Chapter 30

The Man With The Plan

I woke up in the same mood I went to sleep in. I wanted to drink yesterday night, but I stayed sober and just laid there for hours just thinking about my board meeting today. I met with Finance and my personal advisor’s several times considering a nearby hotel in financial ruin called Major Hotel. The name seemed a little cliché, but they had sold several shares to stay afloat… and their patronage and up keep of their hotel was severely lacking. The owners were possibly running out of options and I knew I could go about this in a friendly manner and offer to buy them out, or approach their shareholders and go for a hostile takeover with other shareholders approval.

After my 9am meeting with finance, Beth got up from her seat and skipped over to me as I got up from my chair.
“OOOer guess what I found out?” she said cheekily.
“What’s that love?” I said snapping some papers on the table.

“Well I found out that the hotel managers to your Major Hotel are attending a Charity Ball in London tomorrow night…”
“That’s great. Which ones, everyone’s got their finger in that hotel at the moment trying to keep it afloat…” I said walking over and putting some files into my cabinet.
“Well I think the heiress. Miss Major…”
“Well if she’s unmarried, this might be easier than I thought,” I smirked.
“Oh no you don’t. You got to quit this mixing business with pleasure thing. It doesn’t work out Sean and you know it. Smarten your shit up, shave that 3 month old stubble off your face and get a bloody haircut you goon. Be the man today and make those tossers think higher of you. Because I believe in you…”Beth said firmly.
“You have to say that because you’re my assistant,” I said smiling.
“No, I say it because I’m your friend.”
“Thanks darling…” I said smoothing over my hair wondering if I was due for a more serious cut.

I had grown it out over the last 3 months and the up keep was actually getting a little full on. “Make me a hair appointment before the board meeting today Beth…” Beth scrunched up her nose and smiled knowing I took her advice.
“Right away…” I left the room and went back up to my suite thinking more and more about my ideas. I had to pitch this room strong and confident after I was beat down yesterday by the will reading.

A few hours later I returned to the Hyatt, my hair cleanly cut and feeling a little more proper. I had gone into these board meetings late every Monday with my long hair feeling confident, but unamused. Today I actually felt the complete opposite. I was worried about this power David had. After all he had run the London Hyatt for many years while my dad looked after the ones in Europe and Australia. He could easily slot into my seat at any time and get the rest of the board to boot me out the director’s seat. This pitch to take over Major hotels was my last chance to use the power I had to win the minds of other board members and show them I had the balls to do the job.
“Hey you!” I heard Beth call out in the lobby. “You look very handsome sir if I don’t say so myself…” I smiled at her feeling a little different.

“I’m going to head to the board room an hour earlier. Please make sure that Miss Josie Messina got the message about the board meeting being cancelled.”
“Oh my god, YOU an hour an early. I never thought I’d see the day.” Beth said shocked. I opened the door for Beth and took my seat at the other end of the room. Beth made me a tea without asking because I must have oozed nervousness. And she knew it.
“Hey Beth… wanna come to the ball with me tomorrow night as my plus one?”
“I haven’t even called them to book you a table. But I can book you a table with a plus one if you like?” she said.

“How much a head is it?” I asked her.
“I will find out and get you to write me a cheque, and I can drop it off for you. But maybe you would like to take this opportunity to take your mother out. You avoid seeing her a lot Sean. I thought you wanted to be there for her? She’s suffering the same way you are.”
“I know. But when I’m with her… she talks about him constantly and the grief just suffocates me. I can barely deal with what’s on my plate now love,” I said rubbing my hair over feeling frustrated.
“Okay okay. I understand. But she’s got no one now Sean. And no one who will understand your dad like you … just remember that.” I nodded and sighed out knowing she was right.
“Will you still come with me?” I asked after a minute of silence.
“Take your mother!” she insisted.
“I cannot take my mother and charm a pretty little thing into the taxi with me at the end of the night…”
“Ugh your bloody hopeless…” she said rolling her eyes.

“How about I come and keep you out of the knickers of all the pretty girls….”
“Is that a yes?” I asked. She shook her head at me first before sighing.
“Yes, I’ll make the dam reservation…”

She was often annoyed with me, but always put up with it. She was a gem really.