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wasn t that the last time you saw a certain vixen maid of honor?
Still with the vixen jokes? Vaughn asked him.
Remember how much shit you gave me when I first started dating Brooke? Cade threw back in
response.
Vaughn smiled fondly. No doubt, he d been all up in his friend s business over that for weeks.
Crap.
And me, when I first got together with Addison? Huxley added, referring to his fiance, another
agent in the white-collar crime group.
A happenstance that still remains a bigger FBI mystery than who shot JFK, Vaughn quipped.
Both Cade and Huxley stared at him unwaveringly.
Tough crowd.
Whatever. This is completely different, Vaughn said definitively. I don t even like Sidney.
She s everything I m not looking for: argumentative, not remotely easygoing, and completely open
about the fact that she wants a long-term commitment. I haven t seen her for two weeks, and trust me
it s been two of the most peaceful weeks of my life. In fact, it had been a relief to throw himself
into work since he d been back from his parents house, and to be free of a certain redhead whose
kiss was way hotter than it should ve been for someone so cranky and difficult.
You re doing that thing again, Huxley observed. Like you want to say more.
I really don t.
You know we re not letting you leave until you give us something, right? Cade asked.
Unfortunately, Vaughn did know this. His friends would fixate on the situation with Sidney and
thoroughly annoy him until they got whatever answers they thought they were looking for. Fine, he
said, figuring he might as well rip off the Band-Aid and get it over with. I kissed her.
You kissed the maid of honor? Huxley asked incredulously.
No, I figured I d plant one on the woman my brother s going to marry, Vaughn said dryly. Yes,
the maid of honor. He held up his hand, seeing Huxley open his mouth. And whatever you re going
to say, don t. It was just an angry, impulsive thing.
An angry kiss, huh? Cade asked. How d that go?
Vaughn s lips nearly curved in a smile. She bit me. An image flashed into his head, of him and
Sidney kissing heatedly in the grass an image that was quickly replaced by her wide-eyed reaction
afterward.
Oh, no. You and I can t . . . I mean, we so, so couldn t . . . you know.
Let s just say, we agreed that it was a mistake, Vaughn said.
With that settled, he steered the conversation away from his not-to-be-repeated dalliance with
Sidney and back to the topic of his undercover operation into a group of corrupt cops transporting
illegal firearms into the city.
Kind of a big deal, that.
Thirteen
TUESDAY M ORNING, SIDNEY sat once again at a sleek gunmetal-gray granite table in one of the
conference rooms at Monroe Ellers. This time, however, there were only three pairs of eyes staring
back at her, belonging to the partners who made up the firm s investment committee.
She and her team had done their research. She d considered all the financials, she d weighed the
pro and cons, and she believed she d found a company that would be a great investment for her
private equity fund.
Now she just had to get her firm s most senior partners on board.
This pitch signified her first real test since she d joined Monroe Ellers. If the investment
committee approved her idea, it would be a demonstration of their confidence in her. Not approving
her idea, on the other hand, would mean they had doubts which most certainly would be a shaky
start to her career in private equity.
So. Tell us about Vitamin Boutique, said Michael, one of the investment committee s three
members. He gestured to the report Sidney had prepared, which sat on the table in front of him.
Certainly, Sidney said, with a confident nod. She felt comfortable being in the hot seat, and
trusted her instincts. She d been a little unsettled after her trip to Wisconsin and that wild kiss with
Vaughn, but that feeling had since passed. Here, she was in control and in charge and ready to do
her thing.
A few months ago, I read an article in the Journal about the retail industries that had performed
best during the recession. The vitamin and supplement industry was included on that list, she began.
It s a twenty-five-billion-dollar industry, and one of the few areas of retail that actually thrived
during the economic downturn. Currently Vitamin Boutique is primarily a Midwest retailer, but I think
there s a real opportunity to grow the company into a national chain.
She started the PowerPoint presentation she d prepared on her laptop. On the screen in front of
them, a color-coded graphic of the United States popped up. The blue dots indicate the existing
locations of Vitamin Boutique stores. But with the right strategies and management, this is where I
think the company can be in five years. She clicked the touchpad of her computer, and the screen
changed, indicating a significant increase in the number of stores, spread throughout the entire
country. I think we can add roughly 400 stores in five years time.
And how are we going to do that? asked Rick, the most senior of the investment committee s
members.
Sidney answered without hesitation. First, we would expand into California and Florida, where
the company already receives a significant number of mail orders through its catalog. After that, we d
use site-selection models to help us identify potential additional store locations. After explaining the
need to choose sites with high visibility primarily endcap locations in suburban strip malls and
corner stores in urban areas she went on to discuss the need to bolster the company s online
presence and expand direct sales through its Web site. She explained how she intended to recruit top
talent for Vitamin Boutique s executive team, the need for the company to increase customer loyalty
by implementing a rewards card program, and how they should employ an aggressive pricing strategy,
perhaps discounting as much as twenty-five to forty percent every day.
Then she put up the final screen of her presentation, which contained the bottom line. In five years
we d take the company public via an IPO, and I estimate that we ll exit at ten times earnings. If that
happens, I think we ll have a group of very happy investors.
That s what I like to hear, Michael said, which got a chuckle out of everyone.
Sidney folded her hands on the table, preparing to be grilled. I d be happy to answer any
questions you might have.
Bring it on.
" " "
THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, Sidney watched from the back of her living room as twenty-five
women oohed and ahhed over the serving platter Isabelle unveiled from its gift box.
The bridal shower was a success.
This was no small feat, considering she d had all of three weeks to pull it together, and had to
work within the guidelines set by both Isabelle the excited bride-to-be and the crazy pregnant lady.
We should have flowers for centerpieces on the tables. That would be so pretty! Just no roses,
lilies, lavender, or anything else with a strong scent. Flowery smells make me puke.
Sid, I saw the most adorable three-tiered minicakes in Martha Stewart Weddings. They d be
perfect for dessert! But tell the bakery that they have to use buttercream the thought of that
pasty, sugary fondant makes me puke.
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