Page 6 of Seduced at Stevens Street
“Gia, we will come to a good arrangement, I’m sure. We’ll get into specifics later, but I’m sure you will be more than satisfied with the package we offer and obligation of hours we will request of you,” Andy said.
“And any ideas you have to grow the yoga program and attract new members, we’ll be all ears,” Kenzie threw out.
“As program lead, we’ll be relying on you for that and more,” Andy added. “Though Kenzie is our marketing lead for the gym for all programs, you will work very closely with her on that front.”
Ah, so Kenzie had a business background. It showed. They were a cute couple. He obviously had a great deal of confidence in her, and she looked at him with so much affection, it was obvious that she worshiped the ground he walked on.
“She is also the project manager for all acquisitions and renovations,” Andy said then chuckled. “I admit I’m shameless in using free labor.”
“Not free, baby,” Kenzie said. “You have no idea about the shopping spree I plan to go on to compensate myself for all this work.” She laughed. I couldn’t help but laugh too. I didn’t know Kenzie well, but I really liked what I had seen of her so far.
“I have preliminary financials with me now,” Claudine said. “I’ve been up north at my daughter’s for the last month though, so they aren’t the most recent set.”
She handed them to Kenzie and Andy. They looked them over for several minutes. Kenzie brought Andy’s attention to several line items, pointing and with silent looks shared between them. “Your unused punch card obligation is the first thing we would need to know an up-to-date figure on as that will greatly impact the price,” Kenzie said. “And if any members wanted to buy a new card before we’ve reached a deal, I would want you to make the sale and keep track of it.”
“Is this deal contingent upon Gia accepting your employment offer?” Claudine asked, much to my surprise.
“Let’s just say we are confident we can come to an agreement with Gia,” Andy said with a smile my way. “We need a yoga instructor, and we prefer to keep the continuity for your members by having that be someone they know and like.”
That struck me as manipulative. It surely sounded like they either thought I was so desperate I’d take anything or that they were just that confident. I didn’t like either implication. “I’d certainly like to stay with you, but that will depend on the employment offer, salary, etcetera,” I said as nicely as I could. I felt irritated with how this conversation had gone. If me accepting their offer was part of the deal to buy Claudine out, it would be more honest for them to just say it.
“I can see we need to lay our cards on the table,” Kenzie said. “We aren’t the kind of people who would take advantage of anyone, and Gia, I can see you’re confused.”
No, I was getting pissed. I wasn’t confused. “I haven’t heard any specifics, so I can’t give you an answer.”
“Claudine, part of the deal would include you and your staff promoting the move of the classes to Stevens Street Gym as a positive. Talk it up to your members and leave no doubt that we have assumed all liability for unused classes. Refunds aren’t a possibility. Gia,” Kenzie said as she pulled another piece of paper from her portfolio. She handed it my way. “This is the employment contract we would ask you to sign. Please note the terms section in the middle that lays out expectations and compensation.” She pointed to it. “Claudine, the important thing for you to know is that it states that Gia’s employment with Stevens Street Gym becomes official the day she signs this contract, and it will be the same day we sign our deal to buy you out. As of that day, even before the move of the classes to Stevens Street Gym, the business and Gia will fall under the Stevens Street umbrella. We would expect you to stay on until your doors close to aid in the smooth transition.”
So, it did sound like it was a package deal. No buyout if I didn’t go to work for them, no employment offer to me, unless Claudine sold to them. I was scanning the contract terms. I stopped dead at the bulleted list of compensation. This couldn’t be right. The salary figure exceeded what I currently make, and it included the apartment, rent-free and no utility costs. There was also group major-medical insurance I could buy into and dental. They gave two-weeks paid vacation and a rotating holiday coverage policy with paid holidays, something else I never had under Claudine. I felt the tears come to my eyes and knew I couldn’t stop them from falling down my cheeks. When my eyes met Kenzie’s then swept over to Andy’s, they both smiled and nodded.
“As I said, we are sure you would find our employment offer attractive,” Andy said. “Please do note that we are offering to pay a set salary, not an hourly wage. You will be considered an exempt employee, which means we don’t pay overtime. You will be expected to work forty hours weekly, and required extra hours, sometimes up to fifty.”
Kenzie dug a package of tissues out of her purse and handed one to me. I was embarrassed that I was crying. “This offer is more generous than I could have imagined,” I said after I had regained control of my emotions.
Claudine’s eyes went wide as she read what I was talking about. She smiled at me and took my hand. “That is a better offer than I could ever make you,” she said to me.
Kenzie pulled another piece of paper from her portfolio. She wrote in and initialed numbers in a few spaces. “Claudine, hereis our offer to you. The bottom-line number will depend on the outstanding punch card obligation figure that we would need by the end of the week.” She pointed out several places as she spoke.
Claudine read it over, word for word. Kenzie and Andy sat patiently while she did. I reread my contract too, becoming more excited by the salary and benefits. Claudine too had tears in her eyes when they raised from the paper. “This is a generous offer. I, of course, will want my attorney and accountant to review it but barring any unforeseen circumstances I believe we have a deal.”
“We would like to ink the deal by the end of the week, which I know doesn’t give you much time,” Andy said. “We will start renovations on our space for the yoga studio this weekend and would like to have a signed deal before we begin.”
“I completely understand,” Claudine said. “That only gives you two weeks to work on the space. I understand we are on a short time-frame. I can get this contract ran through both the attorney and accountant this afternoon. The punch card obligation will be a bit trickier, I’m afraid. Between the financial records, Heidi and Gia’s memories we can get you our best estimation, but I can’t guarantee it will be accurate that quickly though. If we had a week or two to physically examine each card, that would be accurate.”
“I’d like to be included in that discussion, if I may,” Kenzie said. “I may be able to help you.”
Claudine smiled and nodded. “Certainly.”
The meeting was set later in the afternoon to discuss punch card obligations. Kenzie would be back for it when Heidi was in. I still had not officially accepted the job with them. Did they just assume? We were walking to the door when Andy turned to me.
“Gia, we would like to set a meeting with you Saturday morning at the gym. We can’t expect you to make a decision without seeing the gym and meeting the rest of the staff. We understand you may have additional questions, and we want to make ourselves available to you so that you can come to the best decision for yourselves. We would need you to let us know if you are accepting our offer at the end of that meeting,” Andy said.
“Because your remodeling would begin that day,” I said. He nodded. “That’s fair. Thank you for your understanding.”
He shook my hand and embraced Claudine. Then, he and Kenzie were gone, leaving Claudine and me to stand there looking around the soon to be closed studio. It had been our place for so long. Just like my apartment, it suddenly felt foreign, cold, unlike home.
“That is a darn good offer they made you,” Claudine said after several minutes of silence. “You’re going to take the job, aren’t you?”
I laughed nervously. Of course, I was! I had no choice. I had no job without it, nor did I have a place to live, not to mention the fact that the salary and benefits package was unheard of in this industry. “Barring any unforeseen circumstances,” I said, echoing her response to Andy.
