Chapter 290: Family, Part 18

Richard

“But you’ve been running ‘Life and Fitness’ in the City for years.… and turning a healthy profit, surely?”

“Yes, but you know how it is since two thousand and seven. All the banks have tightened up the rules.”

Bloody bastards at the banks….

Pretty perfect for me though….

How to approach this…?

?

James said he has a problem accepting help….

…. Carefully….

“Ummm.…Take this the right way, but I’d be happy to help.”

Glass in hand, Michael freezes, knuckles. His voice is barely polite. “Thanks, Richard, but I’m not a charity.”

James’ meets my eyes again with a ‘Told you’ look. He laughs softly. “Now, who’s suffering from stiff-necked pride?”

Michael gives him a look that should have dissolved him on the spot, but James simply gives him a mild look, sucking at his teeth as he tries to extract a bit of peanut.

I follow Michael’s lead, keeping my own tone cool. “It wasn’t a charitable offer, Michael. I’m a businessman. It was a proposal.”