I wasn’t going to sit there and let him insult me. “Actually, yes, it does, but just like then, you would be wrong. I am confident in what I do because I’m good at it. You might not understand my designs, but they work. The success of those designs is all the evidence I need. I don’t have to try and convince you of that. Do some research and you will find out for yourself. My latest project is worth getting out there.”
“Then why did you drop the ball?” he asked.
“I didn’t—”
“You did.”
I took a deep breath, trying to remind myself I was doing this for Charlie. If it wasn’t for him, I would not be taking the man’s shit. I had to swallow my pride. “You know why.”
He studied me. “And now you are ready to pick up where you left off?”
“I don’t think that is possible. I just need a starting off point. Evie told me you are friends with a local shipping company owner.”
“I am.”
He was going to make me say it. He was going to make me beg. I shouldn’t be surprised. He loved power. He loved making people bend to his will. “Would you be willing to set up an introduction?” I asked, the words bitter on my tongue.
“I’m not sure,” he answered. Yep, he was going to relish the power. He was going to lord it over me and make me beg. I was going to need a shower and a stiff drink once I was done. I felt dirty.
“You aren’t sure,” I said with a shake of my head. “Of course, you aren’t. What do you want to feel sure?”
“I want to know what your big idea is.”
“So, you can shoot it down again? Because you don’t trust me and my science?”
He shrugged. “I don’t.”
I didn’t care what his opinion was. I knew better than him, whether he thought I did or not. I was the guy that had changed the shipping industry. I was the guy that the ship owners trusted. At least, I used to be that guy. One failed meeting did not mean I didn’t know my shit.
“It’s a way to keep rudders from being damaged. With my new design, rudders will last longer. It’s all very technical, and I can send you the plans if you think it would help you better understand, but in a nutshell, it’s good. It’s really good. This is just the beginning. With existing ships being retrofitted with the design, ship owners will save thousands on repair costs. Shipping lines are going to be running smoother with ships staying on the water where they belong. Lower operating costs mean better prices for everyone. It’s a good plan. It’s a great plan and I know it will work.”
“You sound very—”
“Confident?”
“Yes.”
“I am. I know it will work.”
“If your plan can do all that, why would you not want to present it to a wider audience? My friend only has a few ships. There are a lot of other companies out there that would be better candidates.”
I cleared my throat. “Yes, probably, but it only takes one company to test the idea.”
“Are you suggesting you would be giving away your design?”
“I’m offering the design. Your friend would need to pay my friend’s company to complete the work. They are the best in the area and their reputation is spotless. Charlie would give him a fair price on the parts and labor.”
He leaned back in his chair. “You can’t sell it because you fucked up.”
“I can sell it. I’m not interested in going through the necessary steps to get to that point.”
“You don’t want to grovel at the feet of the men you snubbed,” he replied.
I threw my hands up in the air. I was done. I had tried. I would find another way. Groveling at the feet of ten men would be better than kissing this man’s ass. “You’re right. I don’t. Thanks for your time.”
I got to my feet, fully prepared to make a dramatic exit when he stopped me. “Sit down and let’s talk about this like men.”
“Are you suggesting I haven’t been?”
“No. Sit. Please.”
Since he added the please, I sat back down. “What is it? What exactly do you want me to say or do to convince you to put me in contact with your friend?”
“I don’t need any more convincing. I understand you went through a difficult time but not showing up for that meeting was unprofessional. With one act, you degraded the reputation you have worked to build. You wouldn’t need to give away something you should be charging for if you would have taken five minutes to reschedule the meeting. No one is so heartless they wouldn’t have understood. I am willing to bet any of the people that attended that meeting would have been willing to reschedule. Have you personally reached out to any of them to apologize or explain?”
I slowly shook my head. “No, I have not.”
“You need to do that. I don’t care if you plan on walking away from your business, but as a man, you own up to what you did.”
I felt like I was being grilled by my father, except my father would have a lot more colorful words and insults added in. “I will. You are absolutely right. It was not my finest moment.”
“We all have those moments in our lives. The key is to own them and learn from them.”
Now things were just getting a little weird. He was almost being nice. I wasn’t sure what to think about that. “I will do that.”
“All right, now let’s talk about what you have, and I will see what I can do to get Jonathan in the room. He’s not a wealthy man, and I’m not sure how much he can afford, but I’m sure we can work something out.”
“I would really appreciate that. This is important to a lot of guys depending on the work this will bring. I’m hoping Jonathan will be the free advertisement we need. I won’t have much to do with any of the process after this, but I need to make sure it gets off to a good start. I am confident in Charlie’s ability to follow my instructions. He has never failed me.”
“Is Charlie the same young man that followed you around like a lost puppy dog in college?” he asked.
I couldn’t help but grin. “I’m not sure he would appreciate it being put like that, but yes, he is one and the same.”
“I’m surprised.”
“By?”
“You are loyal,” he said it as if he just found out I was the king of some small country. It was a little insulting, but I had come to learn the guy knew no other way to be.
“I am loyal. I’m only doing this for Charlie. Quite frankly, I don’t need any more money. I’m doing this because his guys need the work and he trusted me to make it happen. I’m doing this because I know my designs are good and I know they will change the world. Just like my first designs. All I need is a chance to prove it.”
“All right, we’ll do this, but if you fuck this up, I will not be happy. I am putting my name with yours and my reputation will not be tainted.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
I probably should have cut my finger and signed my name in blood. I kind of got the feeling that was what he was going for. I reminded myself I only had to do this one last thing and then I would be free of my responsibility to Charlie and everyone else. I would be free to go wherever I chose without worrying about leaving anyone in the lurch.