Acquisition of Love - A Bates Love Story - Book 1

Chapter 5

Carrie had spent most of the drive to the office listing reasons why she could not get a crush on the hot gardener who was apparently occupying a lot of her thoughts. She had eventually decided that yes Sam was attractive. Very attractive and totally her type but that nothing was ever going to happen. So she could appreciate a beautiful woman from a far. Yes, it had been a while since she dated or felt even a hint of attraction to some one else but this was not the time or way to get involved with someone. The build would be finished in under three weeks and then this little distraction would be gone. Until then she could enjoy the distraction from a far and then push it to one side when the build was done. Easy she thought.

"We're here Ms Bates" the voice, Parker's, broke Carrie from her thoughts. Her private car was parked outside the Bates Group building.
"Thank you Parker" she said as she exited the Saloon and headed into the building and up to the 32nd floor and her office.  This morning was an important one. It marked the end of second week of major talks with Hoffman Inc. a German media company that were looking to merge with. This was a great opportunity for the Bates Group as they would be able to move there influence outside of the USA and into Europe for the first time opening up all sorts of business opportunities. Her only concern was her father. Clarke Bates, who had inherited the business from his father and grown it exponentially was a little distracted of late. He was know as a great in the work of media and marketing. However, over the last two weeks in these meetings his fight just hadn't been there. Carrie and her older brother James who was the Vice President of Bates Group had stepped in but Carrie was worries that if her Dad didn't get his act together then this merger might not turn out to be the best thing for the Bates Group or worse could fall apart all together.

As she headed up to the boardroom for another day of talks she was ready to fight for the company she had spent her life helping to build. As she walked across the hall she noticed James standing outside the door, a perplexed look on his face.
"You OK?" She asked him
"We've been kicked out of the meetings"
"What!" Said Carrie. A little too loud "What do you mean?"
James turned to her
"Dad wanted to meet with Hoffman alone for a bit. Told me to come back in an hour and we would resume talks. Might be something to do with your little performance yesterday?" James asked giving Carrie a disappointed big brother look.

At the end of yesterday meetings Hoffman's executives had been unwilling to budge of some long standing contract agreements for Bates employees.
"I understand your policies are different but this is the US, we are the Bates Group and these parts of the agreements are what make our employees stay and are dedicated to their job" Carrie noticed she was standing now and her voice was raised but she didn't care. She would fight for this company even if here father wouldn't.
"Thank you Carrie" her father said "Maybe we should move onto something else. We can come back to this another time"
"We could, but that wont change the facts or our position on this" Carrie said. She knew her tone was angry
"We are not talking anything of the table" her father said calmly but his look told her that he wasn't happy with her outburst " let's take a break for 10 minutes." He said and stood up.

As the group broke apart for coffee Carrie watched as her father walked towards her and gestures for her to meet him by the window.
"Tone it down Carrie" he said. His tone clear that this was an order not a polite request she could ignore.
"But Dad they are walking all over us"
"Carrie if you cannot get a hold of yourself you need to leave. There are more important things."
Carrie was shocked to hear these words come from her father's mouth. All her life all she had know was this business. How great and important it was. How she must work hard and become a part of it. To hear him devalue everything they had all given there live for was frustrating to say the least.
"But Dad.."
"No" he said firmly raising his hands. He turned and looked out at the skyline. A far away look in his eye. "Some battles we can win Carrie and others we have to let slide to win the war. We need to get hold on the bigger picture here"
"The bigger picture?" Carrie asked. Desperation in her voice. What could be bigger than this merger Dad? I don't understand"
He turned to her and took her hand in his.
"Drop this one for today Carrie. We can pick it up again. Trust me on this" his voice was calmer now. More pensive.
"Ok Dad" Carrie conceded.
"Thank you" he said. He patted her hand and then let it drop and returned to his seat leaving Carrie by the window , confused and a little taken a back. What was going on with him lately she thought.

Carrie had regretted the outburst yesterday but today was ready to fight all be it professionally for her families business.
"What do we do now?" Carrie asked James
"I guess we just go back to our office and wait to be called back"
Carries sighed. She didn't want to go back to her office. She knew she had nothing on her schedule except for these meetings and spare time meant time to think and she knew there was only one place her mind was likely to wander now. Hey, why not she thought no harm in a little light daydream, right? It wasn't like she would be able to stop it.