Lester's Pov
I was sitting in my cubicle with my feet perched up on my desk with the keyboard of my computer sitting across my lap. If I had to do paper work on the guys that I had brought in, the least I could do is do it with some ease. While I was typing away on a final report, Steph walked by me rolling her eyes.
"Make yourself at home Les" she said stopping at the door of my cube
"Beautiful if you want to get technical this is my home" I told her
"Your home is on the fourth floor"
"Yes, but when you're out with one of us or with Ranger don't you say lets go home and you come here to RangeMan?" I asked her and could see her thinking on that one
"So since this is considered your "home"" she said making air quotes "Can I expect to see you next only in your underwear and bare feet?" she asked giving me a grin
I looked at her and gave her my patented Lester sideways smirk "I don't wear them" I said and her face went beet red. Before I could further tease her my phone went off.
"What the hell?" I asked reading a text from Ranger
"Meeting in the conference room?" Steph asked
"Yea how did you know?" I asked her and she turned her phone around and showed me that she had gotten the exact same text as I had
"We just had our weekly meeting yesterday. Why are we having another one?" I asked placing my keyboard back onto my desk
"Maybe something came up?"
"Nah Beautiful I would have heard about it or knew of it"
"Guess we should get in there and find out" Steph said walking away
I got up and made my way to the conference room. When I walked in, I immediately saw there was a girl seated in the chair next to where Ranger sat at the head of the table. The woman had long curly blond hair, wore a grey suit, and wasn't thin, but wasn't obese. Steph walked in and saw the woman sitting her chair and took the seat next to me.
"Gentlemen and Steph" Ranger said standing at the helm and began "This is Eden Burlington" he said and we all turned to look at the woman next to him.
"Eden is a Logistics Coordinator; I have been working with by phone for several weeks now. I'm thinking of expanding RangeMan" he said and murmurs went around the room.
"I have had Ms. Burlington scout out potential sights, buildings, land lay outs, and demographics of cities that would be best suitable for a RangeMan company" he said to us
"Where is this going to be?" Brown spoke up and asked
"The west coast" he announced and all our mouths hit the floor
"Ms. Burlington here is from California" Ranger said and she stood up
"Gentlemen" she greeted and opened the case he had with her
Ms. Burlington passed around pictures and floor plans of several buildings that could be renovated and then some dirt sites that could be constructed. While she did so she explained about the populations of some of the places she thought would benefit from our kind of services. When she was done with her presentation, Ranger stood up and thanked her for her work; he told her she had produced for him well on what he wanted. Eden smiled up at him and you could see the relief she had when he had praised her. Even in Cali, Ranger's reputation exceeds him.
"Any comments on what was presented here?" Ranger asked us
Everyone spoke highly of the endeavor that Ranger wanted to do. Either they really liked it or they knew Ranger would do what he wanted anyways, so they went along with it. I on the other hand felt this wasn't a good idea.
"Do you really need to go to the west coast?" I asked and the room went silent. Not many challenged Ranger on what he wanted to do with the company.
"We have New Jersey, Mass, Georgia, and Florida that's four companies, four teams all on the east coast" I said
"Your point?" Ranger asked shooting daggers at me. I didn't care what he thought of or what he wanted to do to me. I did not think that going west was a good idea and I was one of the core team that helped grow this business.
"They are all on the east coast" I said
"So you got a thing against California or something?" he asked and Eden looked hurt that her work wasn't accepted by all.
"Not at all" I said to him, but looked at her.
"Then what the hell is it Santos?"
"We have four very successful companies that has richly rewarded everyone who is employed here"
"Santos you're not making a bit of sense, if we had five it would also add to that rich reward" Ranger said crossing his arms over his chest, poor Eden looked like she wanted to bolt.
"When you started Atlanta, Boston, and Miami we as the core team leaders went along with you to start them up, we trained the men, and got them going. As we came back here to Trenton we still kept up contact by a couple of guys going at a time to see how they were doing"
"And we can't in Cali?" he asked
"Yea we could, but think about it you and us go for the first couple of weeks to each of the east coast sites, then you come back here and send one or two of the leaders a month until they could handle themselves. We couldn't do that if we went to Cali. California is clear across the country, when we go to establish the RangeMan name we would have to move and stay there to locate the staff, train them, set the building up, stock it, and everything. I just don't think it would be a good idea to be gone from here for such a long period of time and leave no leaders here while we are gone" I explained my thoughts on the issue.
Ranger didn't say a word after I explained my thoughts. Eden sat silently looking at Ranger wondering what the hell had just happened and the other members sat as quiet as church mice. I felt Steph move next to me and heard her chair squeak.
"Ranger and you guys have went off months at a time on missions before" she said supporting her man
"But" I said "Tank or another is always here to take over RangeMan in their absence" I told her
"True" she said flashing sorrow filled eyes up to Ranger
"Well I didn't expect any of this, but I can see Santos's reasoning" Ranger said "Eden you have done a very good job" he said and you could see the sadness in her eyes knowing she had probably just lost a very lucrative account for her firm. "I have to give credence to what was brought up since he is a core member of RangeMan, but I was wondering if you could stay here in Trenton on my dime of course?" he asked her and her eyes widened in surprise and I was surprised as well.
"But Mr. Manoso" she said and he stopped her by putting his hand up
"I'm still very interested in your proposal and want you to continue working on it, I have a house you can stay in until this is all resolved one way or the other" he said and I was so confused.
"So what's going on here?" I asked
"Well Santos you have some valid points, so I want you to come up with your on proposal and work along side Eden"
"Me? But I don't think RangeMan should go anywhere" I said getting laughs from my team members, because now I had to come up with a plan.
"Santos I want you to come up with why RangeMan should stay on the east coast and not expand. I want charts and everything" he said and the guys busted out laughing and ragged on me.
"Eden" he said turning to her "you continue on and produce more for me on why I should expand all right?"
"You're making this a competition?" I asked
"Not really, I'll pick who I think is best, Eden what do you say?" he asked looking at her
"Uh I can stay, but I don't have a lot of my stuff with me for an extended stay"
"No problem" he said and looked down the table "Steph" he said and she sat up in her chair
"Yea?" she asked looking up at him
"Eden this is Stephanie Plum, anything you need I'm sure she can help you with"
"Sure" Steph replied and I saw Eden shrink back in her seat a little
"OK dismissed, Santos you know your task and Tank will you take care of showing Ms. Burlington to the house she can stay in?"
"Ten four" Tank called back and everyone got up. I couldn't believe it, I'm honest about a business issue and now I have to make up charts, graphs, and proposals about it. What the hell?"
"Babe" Ranger said and Steph walked up to him and he introduced her to Eden. I looked her over and decided if I had to do this, my proposal was going to win I would make sure of it. Bring it on Eden Burlington; Lester Santos has you in his sights.