Reluctant Surrender Read Online Free PDF

tone.
    “What? We don’t have enough problems with the townies trying to shut us down? How much longer can we postpone the official opening? How much more lost revenue can we take before we’ll be forced to sell?”
    Ted sauntered over and patted Dave’s shoulder. “Easy there, buddy. You know how I always say things happen for a reason? I believe the end is finally in sight for our troubles at The Carlyn.”
    “Hallelujah!” David said to no one in particular.
    Ted poured himself a brandy and mused, “You know from the very beginning I wasn’t confident that the preopening event would garner enough local revenue to impress the town council. I told you guys we needed more mainstream exposure before they’ll finally see the benefits to be gained with our venture.”
    David shook his head. “Their whole town is dying. They should be kissing our feet.”
    Ted grinned. “Yeah, well, you know that’s not going to happen. My thought was to bring in the visitors. Fill up the local hotels and get the restaurants cooking again and if we managed to stay on this side of the lake? They’d be happy. But one party going off without a hitch didn’t strike me as a solid way to get the point across. And now that said party went into the shitter like a guy who’d eaten four bars of Exlax because he had bad case of salmonella? I’d say I was right.” He collapsed into a seat. “Let’s face it, the worst has happened.” He turned to Ethan and sighed. “We have to work through this mess logically. This time even money can’t save us. No disrespect, E, but we can’t keep counting on you to dig us out of the toilet. We need support of a different kind.”
    David smacked the side of his chair. “Precisely.”
    “Now, that’s not to say we don’t need you to make a sacrifice. We do. It’s just not monetary this time.”
    Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of sacrifice?”
    “Well…” Ted shook his glass, causing the liquid to slosh within. “I think since our preopening tanked we have a fortuitous opportunity at our disposal. We now have the means to stack the cards in our favor in the review department. It was risky signing Riling Rita, because there was always the possibility that she could have given us a poor review. You did the research, Dave, even you were surprised how honest she was with her grading.”
    “I remember.” David nodded.
    “Do you also remember the piece she did on that influential Hollywood star? She doesn’t pull any punches, that’s why her review is so important. With this in mind, I’m thinking now, on account of the riot, we’re gonna have to tip the scales in our favor if we want to get back in the town council’s good graces.”
    Ethan didn’t move. “How?”
    “I’m thinking…” He stared directly at him and Ethan braced himself. “I’m thinking Rita needs to do a more in-depth piece on The Carlyn. Like the one she did when she stayed on location with that Hollywood star for those two weeks. Only while she’s doing her thing at The Carlyn, you need to take one for the team and seduce her some more. Better our odds. At least until our image is improved. She’s got pull with that blog of hers and we desperately need her endorsement.”
    “No.”
    “She likes you and according to Decklan you already did.”
    “No.”
    David stood and began pacing. “T might have something here. If… Yes, if,” he spun around and faced them, “we plan it right it could work. I do agree with Ethan on one point, seducing the woman isn’t an option unless she’s into it. E’s not Caligula.” He turned to Ted. “We may be scraping bottom here, but even in your wild days you wouldn’t have done something so callous. She’s as much a victim as we are.”
    Ethan hated them discussing Colin this way. He wanted to pound them, especially Ted, but he kept his expression stoic. Guarded. “What’s your idea?”
    “We let her think she’s partly to blame for not ensuring the disc was