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“Good,” I said.
“I took a chance coming by tonight. I figured you’d left for Vegas tonight for Michael’s birthday weekend.”
“I leave early tomorrow morning,” I said. “You change your mind about going?”
He shook his head. “No. Lina’s too close to giving birth. She told me to go, said she would be fine because she isn’t due for another two weeks, but I won’t risk it.”
“Understandable,” I said.
We sat in silence for a moment or two. I had known Aiden for years. We’d met at university and graduated the same year. When Aiden decided to start his own business, I was just starting mine, and he’d been my first client. I’d been his CFO for a year, hired a finance team, implemented the policies and practices to keep the finance department running smoothly, and helped him hire a permanent CFO. In return, he’d repeatedly recommended me to his clients needing help with their company’s finance department. We didn’t see as much of each other as we used to before Aiden married Lina, but that wasn’t completely unexpected. Our university friend group had solidly divided into two groups, single and not single, and the only time we all got together anymore was for special events like Michael’s Vegas birthday weekend.
“So, what’s up?” I finally asked.
Aiden grinned at me. “Can’t I just visit a friend unexpectedly on a Friday night?”
I laughed. “Sure, but that’s not your style. I know you need something from me. Tell me what it is.”
A flicker of rare trepidation crossed his face. “You’re right. I do need your help. I should have called you first, but I dropped by instead because, honestly, I’m in a real fucking bind, and I figured you’d have a harder time saying no if I was in your face and potentially crying.”
I laughed hard, and Aiden grinned at me. “You laugh, but I’m not afraid to cry if it means you’ll help me.”
“Christ,” I said, “you must be desperate.”
“I am,” he said. The smile dropped from his face. “You heard I hired Victor Rainer as my new CFO when Jamie Parker left?”
“I did,” I said. “The guy’s brilliant.”
“He is. He’s also arrogant, opinionated, not a team player, and I found out earlier today, abusive to his admin staff.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “You’re fucking kidding me.”
“I’m not. Lina was at the office today and stopped by to say hi to Victor’s PA, Riley. Victor called Riley into his office and started screaming at her. Lina immediately texted me, and when I got to his office, Victor had the poor woman backed up against the wall and was screaming in her face. Riley was terrified and close to crying.”
“What the fuck,” I said.
“It was a fucking shitshow,” Aiden said. “I don’t know Riley well, but Lina and Parker have said she’s sensitive. Parker always got along well with her and had nothing but good things to say about her. He said she was the best assistant he’d ever had. I assumed there wouldn’t be any issue with Victor, but apparently, he’s been abusive the entire time.”
“Jesus, that’s rough,” I said.
“Riley wouldn’t tell me shit other than Victor was difficult to work with, but Farah told me later that day that she’d heard Victor screaming at her more than once. Our Controller, Richard, also had a few horror stories about witnessing Victor’s treatment of Riley.”
“So, you fired him?” I asked.
“On the fucking spot. That arrogant bastard had the gall to be surprised. He’d fired Riley a few seconds before I got there, and he honestly thought I would take his side. I watched that cocksucker screaming in her face and accusing her of fucking Parker to keep her job, and he believed I’d think that was perfectly acceptable.”
Aiden raked a hand through his hair. “I’m still pissed, to be honest, and worried that Riley will quit despite me firing Victor. Lina doesn’t think she will, but I don’t know. She’s very… timid.”
“Sorry, man,” I said. “It really does sound like a shitshow.”
“Yeah,” Aiden said. “Our year end is in a month.”
“Shit,” I said.
“Double shit,” Aiden said. “I talked to our Controller, and while he’s good and competent, he’s also young. I didn’t promote Richard as CFO when Parker left because, by his admission, he doesn’t have enough experience yet. I told him why I fired Victor, and while he understands, he’s also freaking the fuck out and, honestly, so am I.”
He took a few swallows of coffee like he was fortifying himself and said, “I know this is a long shot, and you’re probably already working with a client, but is there any chance at all that you can step in to finish the year end and help me hire a new CFO?”
I grinned. “It’s your lucky day, Aiden. I’m in between clients and will be until late next month.”
