“Thanks, man,” I said as we ordered another round. “I think I need to make some changes, I’m just not sure what they are yet.”
“Well I’m here for ya. Just let me know what you need and I’ll make it happen. We can’t have a disenchanted head of our company if we are going to take over the world,” he laughed.
“You still think international is where we need to be?”
“Hell yeah. The few flights that we do internationally are huge money makers. I think we need to do a membership type program and allow everyday people to get in on the private jet world. We can have different tiers and they can buy in from a single flight up to unlimited flying. We have to be innovative and exciting if we are going to continue to grow.”
The excitement in Casey’s voice reminded me so much of myself when I had first started the company. I had so many ideas for it back then, so many things I was going to do once I hit it big. But when the company got big, I got wrapped up in the money and stopped getting excited about the potential. The innovation and change of the company was going to be how we stayed ahead of the competition and I was sure glad I had Casey on my team to help drive us to where we needed to be.
“Thanks, Casey; I needed to hear that,” I said.
“Let’s drink to it,” he said as he raised his glass and I followed. “To innovation and change.”
“To innovation and change,” I repeated as we banged our glasses together.
My mind spent the rest of the evening going over every possible scenario for my future and I started coming up with my own plans that were getting me excited. It wasn’t anything that people would expect me to do, but I was excited about it so that was all that mattered. My life had changed forever because of the time I had spent on the ranch. There was nothing I could do to take that time back and I didn’t want to. What I wanted was to find a way to merge my old life and my new one so I could feel happy again.
By morning I had sent off an email to my new assistant on all the things I needed her to take care of and I had a meeting scheduled for noon with the man that could make it all happen. Life favored the bold and I was about to be as bold as could be. I had sent a private jet out to gather the person I was meeting and hoped that he had actually gotten on the plane and would be waiting for me in the restaurant. Sometimes I came up with wild and crazy ideas that others didn’t really understand; other times I came up with ideas that others loved. I couldn’t wait to see what his opinion was on the plans I had for my future.
As I walked
into my lunch meeting, I had expected to feel some sort of regret or concern for the decision I was about to make, but I didn’t. Instead, I felt excited for my new plans and excited to see Sid Miller sitting in the restaurant waiting for me. His response to what I had to propose to him was going to make or break my future and I was extremely nervous as I made eye contact with him from across the restaurant.
“Now don’t you clean up nice,” Sid said as he got up and shook my hand.
“Thanks for coming,” I said as I sat down with him. “You look good too, Sid. How is Meredith? Is she still handing out those hugs to everyone?”
“Well, a man sends a private jet for you and it’s rude not to get on it. And yes, Meredith told me to give you a great big hug when I got here, so don’t tell her I didn’t do it.”
“I appreciate you coming. I know you’re busy back home.”
“That’s certainly true; spring is always a little exciting on the ranch. So how are you doing? Have you settled back into your life out here? I heard the news about the man you were going to testify against; that’s pretty amazing stuff. Really excited for you that it’s all over with.”
It was weird to be sitting with Sid and talking to him as an equal. In all my time on the ranch I had always looked at him as my boss, yet in that restaurant we were just two men having a lunch together. He looked at me with more respect than I remembered getting from him at the ranch, but I chalked that up to my fancy suit I had on that day. I knew Sid respected me and had done all that he could do to ensure I had been safe while on his watch.
“Things haven’t gone as well as I had hoped, but that’s why you’re here. I’m hoping you can help me out.”
“You know she’s still in love with you,” Sid said without me even asking about Sarah. “She pretends like she’s over you, but I know the truth. I can see it in her eyes.”
His words hit me like a sledgehammer and I didn’t know what to say. I had hoped that at some point during our conversation he would have told me how Sarah was, but I certainly couldn’t have expected to hear the words he was saying right then and there.
“She’s doing well?” I managed to ask.
“Yes, she’s working with the new ranch hands and has taken over managing most of the day to day details. Her mother and I are just getting old,” Sid said with a deep chuckle.
“That’s good. Well, I brought you out here because I noticed your land was still for sale and I’m interested in making an offer.”
I had thought long and hard about it and that land was close to my heart. No matter what I ended up doing with it, I had to own that land and I wanted to make the deal in person with Sid.
“Well, sure you can have it if you’d like. I’d just give it to you. You’re a good man and would make a great neighbor,” Sid said.
“Sid, what would Sarah say to you?” I joked. “I’ve actually had an offer drawn up and I’ve got it here for you to look over. I sent a copy to your realtor, too.”
The offer I had for Sid was double his asking price, but not because I wanted to give him a handout; I knew he wouldn’t accept such a thing. I needed Sid for my plan to work and that was why I had brought him all the way out to Los Angeles to give him the offer in person.
“Holy hell!” Sid exclaimed loudly in the restaurant before realizing just how loud he had been.
“I need your help, Sid. I’ve got a plan and it’s not going to work unless you’re on board with me. Take a look at the offer, I’ve spelled everything out. Hopefully you agree that it’s reasonable and we can partner together on this.”