "I'd like to take a closer look at the business before
making any decision."
"I agree. That's why I planned the visit tomorrow to
their offices. Though the Molloys work at home, their employees are based in a
small building
suggestion that we meet with their accountant after we visit their offices
tomorrow."
"Yes, certainly." He
jerked his gaze away from her lips. "We can do that."
"You told me we were returning to New York at 3 in the
afternoon. We'd have to change those plans to accommodate the accountant."
Amanda still had a squiggle of concern between her eyebrows.
"I'll check with Jack," Logan said. "Let's
assume it's something we can do."
Amanda nodded while Bill Molloy typed in some notes on his
Blackberry. Then Molloy looked up and met Logan's gaze with a hard stare.
"After seeing our operations," Molloy said, "I'm sure you'll
agree that the price you're offering for the company is ridiculously low."
Logan's mind was jerked back to business. "It's a fair
price."
"No, it's not. You're taking advantage of the fact that
we have to sell in a bad market due to my wife's condition."
"A bad economy reduces the value of all assets,"
Logan replied evenly. "That's not my fault. I can't and won't pay more
than the company is worth to me." He leaned back in his chair. "You
are always free to reject my offer."
"You bastard. You know we
can't find another buyer."
Logan pressed his lips together to force back the words he
wanted to say. No buyer ever thought a purchase price was high enough. Despite
Mrs. Molloy's illness, Winter Enterprises was not a charity. Logan had to price
every deal with the expectation of making a profit. Even then, some deals never
made money, and he simply had to swallow the loss. But he couldn't go in
planning to lose money.
He thought this company might be perfect for Amanda and,
when his relationship with her ended, it would be an easy move to transfer her
from his main company to Daily Eats.
"We haven't finalized any terms yet," he said to
Molloy.
Molloy pointed a finger at him. "You cheat me, and
there will be hell to pay."
He grabbed the handles of Mrs. Molloy's chair and wheeled
her out of the room.
Logan called room service to remove dinner. Then he returned
to the dining table and sat down. "What's your opinion of the deal?"
"Naturally, they've overpriced the company."
Amanda glanced down at some notes she'd made on a paper pad. "There are
also red flags other than the price."
"Such as?"
"They only want to sell a minority stake. You don't do
minority stakes."
He raised his brows. She'd done some homework.
"They would be undercapitalized, even with the stake
they're putting up for sale."
Logan nodded. "I figure they need twice
as much money as they think, minimum."
"Right. If they don't spend
more on marketing, it doesn't matter how good their product is."
He liked the way her mind worked. "What other concerns
do you have?"
"Mr. Molloy seems quite hostile. Although his desire to
remain Chief Executive Officer is reasonable on the surface, I wonder if his
presence would doom the deal if he can't reconcile himself to the terms."
"For all the reasons you've outlined, the deal will
only work if I invest more money, buy a majority stake, and force Molloy
out."
"I don't think he'd go quietly."
"Money always talks."
"I wouldn't want the job at the expense of someone
else."
"That's your choice, of course. But if I were to make
this investment, I would need someone loyal to me to run the business. If
you're not interested, I won't do the deal."
She sighed. "I didn't say I'm not interested. But
why do I get the feeling that you're already planning my departure? How many
other exes do you have running subsidiaries of your company?"
He had to press back a smile. "I have several protégés
running small companies I've acquired." He met her gaze. "None of
them could be considered exes."
"Fine." Her tone said it
was anything but. "I'd like to take a closer look at the business before
making any decision."
"I agree. That's why I planned the visit tomorrow to
their offices. Though the Molloys work at home, their employees are based in a
small building
Similar Books
