Falling For You

by Nicole Taylor

  “Mr. Walsh, I’m not sure why you’re so hostile. You got what you wanted in the end, didn’t you?”

  “Did I?”

  “Well, if you’re having second thoughts and you’d like to turn JJ Inc. over to Lamport Holdings that can be accommodated.”

  Gabriel’s back stiffened as he contemplated for a moment if he should simply return the phone to its cradle and be done with this aggravating exchange.

  Maybe she sensed this was about to happen because she said hastily, “Will you just hear me out? Please, Gabriel.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “It’s not something I can adequately convey over the telephone. I’d prefer to discuss it in person.”

  “I’m in Ireland.”

  “That’s fine. I’m willing to hop on a flight and come over there to discuss my proposal with you in person.”

  Gabriel paused. Despite what this woman had done to him, the thought of seeing her again gave him a thrill. He must be a glutton for punishment.

  “When would you like to meet?”

  ~*~*~*~

  Leiliana sipped her tea and idly surveyed the gardens at Brooklodge Inn as she recalled her conversation with Gabriel.

  After that showdown with him months ago, when he had accused her of betraying him, she had lost all appetite for pursuing the bid for JJ Inc. She had not increased the purchase price, and invariably Walsh Enterprises had emerged as the successful bidder. As time passed and the details of Gabriel’s acquisition of JJ Inc. were publicized, though, she had begun to regret her decision not to increase the bid price. Things were clearly over between them, but that didn’t mean her dream for a merger between JJ Inc. and Lamport Electronics had to also be history. She would pursue it from a different angle. Instead of acquiring JJ Inc., she would seek a merger.

  Before everything had gone south between them, Gabriel had revealed that he was paying more for the company than he could afford. If that were the case, surely he could be persuaded to merge given how much money her acquisition of shares in the company would bring him.

  The more she mulled over it, the more it seemed like a great idea. Such an alliance would be very beneficial to them both. In this way, Gabriel would get what he wanted – a cash injection – and she would get what she wanted, a merger of JJ Inc. and Lamport Electronics.

  There was one hurdle to overcome, however. Lord William Lamport.

  Years ago, when Leiliana’s father had learned that Barry Walsh and Company was trading with oppressive regimes, he had shunned any business dealings with them. When the news broke about Barry’s indictment, William Lamport had not expressed any surprise and strongly stated that these things caught up with people in the end.

  Leiliana didn’t know if her father’s view of the Walshes had altered much over the three years since Gabriel had rebranded the company. In an attempt to find out, she had recently invited him to lunch at one of his favorite restaurants. After they had eaten their meal and were satiated, she raised the subject.

  “Gabriel Walsh gave the keynote address at the Innovation Awards. Did I tell you that?” she asked.

  Lord Lamport continued to sip his Earl Grey tea. After a while, he said, “Walsh. Why does that name sound familiar?”

  “He’s Barry Walsh’s son,” she said, cutting to the chase.

  “Interesting choice of speaker. The Innovation Awards Committee must be scraping the barrel these days.”

  That comment smarted even though she and Gabriel were no longer friends. “Actually, he gave an excellent speech.”

  “So, he’s got his father’s gift of the gab. Did he speak about the fact that Barry Walsh is still a fugitive from the law? I dare say, the Walshes have no shame.”

  This sounded so much like a remark the fat man at her table had made that Leiliana was peeved. “You shouldn’t jump to conclusions. I don’t think he’s really like his father. He explained that following the payment of fines, he decided that he would not only rename the company but change its direction altogether.”

  “Good for him,” her father responded drily.

  “There’s much to suggest that he has changed its direction, Dad.”

  Her father stared at her unwaveringly as he took a few more sips of his tea. “It may appear that way, Leiliana. But appearances can be misleading. Can a leopard really change its spots?”

  “Perhaps it can. You have said that God can change any heart, or do you no longer believe that?”

  Her father’s eyebrow climbed. “Has God changed his heart? Is he a Christian?”

  She thought back to the Bible she had found, how he had prayed before meals and the comments that suggested he had Christian principles. “I believe that he is sincere about making a fresh start and doing things right.”

  William Lamport tilted his head. “Are you personally acquainted with this man?”

  Leiliana gave a nervous laugh. She didn’t feel brave enough to confess to her father that she and Gabriel had been dating up until a few months ago. She especially didn’t want him to think that her proposal now to merge with JJ Inc. was colored by a relationship with Gabriel. “You can say so, I suppose. We met at the awards. We’ve conversed.”

  “He seems to have made quite an impression on you.”

  “He did. He recently purchased JJ Inc.”

  William nodded. “That’s why his name sounded so familiar. It was announced that Walsh Enterprises was the successful bidder.”

  “Yes, which brings me to what I really want to discuss with you. I think that we should pursue a merger between Lamport Electronics and JJ Inc.”

  Her father was thoughtful for a while. At length, he said, “I have always been cautious regarding whom I align myself with, in my personal life and in business, Leiliana.” He looked at her pointedly. “I have always advised you to do the same.”

  She was sure her father was referencing her disastrous relationship with Michael Chappelle and felt both annoyed and embarrassed at the same time.

  “I have made mistakes in the past but have been very careful ever since, dad. In my personal life and in business. Please give me a little credit.”

  “Of course, my dear! There is no need to take offense. I am simply making the point that a merger is not a thing I take lightly.”

  “I know, and I have done my homework on Walsh Enterprises, Dad. I wouldn’t have come to you unless I had. I commissioned a report which I will send to you shortly. While they are a bit heavy on the debt-servicing side, due to borrowing to finance several new start-ups, they are within the acceptable debt-service coverage ratio.”

  “How healthy is their cash flow? If it's problematic, they can have issues with being able to grow their business and thus turn a profit.”

  “The cash-flow must be good. They were recently able to pay top dollar for JJ Inc. from the reports in the media. Also, the company’s net worth is still well above average. Their business dealings appear to be in congruence with best business practices. All statutory obligations are being met by the company and its subsidiaries. I tell you, dad, Gabriel Walsh really does seem keen to prove himself and undo the mess that his father made. He deserves a second chance.”

  “You may be right. But what if you’re wrong? You said the cash flow must be good because they were able to purchase JJ Inc. for a considerable sum of money. Regrettably, a company’s ability to purchase commodities is not the best determining factor of its viability. Many companies are born and then die due to heavy debt reliance. I have seen it time and again. How will we recover if we get into business with Walsh Enterprises and become tarnished as a result?”

  “I have thought about that. If such a thing were to occur, we would immediately break all ties with them and issue a disclaimer of their dealings. I believe that our stellar reputation over the last two centuries can back us up.”

  “You believe that this proposed merger is worth that risk? I understand your back up plan, but it sounds like it will come at a hefty price to us in terms of losi
ng out on a failed merger, damage control, potential loss of business…”

  “I had a comparison done, and I still feel it is worth the risk. Such a merger will increase our market share and improve our product offering. Listen, I get what you’re saying, and I’m not insensitive to your concerns. If I can convince Gabriel Walsh to merge his electronic firm with ours, I will ensure that the contract allows us a clean escape. If at any point in the negotiations I believe that things aren’t what they seem, then we walk away.”

  Leiliana now felt a smile creep across her face as she reflected on the conversation with her father. It had been exhausting arguing with him, but he had finally, grudgingly, given approval.

  She glanced at her watch and noted that it was way past 12:00 p.m. Where on earth was Gabriel Walsh? When she had messaged him half an hour ago, he had said he was on his way. She had assumed he would arrive shortly, but for all, she knew he could have just been leaving the city.

  As soon as she completed the thought, the CEO of Walsh Enterprises came into view. He was dressed in a navy blue smoking jacket over a crisp light blue shirt, opened at the neck, and showing a smattering of chest hairs. He wore well-tailored white trousers and tanned oxford shoes, sans socks. A pair of gold aviator shades covered his eyes. With that gleaming dark hair and his three-day stubble, he looked wickedly handsome. When he ran a hand through his thick locks, Leiliana could swear all the women in the restaurant gave a collective sigh.

  She couldn’t begrudge them the action. He was undoubtedly the kind of man that made a woman swoon. But that wasn’t why she was here. She was here to do business with Gabriel. Romantic thoughts about him were out of the question.

  As he was about to pass a table with three women, she saw one of them call out to him. He paused to greet her, leaning down and kissing the woman’s cheek as the other women at the table cast appreciative looks over him. He spoke to the woman for a few minutes, appeared to make a joke that had the women giggling like schoolgirls, and then resumed his journey to her table.

  Their eyes met as he got close, and Leiliana felt a heat flush coming on. She ran a hand down her throat and focused on disciplining her thoughts before their encounter.

  “Miss Lamport,” he said as he took his seat. The waiter came up to them and asked if he wanted anything to drink. He gave his order, the Pellegrino he seemed to favor, and then scanned the menu provided. “Have you ordered already?”

  “You mean since I was sitting here waiting for you for 20 minutes? Are you asking if I went ahead and ordered because of that?” She was unable to contain her annoyance at this man. It wasn’t bad enough that he was late, but he had to stop and flirt with women first.

  “I wasn’t asking that at all. I’m quite forthright. I say exactly what I mean. I don’t conceal it under charm and deceit like some people do.”

  She lowered her eyes to the table and took in a slow, deep breath. This was going to get them nowhere. She needed to do a clean sweep before they could talk business.

  He closed the menu and looked up at her. His languid gaze roaming her face. “So, you haven’t ordered, then. Well, I hope you’ve decided what you’re having because I’m going to order as soon as they return with my drink. I’m ravenous.”

  “Yes, I’ve decided. Gabriel, I want to ask you to forgive me. It was wrong of me to question you about JJ Inc. without revealing my interest in purchasing. You have every right to be angry with me and to distrust me. The truth is, I didn’t know that you were also interested in purchasing the company. Nonetheless, I’m simply asking you to please forgive me and give me another chance.”

  His eyes widened in surprise. It was as though he had not expected her to say that. For some time, he didn’t seem to know what to say. He stayed silent for a long time as though contemplating whether he should trust her apology or not. At length, his posture relaxed, his face softened.

  At that moment, the waiter came to take their orders. After he left, Gabriel said quietly, “I accept your apology, and I do forgive you. I suppose I was a little harsh with you. I am sorry about that. I’m a little oversensitive when it comes to the issue of loyalty and trust, I guess. I’m willing to give you another chance and to hear you out…Leiliana.”

  She smiled at him as relief coursed through her. At least they could begin again. This time though, she was seeking a business relationship with Gabriel, not a romantic one. She would make it very clear to him that there would be no picking up where they had left off.

  They chatted lightly about the weather and current affairs until their orders came.

  As Leiliana slid a forkful of Greek salad into her mouth, she eyed Gabriel. She was thinking of how to couch her proposal. She chewed thoughtfully as she enjoyed the sweet and sour flavors of the house balsamic dressing mingled with the feta cheese and Kalamata olives.

  “Have you given any thought to how you might maximize your market share in the area of electronics following your purchase of JJ Inc.?”

  He shook his head slowly. “Not really. The ink on the paperwork is barely dry.”

  “I imagine it is something you’ll think about sooner or later, though.”

  “Of course.”

  “How about I help you think about it sooner?”’

  “What are you trying to say?” he asked as he brought his glass to his lips.

  “I’d like to propose a merger of JJ Inc. with Lamport Electronics.”

  Immediately Gabriel began coughing violently as though his drink had gone down the wrong chute. “W…wh…why?” he rasped.

  She paused a moment, concerned about him. “Are you okay?”

  He held up a hand for her to wait then after coughing a few more times he asked, “Why would I want to do that?”

  “Because If we merge, it will help your company increase market share and have greater bargaining power. I’m sure you can see the benefit in that, even though you haven’t sat down and formalized it yet.” She sat forward in earnest. “At present, both JJ Inc. and Lamport Electronics are competing in the same market. If we join forces, we’ll have a stronger presence in our domestic as well as foreign markets. Plus, a merger between our companies will enable us to realize growth instantly. It usually takes years to double a company through organic growth. We’ll be able to achieve it in a couple of months.”

  He watched her in silence, so she continued.

  “A merger can also help us consolidate, even eliminate, duplicate resources which will, in turn, cut down on expenses.” She stopped here. She could probably find more arguments for the merger but felt that if what she had said thus far hadn’t convinced him, nothing would.

  Gabriel finished up his starter, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and sat back to watch her. “I hear what you’re saying, but, to be honest, I’m not convinced that I should merge JJ Inc. with Lamport Electronics. JJ Inc. is a major competitor of Lamport Electronics, and that suits me fine. Competition is a good thing. It keeps one on one’s toes, and it’s great for innovation. Plus, it promotes a free market economy as a smart lady once told me. Monopolies are bad for the free market.”

  He said the last with a mocking smile that she itched to slap off his face. How puerile of him to throw terms she had used back in her face. And after he had claimed to have forgiven her too!

  She slapped the table. “You are wrong! We would not be a monopoly. JJ Inc. and Lamport Electronics are not the only electronics companies in the market by far. Besides, there is a Competition Commission that will ensure that it doesn’t happen.”

  He sat up in his chair, and the smile immediately disappeared from his face. “Don’t eat my head off. I was just joking around.”

  “This is not a joke, Gabriel. I didn’t take the time out of my busy schedule to come all the way to Ireland to share a joke with you. This is serious business. Kindly treat it as such.”

  “You want me to be serious, then I’ll be serious with ya! I don’t like mergers. And I’m not terribly interested in what you’re proposing. That’
s the long and short of it. So there!”

  To Leiliana’s surprise, when she looked down, she found that their used utensils had been cleared away. Had she been so worked up, she had been oblivious to that? She glanced up and saw the waiter was approaching bearing their entrees.

  She waited until he left before turning back to Gabriel.

  “That’s a lie!” she said vehemently.

  “I beg your pardon?” he sputtered.

  “You are not averse to mergers. Three years ago, you bought Harper Construction and subsequently merged it with Granite Construction Company. You said, and I quote, “this merger can help us penetrate new markets.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “I said that?”

  “You most certainly did. I was watching a clip of that interview on the Internet two nights ago.”

  “Hmm…so is that what you do in your spare time, scour the internet for videos of me?”

  She decided to ignore him. “What’s your concern, really, Gabriel? Because I’m not buying for one instant that you’re seriously worried about the free market.”

  “You’d be surprised. I did a year of business and economics at Princeton.”

  “Wait, I thought you did an engineering degree at Trinity College?”

  He squinted at her. “Where did you hear that? Have you really been spending your nights doing research on me?”

  She thought about evading his question but dismissed it. If she hoped to win this man’s trust, she needed to be as honest with him as possible. “Yes. But before you get excited, it was to better prepare me for a conversation with you about a merger. I needed to find out who I was dealing with.” She looked him straight in the eyes and kept his gaze unflinchingly. To her surprise, a smile slowly spread across his face.

  “That was smart of you. I would have done the same thing in your position. To answer your question, you’re right. It’s more than a free market and innovation that has me concerned. A merger is not without significant risks. It isn’t as easy or as simple as you make out.”