Colby sat at the long table in the conference room. He hadn't been back in an office setting yet so being in this giant building, at a conference table, in a suit was both overwhelming and comforting at the same time.
He watched employees slowly trickle into the room, look at him confused and then turn their attention to the paperwork in their hands.
None of these employees knew who he was; Rebecca didn't keep photos of the family around the office on display except in her own office. You were not let into that office unless you were extremely close to the company's CEO.
He looked around at the employees as they quickly flipped through their papers, going over their presentations.
Today's meeting was to determine the next adventure in Lopez Enterprises.
They sat there for an hour, listening to each employee's presentation. Colby looked over at his wife a few times to see her focused on each one, and it made him proud to see her in this role. He knew the company was safe in her hands.
"That's it?" Rebecca questioned as she stood up from the table and the lights flipped back on. "We have three ideas for a shopping center, a coffee shop, and two more for another store?" She asked
"It would bring in a lot of income for the city and the company" Colby looked across the table at the man speaking.
"Bryce," Rebecca shook her head, "We have had how many of these meetings in the last two years?" She questioned
"A lot" Bryce nodded.
"And how many times have I talked about how much money WE would make in these meetings?"
"You have to make a profit. You have to build smaller companies to increase an income," he argued.
Colby looked to his wife, and he saw her shake her head silently.
"This company is my children's legacy. This is their future. I want to make sure this company is around for a long time for my children and my children's children. How am I supposed to do that with a coffee shop that would go out of business after the newness goes away? How am I supposed to do that with a shopping center when dozens of those around the city? I need something to help our future generation, encourage them to stay out of the crime running rampant around this city."
"A Youth center," Colby spoke up, and Rebecca looked over at him and the rest of the employees.
"Colby," Rebecca looked at her husband.
"A youth center. I know Lopez Enterprises tried to do that in Iowa years ago" his eyes met hers. "Yeah, and a bomb blew it to pieces," Bryce spoke up.
"You can create a youth center for kids to go to after school, have people there that can help with homework, and any extra help kids may need, it can be helpful to the parents that have to work and need someone to watch their children, only charge a small one-time fee for the year, so it doesn't break their budget."
"Yeah?" Bryce questioned, "How exactly are you supposed to do the upkeep with only charging once a year?"
"Bryce, how many investors does this company have?" Colby asked, and Rebecca looked between the two men
"150," Bryce stated with a nod.
"Do you honestly believe out of 150 investors, not one of them would support the cause of keeping the children off the streets and out of crime?"
"You know what" Bryce looked to Rebecca. "Speaking of crime, you wanna call that husband of yours in prison and see if he wants to come to talk to the kids about not murdering their siblings?"
"Bryce," Rebecca shook her head, "Out. Now"
"Out? Am I not allowed to state a suggestion? It's a good suggestion."
"You have ten minutes to get your things from your desk and get out of this building. Security will follow you out," she said
"You can't fire me" Bryce stood up from the chair and stepped toward Rebecca.
Rebecca saw her husband stand up from his chair before she pushed him back down with her hand.
"What is the name of this company?" Rebecca questioned
"Lopez enterprises," Bryce stated, and Rebecca nodded
"And what is my last name?" She took a step closer to him
"Lopez," he said, and she nodded once more
"I think that means I can fire you" she stepped toward him. "Get out," she said calmly as she watched her two security step behind Bryce.
As the man gathered his things quickly from the table, the security watched him intensely to ensure he didn't do anything out of hand.
"Bryce," Rebecca said as he walked towards the door, and he turned to look at her as she stood behind Colby's chair. "Say hello to my husband," she said with a smirk, and her husband waved his hand.
"Good luck with your future endeavors," he said with a smug smirk
The employees quickly filed out of the conference room after Bryce had left, leaving the husband and wife alone.
"Ya know," Colby spoke as he grabbed his wife's attention, "Watching you fire somebody," he shook his head. "It was hot," he said with a nod, and she smiled.
"Was it?" She asked as she sat on his lap. "You might have to start attending more of these meetings" her lips met his neck.
"We are in a conference room, in the office," he said as her hand made quick work of the buttons on his shirt.
"In the building that I own," she whispered.
