Need You

Chapter 28

"Jay, I have to step out and go meet up with a client. I hope you can handle things alone."

"Of course bossman Harry." He responded enthusiastically.

"Great." I grinned as I got my things. I had gotten used to him calling me bossman after he had ignored my requests for him to stop calling me that.

With how busy the consultancy agency was getting, I had to hire someone to help out and that was Jay, a very smart, young graduate with a lot of enthusiasm, something I found very useful in the office when he started a couple of weeks ago.

In the back of a taxi, I checked the time and realized it was almost noon. My meeting was going to be with Ethel at the restaurant and so wondering if Amanda and I could have lunch together, I called her.

"Hey you." She answered sweetly.

"Hey." I couldn't stop grinning. "How are you?"

"I'm tired. There's so much work I have to get done before the end of today."

"Oh. I have a meeting with Ethel at the restaurant soon and I was wondering if you could meet me for lunch afterwards."

"Um, I don't think I can make it." That was disappointing. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine. Just don't overwork yourself. Okay?"

"I won't. I'll call you when I'm done."

"Okay." We said goodbye to each other and then ended the call.

The taxi came to a stop in front of Ethel's Diner soon after and I got out after paying the driver.

Entering and seeing how busy the restaurant was with the number of people seated, I smiled. The restaurant was obviously doing well.

"Nikki." I mentioned when I spotted her leaving a table.

"Harry!" She turned to me gladly. It had been a while since we last saw each other in person.

Hugging each other briefly, she said, "You should have told me you were coming; I would have reserved a table for you."

"It's fine. I'm actually here because I have a meeting with Ethel."

"Oh true." She chuckled. "I forgot about that."

"Maybe I'll get something to go when we're done."

"Okay then, I'll see you later."

I nodded with a smile as I watched her walk away. Since the opening of A&H I had not been at the restaurant often, mostly because of the distance in between.

Getting to Ethel's office, I was pleasantly welcomed by her.

"I've missed being here."

"And who's to blame for that?" Ethel quipped. "You completely forgot about us."

"No I didn't." I responded. "If I could, I'd be here all the time." She smiled.

The last time I talked to Ethel, she mentioned renovating the restaurant and wanted my opinion on that, considering that I was the restaurant's financial consultant.

"So," I began. "I've reviewed the restaurant's accounts, but I want to know what you plan for the renovation."

"Um... so I want to update the restaurant's style, especially the dining area. I'm thinking of changing the furniture and adding some vibrant artwork. There's also new menu we put together which we are yet to start using." She continued with her plans for creating a finer space and providing customers a memorable experience at Ethel's Diner.

I smiled as I visualised the new space, the menu, the improved service and all of the things she talked about, but we had to take into serious consideration the financial intricacies of the plan.

I asked her questions about the expected customer growth, projected revenues, and her estimated costs for the renovation.

Ethel had also done her research concerning everything and so it was an interesting conversation as she shared with me what she had found.

"The renovation is a great idea." I commented. "I think it's a great way to attract more customer. Looking at the estimated budget and the restaurant's accounts, we might have to get a loan for the renovation to happen, but I think with the expected revenue, it'll be settled quickly."

"Incredible!" Ethel grinned.

We had a few more conversations concerning the renovation as we ended, I felt a sense of fulfillment. I always wished for job which involved more personal engagements and that was exactly what I was doing.

I headed back to the office with my lunch to go. "How was the meeting bossman?" 

"It was good Jay." I briefed him on what the meeting was about as I got to my seat. "How were things while I was away?"

"Everything was great. I think you should leaving me alone often bossman, because about ten people called to schedule meetings with you."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Oh nothing bossman."

I laughed. "That's good."

I was about to unpack my lunch when someone knocked on the door. The door opened and to my surprise, Derrick walked in.

He took a quick glance of the office and turned to me, complimenting it as we happily shook hands.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm here for business."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

I called for Jay to get Derrick something from the fridge but Derrick refused it.

He went on to tell me why he was at the office. He said he was there on behalf of the venture capital firm he worked for. "The company has been following your progress since you started A&H and is impressed. We believe this agency has great potential and would like to explore the possibility of investing in it."

"That's incredible." Mostly, it was the investors being sought after, not the other way around.

"If you agree to work with us, we are not going to only make financial contributions but strategic contributions as well to help further the agency's growth." Derrick added.

With my best friend Derrick representing the company, I was already swayed towards accepting their investment and after we had discussed the details of the potential investment, I had decided to work with them. I just knew that that investment would be very beneficial to A&H Financial Consulting.