Nanny

37

Adam

"It's not just them," I insisted. "This is a problem that's going to get worse as word spreads."

We'd been arguing for the better part of an hour. Few people, whether employees of Nash Capital or clients, could argue with Braxton the way I could. He didn't tolerate it with other people. But with me, he listened.

Although in this particular case, he didn't want to.

"It's temporary," he said while pacing in front of the window. "They'll forget all about the reallocations next quarter, when the numbers are up."

"They're investing with Nash Capital because they want to see those numbers now," I replied.

He stared out the window and shook his head. "I don't care. This is the new gameplan. Ten percent of all profits are going to charitable donations of our choosing. That's the price of doing business with us. If they don't like it, they can take their money to a competitor."

I sighed. "You keep making that argument, and I keep telling you they will do that. We've lost three large-profile clients since you made the announcement. If we lose any more, the board of directors will remove you."

It was a bold accusation, and the words remove you seemed to hang in the air long after I said it. Silence took over, the kind of deafening silence that was dangerous for a man like Braxton Nash. He continued staring out the window as if he hadn't heard me. Or as if he was waiting for me to immediately take it back. I held my ground and waited for him to speak first.

"They would never remove me," he said softly. "The firm bears my name. So does this building. If they removed me, they would lose half their clients overnight."

"Maybe," I agreed. "But right now you're costing the firm business. Clients we never thought we'd lose. Hell, the Winthrop Group has been with you since the very beginning. Seeing them go was a big blow. It's shaken the board. Sure, making you step down would cause a lot of ripples. But at some point they're going to decide the math makes sense, and that they're better off without you than with you."

Braxton took a deep breath, let it out, and crossed his arms while looking out over Lower Manhattan.

"I know you're right," he finally said. "But I think we're a long way from that point."

"I hope so," I replied. "But they're becoming less and less forgiving every time there's a public spectacle. You can earn some goodwill by fighting to keep some of the clients who are threatening to leave."

He nodded at his reflection in the window. "Fine. Let's fly to Chicago and see Mary Hessleman. Tonight. A little schmoozing and I can keep her from going somewhere else."

I was happy that he was listening to me, and that he was doing something about it. But as for the timing...

"Do you think you can handle Mary Hessleman without me?" I asked.

He turned to look at me. "You have somewhere to be?"

"I... kind of have plans tomorrow morning, yes."

"Reschedule."

"It's not the kind of thing I can move," I said. "It's this weekend only. A once in a lifetime kind of thing. I was going to take Kate."

His annoyed expression immediately softened. "What kind of date occurs in the morning?"

I smiled. "The kind only she and I would enjoy."

He squinted suspiciously, then nodded. "Very well. I can handle Mary Hessleman alone. As long as you send me the prep work for the meeting."

"That won't be a problem."