"Good," he said. "Don't prepare a special introduction. I want to hear her describe her own company, and I want to see how she treats the people around us." James reminded him that the opportunity was large enough to affect their firm's next several years. Darien understood. He closed his notebook and told them to keep examining the business while he examined the person who wanted to lead it.
The following morning, Victoria prepared for the meeting by examining the crease in her cream Chanel jacket. Jenny had left a folder containing the Cole Ventures briefing beside a tablet loaded with the day's schedule. Victoria glanced at the time, confirmed the hotel, and pushed the folder aside. She planned to speak with Klaus Reinhardt and his colleague before the new investor arrived, believing she could persuade them to reconsider their refusal.
"The Cole materials are important," Jenny said from the doorway. "I've highlighted the investment structure and Mr. Cole's background." Victoria checked her reflection in the glass wall.
"I'll read them in the car." Jenny watched her leave the folder behind. She considered following with it, then looked at the calendar and decided there would be another chance to remind her employer.
There was not another chance. At eight fifty, Victoria stood beside a lobby window trying to make the two German investors laugh. At nine five, Darien's car stopped outside the hotel after heavy traffic delayed him. Priya had already notified Jenny about the five-minute delay.
Nothing about the logistics was confusing, and nobody had failed to arrange the appointment. The failure was waiting for him inside the lobby, dressed in expensive cream-colored fabric and certain she knew who deserved to stand beside her.
Darien entered the Four Seasons with the portfolio beneath his arm and enough time to review the financing terms before his afternoon flight. He had already decided that any investment would require more than an attractive demonstration of the technology.
Cole Ventures would insist on independent audits, a board seat, protections for employees, and the authority to stop additional funding if executives concealed material facts. He expected a difficult negotiation. He had not expected to spend the first minutes defending his right to be present.
Victoria looked at his extended hand as though he had offered her something unpleasant. She repeated the name of his firm with an exaggerated expression of doubt and asked whether he was sure he had the correct hotel. Darien pointed out that she had his meeting invitation on her schedule and that her assistant could verify it immediately. Victoria responded by examining his clothes, then announcing that people attending serious financial meetings ought to dress as though they understood their importance.