Page 87 of See You Maybe
“If we are going to find things to cut, you need the complete picture. There are a lot of expenditures that are unnecessary.”
Olivia’s plan was to cut as much non-personnel overhead as she could, wherever she could, in order to protect jobs.
A long finger rubbed his lower lip, and Olivia caught herself following the motion while he read. Biting the inside of her cheek was a quick, painful reminder to ignore how he made her body feel. Olivia opened her portfolio and extended the file she’d brought with her. “I have a list of suggestions for what would be easiest to eliminate.”
Declan’s gaze rose from the file he was reading to the file in her hand. His eyebrows lifted, and Olivia swore he was trying not to smile as he took it from her hand. She recognized the expression. It was the way his eyes lit up right before he laughed.
Olivia hardened her heart.
“You came prepared.”
“Always.” She kept her voice flat.
A mischievous expression stole across his face. “I shouldn’t be surprised since you’re such an overachiever.”
Olivia willed herself not to respond, and after a moment, his expression grew resigned. If Declan thought he could use her feelings to gain an advantage over her by evoking that memory, he was mistaken. She wasn’t a twenty-two-year-old anymore, and he wasn’t the man she’d shared that confidence with.
His teeth caught the corner of his lower lip and sucked it in as his eyes ran down the page, lines appearing between his brows. Olivia dug her nails into her palms to keep her face impassive as her pulse picked up speed.
Stop staring at his mouth.
“I have questions.” The furrows between his brows deepened.
She bet he did. In the paperwork provided to their potential buyers, Olivia had done her best to bury various accounts the Armstrong family used to write off personal expenses. Instead of breaking them out into itemized accounts, she’d put most of them under general operating expenses.
Declan used his pen to point at one of the lines and then frowned and tapped another one.
“On the summary report given to the buyers were the umbrella terms we flowed various expenses through. Expenses Kyle and his father deemed important for business. I’ve broken down the categories on today’s report,” she explained.
Declan read the list aloud, shaking his head in disbelief. When he got to the end, his eyes met hers, and Olivia grit her teeth. He didn’t understand the pressure she’d been under. Declan lifted the paper in the air, his expression making it clear he thought she’d lost her mind.
“Are you telling me you’ve written off his various social and club memberships, as well as season tickets to all the Atlanta teams, dinners, trips…” An astonished laugh escaped.
“Yes.” Olivia gave him a curt nod.
Declan drew an X over the entire section. “Well, this is easier than I thought it was going to be. Any more of your ex-husband’s personal bills I should know about? Another family and kids somewhere? A mistress or two?”
Olivia sucked in a harsh breath, and Declan’s eyes widened.
“I didn’t mean…”
“This list is comprehensive of the easy expenses we can safely dispense with.” Her voice could have frozen a volcano, and Olivia intentionally kept her language formal.
“Olivia—”
“If you will sign this…” She interrupted him, extending another piece of paper. “I will stop payments on these memberships today.”
Declan stared at her for a minute, his eyes troubled. Olivia pinched the paper harder, making sure her hand didn’t tremble. Heaving a sigh, Declan took the paper, and after a quick perusal, scrawled his signature across the bottom.
“Hopefully, these savings will safeguard at least a few positions.”
Declan inclined his head. “It’s definitely a start.”
“People are worried,” Olivia pressed. “If we offer them some assurance…”
“There won’t be any layoffs for at least thirty days.”
Hope flared in her chest, but Declan’s next words snuffed it out. “However, they will come. Those on the XEROS team, in fabrication, design, and support, should start circulating their resumes. They will most likely be the first to go.”