Jessica shakes her head and says, “Not for me, thanks. It’s still morning.”
Sean laughs and declines a drink as well. During the drive, he briefs Jessica on some of the local customs and Mr. Ricardo Montes. He advises her to be reserved in her reactions to the factory and to appear only mildly interested, even if it is perfect. She shoots him a look for questioning her ability to play it cool.
He shrugs and explains, “The culture in Brazil is different than America, and if Mr. Montes thinks you are excited about the possibilities, he’ll raise the price and try to squeeze us both.”
Again, Jessica shoots him a sardonic look. “How is that different from America?” she asks, and doesn’t wait for an answer, “Who is Lidia Espinoza, on the schedule?” She points to the name on the itinerary.
“She is the appointed spokeswoman for the displaced Nike workers and has the best handle on the workers’ knowledge, skills, and abilities. She will be sizing you up, as well as trying to sell you on the factory and workers. I believe her primary objective is to convince you to invest in Brazil, especially in the factory, so everything she says must be weighed carefully.” Sean looks out the window and says, “We’re almost there. Remember, Mr. Montes is charming. He fancies himself a ladies’ man, so stay alert with him, because he’s really good at reading people, especially women.”
Jessica looks disgusted. “I got it the first time, Sean.”
He nods once, still looking slightly worried. “Good, because we’re here and the show is about to begin.”
She turns and looks out the window. Wow, this place looks really promising. The limousine driver opens the door and helps her out, then immediately introduces Jessica to Mr. Montes. Oh my, Jess thinks, Bonnie was right. He certainly is very sexy and charming.
“Hello, Mr. Montes—” she starts as they begin to walk around the factory.
He interrupts smoothly. “Ricardo. Please, call me Ricardo.”
She nods. “Very well. Ricardo, how many square feet of usable production space is within this facility?”
“Well, Ms. Silva—”
“Please, call me Jessica,” she interrupts with a smile.
“Very well, Jessica. There is currently forty thousand square feet of production work space, with an additional thirty thousand feet of expandable space and another thirty thousand square feet of storage capacity in the main warehouse. Office space and showroom space add an additional seventeen thousand square feet in the administration building.”
Jess gives Ricardo a blank, yet polite, stare and simply says, “Thank you.” She turns and walks up the walkway to the door.
Surprised by her reaction, Ricardo follows her and asks, “Is that sufficient?”
She allows a small smile and says, “It will be fine, as long as the production space is adequate.”
Sean watches this interaction and notes Ricardo becoming unnerved. She’ll do just fine in all of our meetings, he thinks, breathing a sigh of relief.
Ricardo presses his lips together. “Well, let’s go inside and see if this will work for you.” As he unlocks the door and walks through, Jessica chances a glance at his ass and thinks, Bonnie sure knows how to pick them. His ass is fantastic. She was spot on.
They walk down a short hallway, and Ricardo flings the doors to the facility open with a grandiose flare, expecting a gasp, only to get Jessica glancing at Sean and saying, “Oh, Sean, I don’t know.”
Sean holds back a smile and cautions her to reserve judgment until the entire tour is completed.
“Very well,” she replies with a sigh. Sean notices that now Ricardo looks a little nervous, and Sean likes the fact that Jessica can put him on guard so quickly. She then begins to point out positive features of the facility but lacks enthusiasm, causing both Sean and Ricardo to doubt her interest in the facility. They conclude the tour. Jessica thanks Ricardo for his time, then immediately gets into the limousine without further discussion.
Sean shakes Ricardo’s hand. “I’ll speak with her later tonight and someone will get back to you with some sort of indication as to Jessica’s level of interest or lack thereof. Thank you.” Sean turns and gets into the limo. As they head toward the villa, Sean asks the driver to close the window between the back and front compartments.
He turns to Jess and says, “I suspect you weren’t that impressed.”
She shakes her head vigorously. “Oh my gosh, on the contrary, the facility is fantastic. It will need about a quarter of a million in renovations to be just right to fit our needs, but it’s a thousand times better than what we have right now.”
Sean gapes at her, trying to figure out where he lost track of her real opinion. “Wow. You played that situation really well. You had both Ricardo and me convinced that you were totally unimpressed.”
She raises her eyebrows. “I’ve been a businesswoman for quite some time, and I’m not as naïve as you may have surmised me to be.”
He clears his throat, thoroughly embarrassed about his blatant doubt of her abilities. “Apparently I misjudged you.”
She gives him a coy smile. “Is now a good time to say duh?”
Sean chuckles, and she requests the folder containing their schedule. She studies it a little closer, then suggests, “I think you should invite Ricardo to dinner with Lidia, so we can all meet jointly.”
He shakes his head hesitantly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for Lidia to know what types of negotiations are going on between Ricardo and the Beauty Boutique.”
“Trust me,” Jess says, completely confident, “we need to meet them together. Also, my staff knows exactly where we stand with regard to income and expenses on a monthly basis, and I believe this would be a uniquely new experience for Lidia. I also believe she’ll probably have inside information on Ricardo’s position and will keep him in check if she thinks I’ll walk. I think I’ll be able to negotiate better terms and conditions with her present. Can we have this arranged before dinner, please?”
Sean considers, realizing she might be right, and nods. “Very well.”
As the limo enters the grounds of the villa, Jess looks at Sean and says, “You were right. This landscape is absolutely spectacular.”
Sean smiles and says, “Wait until you see the actual estate.”
The limo swings around the circular cobblestone drive and stops at the main entrance. The building is a terra cotta stucco with brightly arranged tiles on the stairs that lead to an ornate wooden door with an intricate carving of the sun setting halfway below the horizon. In the spacious foyer, a large fountain made out of Italian marble is the centerpiece. Surrounded by a wide variety of native plants, the foyer provides serenity and warmth reminiscent of a spiritual retreat. The formal living and dining rooms are decorated exquisitely with local artists’ furniture, paintings, and crafts.
Jessica pauses for a moment, realizes that her mouth has been open in awe the entire time, and snaps it shut. “Well, you were right again. This place is nothing like the last. It’s a showcase for interior design excellence, and yet it still feels like a home. I don’t know how Bonnie does that.”
Again, Sean smiles. “Yes, she does a magnificent job, doesn’t she?” he says, breathing in the aroma of fresh tropical air.
The maid, a quiet, mousy little thing, shows Jessica to her room on the second-floor wing, and Eduardo Sean to his usual room, on the first floor. Both of their rooms have terraces that overlook the courtyard and pool. Jessica tells the maid she is going to shower and dress for their dinner guests. She pauses then asks, “What kind of attire is expected at dinner?”
The maid suggests she speak to Mr. Green, as there is no designated dress code, then bobs a curtsey and hurries from the room. Jess hears water splash around in the pool, opens her door, and steps onto her balcony. She watches Sean swim several laps with incredible flip turns before she yells down to him. He doesn’t hear her the first time, so Eduardo gets his attention in the shallow end. Sean stops and stands up with his back to Jessi
ca as he speaks to the butler. She is pleasantly surprised by what she sees.
He has broad, muscular shoulders, his back muscles are very defined, and as he turns to look at her, she is amazed at the chest and abs that defy his age. She feels a slight tingle at the junction between her legs, then shakes herself and says, “How are we dressing for our dinner meetings?”
Sean replies, “Cocktail informal. I’m going to wear a suit without a tie, so any evening gown or dress would work.”
She thanks him and turns back into her room, reminding herself she is here on business, even if she didn’t really realize just how fine Sean Green really is. She relaxes for a while in her room, settling in for the weekend, then showers and prepares for their dinner meetings. She is thankful she was able to get a full night’s sleep on the plane. Perusing the clothes she brought, she decides to wear one of her new designs, just to see how it is received by Sean, Ricardo, and Lidia. She tries not to think about the fact that Sean’s opinion is the one she is most interested in.
She slides into a full-length, sleeveless purple evening gown with a v-neckline and a split in the front that ends two inches above the knee. She adds a hammered silver arm cuff about two inches wide and silver, Egyptian-style necklace, then completes the outfit with three-inch-heeled silver sandals. Shaking her hair out, she decides to leave the long, dark red locks down, and gives herself a quick once-over in the full-length mirror provided in the bathroom. She adjusts the gown, and a satisfied smile flits across her face. She likes what she sees. Leaving her room, she heads downstairs toward the veranda, where she finds a seat facing what is preparing to be a beautiful sunset.
Her enjoyment of the sunset is interrupted by the household waiter, who asks if she would like anything to drink.
“Yes, of course. Could I please have a fresh, blended mango margarita?”
He nods and disappears momentarily, then reappears with one of the most exquisite blended margaritas she has ever tasted in her life. As she is daydreaming, overlooking the incredible estate grounds, she hears Sean walk onto the veranda behind her.
When she turns to greet him, he stops dead in his tracks, then catches himself, clears his throat, and manages, “You look absolutely stunning this evening. Is that one of your designs?”
Jessica blushes a little, then feels a powerful sense of pride in knowing he really likes how she looks. “Yes, it’s one of the new designs that we are still working on perfecting.”
Sean, stammering a little, asks, “W-what needs to be perfected?”
She smiles at his stutter. “Well, for example, we will consider whether the slit should be in the front or on the side, and whether the neckline should be squared, rather than a v-neckline.” She shrugs. “Those types of things.”
As he moves to a seat across from her, Sean says, “Well, from a man’s point of view, I much prefer front slits to side slits and v-necklines to squared ones.”
Jessica nods as she thinks, Of course you do. “And why is that?” she asks, humoring him.
“Well, if you must know, the front slit always reveals more of the woman’s legs, and the v-neckline, I believe, is more flattering to any woman regardless of her physical endowments.” He grins at her. “In my humble, but accurate, opinion, if she is big busted, it makes her breasts less overpowering, and if she is small breasted, the fact isn’t as noticeable.”
Jessica chuckles. “Really? Men look at women’s fashion like that?”
Sean shrugs and replies, “I don’t believe it’s the fashion we are concerned about as much as the woman wearing the clothing.”
She nods, understanding, but says, “Okay, but not every man is attracted to every woman, so then what?”
“I can look at a woman I’m not attracted to and appreciate how she looks in clothing she is wearing without ‘lust in my heart,’ as President Jimmy Carter said. If she has taken the time to put herself together, I can appreciate her effort without wanting to bed her,” Sean explains.
“I see,” replies Jessica, suppressing a smile.
Just then, Ricardo Montes and Lidia Espinoza arrive. As the pair comes down the steps onto the veranda, Sean notices Lidia is wearing a dress with a side slit. He turns and looks at Jessica, seated on the veranda with her legs crossed, one exposed to just above the knee, and says, “I definitely prefer front-slits.” Jessica is somewhat confused by his out-of-the-blue comment, but then she notices Ms. Espinoza’s dress and wonders if it is the clothing or the person he finds more becoming, silently hoping it is the latter.
Sean and Jessica stand and greet Ricardo and Lidia. Lidia is an attractive, dark skinned woman in her early 40s. She is slightly shorter and more full-figured than Jessica, with captivating eyes and a calm demeanor. Jessica is pleased with the way she presents herself. After exchanging initial pleasantries, everyone moves into the formal living room for their more businesslike discussion about the factory and displaced Nike workers. Jessica begins the conversation with Lidia by asking about daily, weekly, and monthly production numbers from previous work. She is impressed with the reports she hears as to output and the low percentage of flawed pieces. She asks, “If I seriously entertain reopening the factory, what is most important to the workers?”
Lidia thinks for a moment and then replies, “Most of us are single women with children, so a livable wage, the ability to flex schedules, and shifts that start earlier in the morning or after the kids have gotten to day care or school are extremely important. Some type of career advancement training and recognition program, maybe including some type of bonus or merit pay incentives, would also be appreciated.” Jessica nods and files the information away for future reference.
Lidia continues, “Your gown is absolutely beautiful. Very elegant. Is it one of your designs?”
Jessica smiles. “Thank you. Yes, it’s a new design that is still being adjusted.”
Lidia again says, “It’s beautiful, and I don’t think it would be difficult to produce in Brazil. I also believe the design would be very well received, here and in other parts of Latin America. Would you be expanding your company farther than Brazil, or would all the clothing be shipped back to the United States?”
Jessica considers for a moment. “I believe, initially, the work produced in Brazil will be shipped to me at my San Francisco factory to ensure quality control. However, once I am satisfied with the quality of the garments produced in Brazil, the end product will be shipped directly from the factory and we will start producing clothing to sell here as well,” she answers.
Lidia gives her an encouraging smile. “You will be pleased with the quality of work and surprised at how fast my workers can have garments made and then shipped directly from the factory to retailers.”
Jessica nods, “What do you think this dress would sell for in Brazil?” She is surprised and pleased to find that, if Lidia’s numbers are correct, she could increase the margin she maintains in the United States by twenty-five percent in Latin America. With the reduced cost of manufacturing in Brazil, she also estimates a forty-five percent overall profit increase in the United States.
Ricardo interrupts and asks Lidia in Portuguese, Brazil’s native tongue, if Jessica is the real deal and if she truly knows what she is doing in the fashion industry. Lidia answers, also in Portuguese, “I believe so. I did some checking on the Beauty Boutique before agreeing to this meeting, and Jessica has a great reputation as an up-and-coming designer. She is an astute businesswoman and has a reputation for taking care of her employees. You would be stupid not to work out a deal with her on favorable terms, because if you don’t, this factory will remain vacant for a long time to come.”
Unbeknownst to Lidia, Ricardo, and Sean, Jessica is fluent in Portuguese and allows herself a private smile at the compliments Lidia has paid her, and also at the fact that Ricardo is in a delicate position with the factory.
Just then, the butler, Eduardo, interrupts, “Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served.”
It is a four-course me
al consisting of cold melon soup, artichokes, grilled sea bass, and flan. The conversation throughout the meal is light and pleasant, revolving around Jessica’s new designs, trends in the fashion industry, the Beauty Boutique’s market, thoughts on Latin American markets, fabric availability, shipping, costs, and pricing.
Ricardo touches Jessica’s hand. “You do look very beautiful this evening. I hope we can establish a, how you say, long-term relationship with you.” Sean has remained quiet thus far, and Ricardo wonders what strategy he is employing. He turns to Sean and says, “You have been awfully quiet, my friend.”
Sean smiles and says, “I wanted the two of you and Ms. Silva to become better acquainted and comfortable with each other, and I thought my silence might allow for that. Shall we retire to the veranda? Brandy anyone?”
As they all settle on the veranda, after-dinner drinks are served all around. Ricardo asks Jessica point-blank, “What was your impression of the factory?”
She surprises him by saying, “It is a fabulous facility, and it would certainly meet the Beauty Boutique’s needs.”
Both Sean and Ricardo are stunned by Jessica’s shortness, having expected her to list all the factory’s shortcomings. Ricardo recovers first and says, “Wonderful! But I’m still sensing some hesitation from you.”
She nods. “Of course you are, because there will always be some hesitation with a major decision such as this.” Then she turns the tide on him and bluntly asks, “What are you expecting to get for this facility with a ten-year lease arrangement?”
Ricardo stutters a little, caught off guard by her deliberate negotiation style. Before he can respond, Jessica continues, “Let me clarify what I’m looking for. It is obvious you will have a problem leasing a property that can only be a single-user facility. Yes, you could modify or change that facility, but we both know your maximum return is to find a tenant, like Beauty Boutique Clothing, who can move in with little modification needed. I need to expand, internationally. But I am not restricted as to where I can open a new factory. I will admit having one basically already built to suit is a major plus. However, I’m not sure Brazil is where I need to expand, so sell it to me. Sell me on Brazil and its fashion industry, and tell me what you’re going to do to make this facility the one for me.” She leans back in her chair and takes a sip of her brandy.
Uncontrolled Spin: The Power and Danger of Spin ( Un missable Series Book 1) Page 9