by Alex Schuler
“But we already tried that, Sam. They didn’t listen.”
“No, Ted. We tried it. GSI hasn’t. I think Matthew will have a bit more sway than us.”
“Are you saying Matthew Grant is more influential than Ted Wolff?”
“That’s precisely what I’m saying.”
They laughed, their chortles getting lost with the clamor echoing throughout the room. He took her hand and kissed her engagement ring. On stage, Vin motioned for everyone to settle down.
“We have a lot of work to do before we talk with Detroit,” Vin said. “We don’t want to just show them our results. We need to go to them with a specific plan on how they can use this technology. They don’t know it, but I want Sam Lavoie and Ted Wolff to spearhead this effort. Give it up for them.”
Ted and Sam half stood up and waved as they looked around the room.
“Great,” he whispered to her. “Back we go to Detroit.”
“I’m sure this time will be different,” she said.
“Before taking Project Courier to the next level, we have one more bit of business to do.” Vin stepped aside, allowing Matthew to take center stage. “I believe Matthew has something to share.”
Matthew turned to the side of the room. Lisa was standing quietly in the corner. She smiled and knelt slightly to retrieve a black leather bag from the floor. She carried it up the stairs and handed it to Matthew. After shaking her hand, Matthew reached into the bag and retrieved a handful of envelopes.
“Bonus time,” Matthew said, waving the envelopes above his head. He did not wait for the laughter and applause to die down before continuing. “I saved the best for last. Lisa will be coming around to hand these out. Thank you. All of you. Now, please, everyone, enjoy the rest of the afternoon.”
Four members of the kitchen staff appeared from the hallway, wheeling tables to the café. Champagne bottles and flutes covered one of them. The other tables were filled with a seemingly endless variety of foods. Meats, cheeses, bread, salads, plates of pasta, stir fries, and other delicacies. The room became filled with delicious aromas.
“I can’t believe this day is finally here,” Ted said to Sam. He pulled her close and hugged her, not caring if he was too public in his affection for his fiancée. “All these years, and we finally have our bonuses.”
“We have a lot more than that, Ted. We’ve got a meeting to plan. Vin just put us in charge of the Detroit presentation. This . . . this is big. The first thing we should—”
“The first thing we should do is get married.”
“Oh, right.” She laughed as she brushed his hair back. “You’ll be happy to know my mom’s already scheduled interviews with four different event planners.”
“Four?! Let’s try to keep it simple, okay?”
33
Sam paced back and forth across the thick Berber carpet in her mother’s bedroom. She paused and looked through the French doors overlooking the backyard. Ted’s request for an intimate wedding had ended with two hundred people seated outside waiting for the ceremony to begin. She couldn’t complain. Her mother had worked several miracles during the last few months pulling the event together. A knock at the door broke her from her trance.
“Come in,” she said.
The door opened and Ralph entered, closing it behind him. He looked her up and down, “Wow, you look beautiful.” He adjusted the pink tie clinging to his collar as he walked over to her. “Remember when you dressed as Cinderella for Halloween? Well, you just put her to shame.”
“Stop,” Sam said with a chuckle. She turned and looked at the full-length mirror nearby. Her gown was her mother’s, worn at Catherine’s insistence. Sam felt it a bit old fashioned, but she knew she had no choice. The white lace top and long sleeves felt too formal to her, as did the veil. “I’m so nervous, I want to puke.”
“Relax. It’ll all be over soon.” He tugged and smoothed the tight-fitting sleeves of Sam’s gown. “Everyone out there loves you.”
She looked out the window again. She could see Ted’s family and what seemed like half the Project Courier team, including Vin and Matthew. Her mother had invited a long list of friends and business associates, too. Sam grinned as she recalled Ted’s suggestion to elope to Vegas.
“Where’s the honeymoon?” Ralph asked. “Or is that a secret?”
“Ted wanted to wait and surprise me, but I told him I needed to know. We’re . . . we’re going to Paris.”
“Paris!” He hugged her and went back to adjusting her sleeves. “I’ve never been. It’s on my bucket list. That’s a long flight for someone who doesn’t like to fly.”
“I know. But . . . it’s Paris. And my honeymoon.”
“You deserve it, Sam. Are you ready?”
The door swung open, and Dani came running into the room carrying a white wicker basket filled with white rose petals. She flung her arms around her mother and said, “It’s time! It’s time!”
Sam kissed the top of Dani’s head and looked up at the open doorway to see her mother standing there, fighting back tears. Ralph put a reassuring hand on Sam’s shoulder before turning and leaving. Catherine entered and closed the door.
“One . . . one of the violinists canceled at the last minute,” Catherine said. “We should be okay with just the two, but I’m worried the music—”
“I’m sure the music will be fine,” Sam said, laughing as she held her arms wide open to hug Catherine. “Everything’s perfect, Mom. You outdid yourself—like you always do.”
Catherine kissed her on her cheek, wiping tears away, as she asked, “Are you ready?”
“No. But if not now, when?”
“What?” Catherine stepped back and looked her up and down. “Are you having second thoughts? What’s wrong?”
“I’m joking. I’ve never seen you so nervous.”
“It’s not every day your baby gets married.” Catherine pulled Dani close to her side. “You . . . you know things didn’t work out with your father and I. I just want to make sure you’re happy.”
“I’ve never been happier.” Sam took Dani by her hand and walked to the door. “Come on, Mom. Time to give me away.”
The mid-May weather in Fremont was picture-perfect: sunny and mid-70s, with crystal blue skies. Sam’s heart raced as her feet walked across the petals spread by Dani. She could feel every eye focused on her as she approached Ted.
He looked dashing in his black tuxedo and pink cummerbund. The gentle breeze threatened to dislodge his gelled hair, but to no avail. Sam couldn’t stop grinning as she reached the end of the aisle and looked into his deep blue eyes.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that question?” she said with a grin. “Are you, Mr. Lavoie?”
***
The ceremony was brief, and the dinner that followed, extravagant. Ted took great pride in impressing his family with the opulence of the event Catherine had planned. Her property spanned several acres. Huge white tents covered the dining area and dance floor. The band played for hours, entertaining guests late into the evening.
Sam sat at a table with Ted’s parents and Catherine, recounting stories of some of the more exciting moments of the GSI challenges. Ted sat there with interest and watched his dad sparkle. His mom glanced over at him and gave a gentle nod of approval. Ted leaned over and took Sam by her hand, saying, “I’m sure Sam would love nothing more than to spend another hour telling you about our adventures, but we’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”
“Our flight to Paris isn’t until two,” Sam said.
Ted stood up and waited for her to follow his lead. “It’s almost midnight,” he said.
“It is?” She stood up and looked around the dining area. There were only a few dozen people left. “Where’s the night gone?”
“My Teddy’s right,” Barbara said. “You shou
ld get going. That flight tomorrow sounds dreadfully long. I . . . I’m so happy to have you in our family, Sam.” Tears welled in her eyes as she turned to her son. “You did good.”
“Thanks, Mom.” He kissed his mom on her cheek and gave his dad a brief hug, then looked around the tent. “Where are the guys?”
“Dance floor,” Barbara said.
Ted looked over to see his brothers and their wives and two other couples slow dancing to a song he didn’t recognize.
Sam walked over to Ted’s parents and gave them each a kiss. She said, “If we don’t talk tomorrow, have a safe flight home.”
Ted led Sam over to the empty head table. He and Sam hopped onto the edge and sat back and held hands.
“What a day,” he said. “Your mom hit it out of the park.”
“I knew she would.” She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. “Paris. Eleven hours on a plane.”
“First class. We’ll be pampered.”
“Are . . . are you sure we shouldn’t bring our laptops?” She sat up and turned to face him. “What if something comes up while we’re away?”
“GSI can survive a week without us. Besides, we finished building the presentation for Detroit last week. Vin and Matthew approved it. Relax, Sam. Let’s go have fun.”
“You’re right. I’m just getting nervous about next month’s presentation.”
“So am I.” He stood up, pulled her from the table into his arms, and gently kissed her lips. “But let’s worry about Detroit when we get back. Paris awaits.”
34
It was a beautiful mid-June Friday morning in Redwood City. The temperature had settled in at eighty degrees, the sun’s golden rays casting out from powder-blue skies. The parking lot alongside the Project Courier building was jammed with Teslas. Earlier that year, a dozen charging stations had been installed along one end of the parking lot. The company was in the process of converting a lot across the street to park and charge electric vehicles. Rows of covered charging stations were being erected, all with solar panels blanketing the roofs.
Off in the distance, a fleet of six black SUVs came barreling around the corner. The first two were Cadillac Escalades, followed by two Lincoln Navigators and a pair of Dodge Durangos. The vehicles slowed as they approached the parking lot, coming to a halt in the street. Eventually, they turned in to a designated visitor parking area. Matthew had made sure there would be room for them to park. Lisa waved to the vehicles as they approached the building.
“Here they come,” Ted said, leaning his face against one of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Detroit,” Sam said. She slid her fingers up and down Ted’s back in an attempt to relieve some tension. “Six months of preparation, and it all comes down to today.”
One by one, the doors on the black SUVs began to open, each ejecting a portly executive in either a gray or navy suit. Some vehicles had four people exit, others five. Ted started to count them as they began to group around Lisa.
“Is that right?” he asked. “They brought twenty-six people?”
“Men,” Sam added. “Twenty-six men.”
“Why so many?”
“Maybe it’s a good sign. Maybe it means they’re serious.”
“I hope so,” Vin said. Ted and Sam both spun around, surprised by the appearance of their boss. “Matthew couldn’t get much of a read on their response to his invitation. They brought their top people. I know you both had a bad experience with them in the past, but I’m keeping a positive attitude today.”
“This is an army compared to the reception Ted and I received in Detroit.”
“I have my reservations,” Ted said flatly, turning a cautious eye back to the window. He was surprised that despite the warm weather, the executives were all wearing suits and ties. “Did anyone tell them it’s casual dress here?”
GSI didn’t have a strict dress code. Much like the bright and airy Project Courier workspace, the atmosphere was generally relaxed and comfortable. Jeans and T-shirts were not an uncommon sight, although most of the men preferred collared shirts. Ted considered himself formally dressed today, with khakis and a button-down, short-sleeved, blue-and-green-checkered shirt.
“I need to head downstairs to join Matthew for the meet-and-greet. We’re going to do a facility tour first, followed by test rides for our guests.” Vin pulled out his cell phone to check the time and frowned. “They’re a half hour late. We may need to adjust the schedule. Lunch will be served at noon, and then it’s showtime at one. Are you ready?”
“As ready as we can be,” Sam replied. “I’m with you, Vin. I feel good about this.”
“You should. You’ve put together a stellar presentation.”
“If anyone can win them over, it’s Sam,” Ted said.
“Agreed.” Vin slid his phone back into his khakis. “I’ll text you when we are ready to bring them up.”
Ted smiled and waited until Vin was out of earshot. He and Sam were alone in the Crash area. He led her to one of the tables, and they sat down together.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “You look concerned.”
“Did you see the attendee list?”
“Yes, why?”
“Those same assholes that laughed in our face are all here. All of them!” He clenched his fists together and cast a glare back toward the windows that faced the parking lot. “I don’t trust them, Sam. I don’t.”
“Hey,” she gently wrapped her hands around his fists and began caressing his fingers. He unclenched his hands, taking Sam’s into his. “The presentation we’ve prepared is nothing like what we showed them all those years ago. We were so cocky and wide-eyed back then—especially you. If anything, the test drives alone will blow them away. By the time they get to the meeting, they are going to be begging to partner with us.”
Ted felt all the tension leave his body. As always, Sam had a way of talking him down, bringing him inner peace. Her green eyes glistened as she leaned in to kiss his lips. He welcomed her touch, the hairs on the back of his neck tingling. He glanced down at their interlocked fingers, admiring their wedding rings.
“Mrs. Sam Wolff with two ‘F’s.” Sam held her hand out and admired her wedding ring. “I’m going to need to think of what that second ‘F’ means for me.”
“Oh, that’s an easy one. ‘Fantastic.’ ‘Flirtatious.’” He paused and scratched his jaw. “‘Frugal’?”
“I think you better quit before you say something you’ll regret.”
“‘Fierce.’” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “We should get ready for the tour and test drives. Ralph and Lori are probably waiting for us downstairs.”
He stood up, and taking hold of her hand, they wove their way through the tables, bean bags, and gaming tables, stopping in front of the stage in the Convene area. The table that once held the champagne bottles was long since gone. The whiteboard that used to track the project challenges now listed the schedule for today’s events with the automotive executives.
“I hope this works, Sam. We need Detroit to partner with us.”
“It will all work out. Just as long as you behave yourself.”
“Me?” Ted started to chuckle, but Sam’s stern eyebrows told him she was serious. “You’re running the presentation, not me.”
“You don’t like Detroit, Ted.” She brushed his hair away from his eyes. “Don’t show that today, okay?”
“I’ll do my best.”
***
Sam slid her fingers over her pendant, gently wrapping her gold chain around her index finger. She cleared her throat as she studied the notes resting beside her laptop. The timer on her screen indicated they were forty-five minutes into the presentation to Detroit. She looked up and smiled at the thirty-one people sitting in the conference room. The attendees were split into two groups. Five people from GSI sat to her right, their
faces awash in disappointment, frustration, and confusion. Ted looked the most perturbed, nervously tapping his pen like a jackhammer. The battalion of twenty-six men from Detroit sported faces covered in scowls. Half were not even paying attention, their interests buried in their phones. Those who were listening made no attempt to hide their boredom.
Just as Sam was about to speak, one of the doors opened, and Lisa stepped inside. Several heads turned, distracted by her entrance. Lisa waved politely and held the door open for staff to bring in coffee and pastries. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and sugary sweets filled the room, giving Sam a tiny jolt of energy.
“As we explained to many of you during the test rides earlier today, we got here by completing ten key challenges.” Sam clicked to the next slide, which displayed the list. “What’s important to know is we logged over half-a-million fully autonomous miles, across three different test vehicles.”
“On public roads?” Robert Anderson, VP of Vehicle Planning for Chrysler asked, his voice filled with shock. “Someone mentioned that during the test drives. You didn’t use proving grounds?”
“Proving grounds?” Sam asked, somewhat confused.
“That’s what automakers—real ones—use to test their new cars.” Robert turned and looked at Brad Kenner, SVP of Research and Development for Ford. “Do you believe this shit?”
“Can you imagine if we tried to test new technology by driving around Ann Arbor and Detroit?” Brad shook his head in disgust. The egg-shaped executive ran his fingers through his salt and pepper beard, scratching his nails against a pair of hidden chins. Brad rotated his chair slightly so he could face Matthew Grant. “You’re lucky the state didn’t shut you down.”
“Typical liberals,” David Foster said as he chuckled. “Only in California. At GM, we do things by the book—and follow the law.”
“We followed the law as well.” Ted’s tone was terse, and his comment unexpected. “Do you think our legal team didn’t vet this? The vehicles weren’t out there driving around empty. Every test had two people on board, including one ready to take full control when necessary.”