Page 5 of Protecting Love

But she wasn’t paid to feel bad for anyone. Or to have sympathy either.

This company had made some terrible choices over the years.

Spent more on personnel than they needed to when they could have consolidated positions long ago. Could have restructured departments, streamlined services, and even added more services for income without adding staff.

That was what she was paid to figure out, she and her twin, London, though this job had been more her work while London was focusing on other projects.

“Let’s go over the options one by one first. I can answer questions after each option or wait until the end.”

“Does the pain level progress with each option?” Debra asked. “In terms of cutting staff?”

Paris didn’t smile, not even a sympathetic one. She saw the worry in Debra’s eyes.

“The third option is the most drastic. The one where you rip the bandage off fast and then see quicker returns. The first, a slower model, slower returns, but could have a greater profit in the end after five years. It will depend on how fast you want to turn things around.”

“Fast,” Henry said. “Because we can’t keep bleeding money. We need to get to five years.” Henry looked around the room. “You all know that. This has to be fast or it’s not even going to make it.”

She picked up the glass of water in front of her. “Why don’t we start with the first one and then I’ll answer questions? At the end, there is a summary of each option on top of it. I know you’ve got a lot of questions and will have to take time to decide, but once I explain, I think you might feel better about where you can take your company.”

When no one spoke up after that, she got to it.

Two hours later, her throat was dry. There were arguments during each option. The five of them arguing with each other while she tried to bring order to the room.

She was never so happy to be done with a job, shook everyone’s hand and said she’d be available for follow-up questions if they needed her.

Of course Henry wanted to know the cost of that, but she’d let them know they still had five hours’ worth of time on their contract. And she was positive they were going to use it quickly.

“How did it go?” Molly asked when she opened the door to their office.

Paris held the bag of chocolate up that she’d stopped to get when she walked the five blocks back. She needed the air, the exercise, and the indulgence. “I got enough for us all.”

“Hand it over,” Molly said, her palm out. “So it was that bad?”

She loved their assistant. Molly was more organized than any drill sergeant she knew. Had a wonderful personality, was professional with the clients, and kept Paris’s plants looking more lush than she’d ever been able to manage.

“It wasn’t pleasant. I warned them months ago it was going to be painful. There was no good solution. Or no solution where everyone stayed employed, unless they didn’t want to make a drastic change.”

“If companies didn’t run their businesses to the ground, then we wouldn’t have a job,” Molly said cheerfully.

“That’s the spirit.” She put the bag on her assistant’s desk. “Take your pick. There isn’t anything in there I won’t eat. I literally was throwing fistfuls of truffles in the bag.”

“Wow, now I know it’s bad,” Molly said, reaching in and pulling out three, then tossing one back.

“Take more.”

“Oh, I’ll get more, don’t worry. This is good for now. I’m sure London will have half a dozen or more.”

Paris winced. “She still in a bad mood?”

“Spencer talked her off the cliff.”

She loved her twin’s boyfriend and was glad to know that she had some help when it came to London’s little emotional outbursts.

Which only ever happened behind closed doors now, though her sister sure did have a sharp tongue if you pissed her off. That side of London escaped when they were dismissed for their blonde fashion model looks walking into a new client.

Didn’t seem to be happening too much now. Not with their billionaire cousin’s backing.

She picked the bag up. “I’ll go find out what is going on.”