“What are you going to eat?” he asked, his eyes swiftly moving across the menu.
Zoe had no idea what she was going to order but she picked it up once again and scanned the contents. Settling on a salad, figuring that would be the easiest for her to sift through since she didn’t think she’d be able to eat anything anyway because of her nervousness.
She mentioned the first salad her eyes were able to focus on, then closed her menu.
Marco shook his head. “She’ll also have Risotto ala polpa di granchio, carciofi con pancetta and for dessert we’ll have panna cotta.” He put in his own order which sounded just as foreign as what he ordered for her and the waiter left, bowing slightly with his approval.
Zoe sat back and shook her head. “What exactly did you order for me?” she asked, impressed with his Italian despite herself.
He shrugged and picked up his wine. “Crab risotto, artichokes with pancetta and a cream dessert, which I think you’ll like.”
She smiled slightly. “How do you know I like crab and artichokes?” she asked. She actually loved both of them, but wasn’t going to tell him.
“You just seem like the type.”
Her eyes widened at that response. “I’m a type now?”
“You’re changing the subject. And yes, everyone is a type.”
“I disagree.”
“With what? That you’re changing the subject or that everyone has a type?”
“Both.”
“As for you changing the subject,” he said, admiring her honesty and ease of conversing even though he could tell she was both embarrassed by her predicament and scared of what he made her feel. “You can’t avoid the subject, so why not get through it so we can focus on enjoying the rest of the evening?”
What she didn’t know was that he knew much more about her predicament than she probably knew, and that he was going to make her feel so much more. She’d probably be uncomfortable with both, but he’d ease her into the second, and slam her into the first. One couldn’t happen without the other, he knew.
“Facing the challenges head on, that’s your plan of action?”
“Do you have a better way?”
“I like to explore the problem and figure out the best way to attack it.”
“And what are your other options?”
She sat there silently, wishing some genius idea would occur to her. Unfortunately, nothing came to her and she slouched, defeated.
Marco didn’t like seeing this vital woman with so much to offer feeling trapped and defeated. He preferred the dynamic woman who attacked life, the woman who created designs that celebrated life and exploded around a woman’s body, making her feel alive and vibrant.
“Are you willing to trust me?” he asked gently.
She didn’t even hesitate in her response. “No.”
He threw back his head and laughed. When it came to business, people simply followed his lead, accepting that anything he said would make them wealthy. But this tiny woman sitting across from him looking like any man’s dream woman, was unabashedly fighting him. And he liked it. It was refreshing.
“Okay, so you’re skeptical and I need to prove myself to you.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. It seemed much to intimate for her peace of mind. “No, you don’t need to prove anything to me. I just need to get myself out of this situation and go on about my business…why are you shaking your head like that. Stop it. Things were fine before and as soon as I can figure this out, they’ll be fine once again.”
“You’re financial situation was never fine. You’re not capitalizing on your name, your branding is almost non-existent, your designs are fantastic but your marketing is pitiful. And we aren’t even getting into the financial side of things. You need an accounting firm to work your money and you can’t ignore things like you’ve done in the past. Twice a year, you will audit the accounting firm and ensure that you understand everything that’s going on with your money. You will have weekly financial meetings with your accounting staff, and there will be multiple accountants working with you to ensure duplication.”
“That sounds expensive,” she replied, completely intimidated by everything he was laying out.
“It’s much less expensive than bankruptcy, which is what you’re facing if you don’t move quickly. Even one default on your payroll and you’re employees lose faith in their work. Right now you have a loyal and experienced staff which has helped you reach this level of success despite yourself. Don’t lose them by being timid.”
Zoe wanted to toss her napkin at his face and walk away. The only thing keeping her here in her chair was the fact that she didn’t know of another way out. “And you know this because…?”
“Because I’m the one who is usually stealing companies like yours. I know what makes you vulnerable and how to gain control when someone is weak. Listen to me and I’ll ensure that you’re never in this situation again. By the way, this five to ten percent annual growth is pitiful. With our new business model, you should be ranging more in the twenty to twenty five percent growth rate.”
That last part threw her off. “No one grows like that, not in this industry.”
“And the economy has been pretty tough lately, but despite that, you have a niche market that could expand into a fad if you grow it correctly. And if you brand yourself right, that fad could take off into a classic style.”
“I didn’t know you were so adept at manipulating the fashion industry.”
“I’m not. I’m adept at manipulating markets to go the way I want them to. Fashion isn’t as different as anything else, it’s just a price point.”
“And fickle tastes in clothes.”
“That can be applied to anything. Don’t use it as an excuse. Use it as a wedge to get what you want. If you want perception to follow your designs, make sure it happens by branding yourself properly and marketing the next line aggressively.”
Zoe’s head was spinning with everything he was telling her. “I don’t think it’s possible.”
“Not only is it possible, but you’re going to do it with my help.”
Their food arrived at that point and Zoe took the time to push her food around on her plate. She actually had no idea what was in front of her. Except for Marco who was trying to push her in areas where she was unfamiliar.