Page 7
“Ah, yes, I remember now. That’s exciting. So, you’ve been working on his business?”
“During every spare moment,” I lie, finally acknowledging to myself that Nico and Alexander may have been right. Because I helped Nico with the gym months ago, when he first stepped on as a partner. He hasn’t needed any help since then.
Which means I have nothing else going on in my life besides work.
“So, what’s going on with you?” I hurry to deflect. I’ll do my soul-searching later. “How’s life without teaching? How’s Judy?”
Randall smiles at the mention of his wife. “She’s good. Set to retire herself, actually. She’s finally ready to relax.”
“That’s great news,” I tell him. I mean it, even though I can’t fathom a life without working. “What’s the plan for retirement then?”
It’s at this point that I pick up on a change in Randall. Suddenly, he seems…tired.
“You remember the real estate business I started a decade ago, right?” he asks.
I nod. “You wanted to have something besides teaching.”
“Right. And don’t get me wrong, it became everything I wanted it to be. But a part of me thought I could stick with it even after I retired from teaching. That I could keep it afloat and still live like a retiree.”
“Is it not working out that way?”
Randall simply sighs in answer. “I’m getting old, Lucas.”
I quirk an eyebrow. “You just barely hit sixty, Randall.”
“I’m old, Lucas,” he repeats. “I don’t have the energy I once had. Some days are absolutely exhausting, even more so than teaching. And I have no one to help me because I’m the CEO of a small business.” He slumps back in his chair. “I’m ready to retire. I’m over the work and the constant stress. I want to be sipping pina coladas in Florida with Judy at a retirement home where I can people watch and talk shit. I’m ready to be done.”
That sounds reasonable. “So…what, you need help selling the company?”
“Actually, I was already approached by a buyer. I have no idea how he knew I was thinking about selling, but this company popped up that’s showing interest in acquiring us.”
Ah. So that’s where I come in. God knows I do enough mergers and acquisitions for my current firm; helping Randall out shouldn’t be too hard. It’s a different type of company—and client—and the stakes are much smaller, but I’m flattered he came to me with this.
“You want me to check them out?” I ask.
He nods. “If you have the time. You’re the only one I trust for the due diligence.”
“Of course. I’ll put the usual guys on it. They—”
Randall stops me with a hand on my arm.
“No, you don’t understand,” he says evenly. “I need your best on this.”
My eyebrow lifts in question. Am I missing—?
He draws his hand back with a tired exhale. “I like the company. And you know I already did my own digging. But…I don’t know. Something feels off. It’s almost too good of a deal.”
That makes me frown. Randall’s one of the smartest men I know, so if he thinks something is wrong, something is most likely wrong.
“What do you think it is? Money? Company culture? An employee?”
He rubs his temples, his exhaustion finally showing through. “I have no idea. I’ve checked their finances, met the entire executive team, talked to their customers, and nothing is raising any red flags.”
“Maybe there isn’t one,” I suggest with a shrug.
“Yeah, maybe,” he concedes, staring out across the restaurant. “Hopefully, it’s just my old-age paranoia. Because I would really like to step down from this company while I still have some energy.”
I roll my eyes before popping the last piece of bread in my mouth. “Acting like you’re old doesn’t suit you, Randall. Besides, what would you do in retirement? Play golf?”
