Page 4 of Love at First Swim
Neil laughed. “I am hoping to have you sign me on. I have a lot of things I could do with your business secured. I know you have those ideas to build a strip mall over on Bleaker, but that you haven’t been able to get the last shop to sell.”
Gunner wanted to curse, “Sure haven’t. I haven’t given up yet and have my ways to get their shop. You didn’t call to talk about that. I know you want to sign with my company Neil. But I have some serious reservations about signing you on. There have been too many discrepancies for me to be comfortable with hiring you or your company.”
Neil spluttered. “Discrepancies? I run a tight ship. There haven’t been any issues with my builds.”
Gunner cut him off, “Actually, there have been. I have a very large file on my desk that shows me exactly that. Of how you have cut corners in all of the builds you have done and did the least amount of things you are supposed to as a contractor before you sign off on the safety of the house. I know all your dirty secrets Neil. Your ship has leaked I am afraid.”
Neil cursed, “You little shit. If you didn’t want my business why have this meeting then? Just to show what a bastard you are?”
Gunner growled into the phone, “No. I wanted to have this meeting to see just how you handle the accusations I threw your way. And you did just what I hoped you would do. Which is instead of acting professional and talking to me like a grown man should, you showed me just what a liar you are.”
Neil let out a growl, “You smug little bastard. You knew this would happen.”
Gunner held his temper in check, “Neil, I told you that I don’t like that you run your business the way you do. You cut corners on everything and leave the mess for the home owners to deal with. A lot of people have had to sell their house without getting anything from it because of you. In fact, most of those houses have had to be condemned. So Neil, no. I won’t work with you. I don’t need or want my company to be associated with you.”
Neil scoffed, “Why would you want to even have this call then? You fucker.”
“I wanted to have you tell me to my face that you were not cutting corners and that you were actually a good man. Turns out, I was right.”
“You are going to pay for this.”
Gunner sat up in his chair, “Are you threatening me?”
“What do you think?”
Gunner gave a soft growl, “I dare you to try. Please. Go ahead. You won’t win. Not against me and not with all the evidence I have stacked against you.”
Neil went quiet and Gunner nodded, “That’s what I thought. You need to figure out your company and stop cutting corners in your builds. Maybe if you actually did your job, I would hire you on, but so far you haven’t impressed me and first impressions are something I don’t forget.”
Neil grumbled and then hung up the phone.
Miles’ eyebrows were up in his hairline and Gunner knew that he heard everything that happened.
“He truly is the bastard everyone says he is.”
Gunner nodded, “We did what we could. He pretty much admitted to us that he was guilty. No one acts like that if they aren’t. But I am glad it’s done now.”
Miles nodded, “Should we move on?”
Gunner nodded and they went to work, not wasting any more of their day on men like Neil.
