Beth and Tammy land up in Napa Valley at 8:00 pm. That's 11:00 where Jon is at. When her and Tammy get into the car and head to the airport, Beth gets her phone out and calls Jon. After 3 rings, it goes to voicemail. "This is Jon Bon Jovi, I am unable to get to the phone. Please leave your name and number and the reason for your call. Thank you." Beth simply says, "Hey hon, I just landed in Napa. I'll try to get you in the morning. I love you. Until next time." And she hangs up.
She will later find out that Jon and Richie spent alot of time outside in the sun drinking, and when the sun went down, they went into The Shoe Inn and emptied a few bottles of whiskey out there. Both men are passed out, Richie on the floor and Jon on the rattan couch that Dot put in there, telling Jon it looked good. Over the years, Jon had tried to ruin the couch by sitting down to hard and rough housing with the kids, when they were allowed in there.
Morning in Napa Valley had the prettiest sun rises and sunsets she had ever seen. She loved being there, but this time it's different - she can't do the one thing she loves to do. The wine tours. To be in Napa and not drink wine, to her, was like being in Disney world and not being able to ride some of the rides. Hell, she can't do that now.
Beth's night was long, all she could do was lay there and think. Think of how and when she should tell Jon that she's pregnant, she knows that many women have complications with their first babies and she didn't want to be a statistic. She knew she had to be extra careful. Her frustration and her anxiety made the night go so slow and that she had even laughed and screamed into her pillow a few times, with excitement and with frustration.
She drug her butt out of bed and hoped into the shower. She put her mindset that today was going to be a great day. She had no idea why she had been beckoned to Napa Valley, but she was there. Meeting with one of Buffett's people could mean many things. But she was sure she would have this guy eating out of her hand too. She finishes her shower and put on her best Calvin Klein suit and power shoes to match. Threw her hair up onto a messy ponytail, added a bow and lightly dabbed on some make up. She was ready to go. Teeth were brushes, tinted SPF lip gloss and the purse to top it all off. When she was please with herself, she walked over to the hotel phone and called Tammy's room.
"Hello!" said Beth's morning loving assistant. "How did you sleep?"
"I slept great, what about you? Are you ready to go?" Beth replies to her assistant. "Make sure you grab the paperwork and reports. I'm sure I'm going to have to sell something today."
"Yep, got them all right here. I'm ready, so I guess I'll meet you in the lobby for breakfast?" Tammy questioned.
Beth thought she should eat, she is eating for two. "Okay, I'll see you down there in a few." Beth hung up the phone and remembered she needed to take a vitamin and a folic acid pill. She went into her bathroom, grabbed one of each and downed them with a big glass of water.
Briefcase and purse in hand, she head to the lobby. Tammy is already there and has taken the liberty of getting Beth a coffee, a juice, some fruit and an onion bagel. Beth sits with her assistant and says, "Good Morning, thank you for getting my breakfast. It's only fair that I tell you, I have cut caffeine from my diet. Trying to be healthier." She smiles at her assistant, dying inside to tell her that she is carrying Jon's baby.
"Damn, you could be the poster child for great health. Caffeine isn't that bad for you." Tammy responds. She thought it was odd, since Beth LOVED her caffeine.
"I learned alot when I was laid up. That whole head bleed really makes you stop and think. Are you ready for today?" Beth questions her assistant, knowing the answer already. Tammy was on top of her game, the best at what she does.
Tammy gives Beth a look like, 'Did you really ask me that?' "Of course I'm ready. I was born ready. We'll rock this guys world and be back to L.A. before dinner.
Beth laughs and drinks her orange juice. Thinking that she will do everything in her power to make sure that Baby Adams/Bongiovi will have the best start at life as she can. She is determined.
The ladies finish their breakfast and Beth pays the check, making sure she gets the dreaded receipt to turn into auditing. Which she hates. Sometimes it takes forever to get reimbursed and it's not that Beth needs the money, it's just that she doesn't think it's right that Deloitte earns interest off of the money that she's owned. She knows finance and she knows how big business is done.
They get in the rental car and head to the hotel that Buffett's employee is staying at. Walking into the front desk, Beth takes out her day planner to get the guys name, asks the front desk attendant, "Can you let Mr. Thompson know that Beth Adams is here, please?"
The attendant does as asks and tells Beth, "Mr. Thompson will be right down. I have a table set up in the atrium, right through those doors. Please have a seat, I will bring in coffee and water for you." She smiles at Beth and Tammy, as it was her job.
Beth asks the attendant, Courtney, "Can you bring some decaf as well?" The attendant nods yes and walk off to get what she had promised. Beth and Tammy make their way into the atrium and find the table that had been prepared for them. Place card that says 'Adams/Thompson' gives them the clue that that was their table. The ladies sat and waited for Mr. Thompson. While she's sitting there, Beth looks over Mr. Thompson's dossier and wonders why he wants to meet with her. She looks up at Tammy and asks, "Have you ever heard of this guy? He's quite impressive." Beth's eyes go back down to the dossier she was reading when Tammy tapped her elbow. Beth looked at her and seen her eyes move into the direction of a man Beth could see out of the corner of her eye.
Beth looked over, as she heard Tammy say, "If that's him, he's REAL impressive. Damn.: Beth turned her eyes back at her assistant and gave her the look like 'keep cool'.
The man indeed was intended for them. He walked up to the table and asked, looking at Beth, "Beth Adams?" Beth smiled and said "Yep, that's me." She extends her hand and introduces Tammy.
Mike Thompson, Vice President of Operations at Berkshire Hathaway, was looking for a personal investor and Warren Buffet highly recommended Beth Adams. Hence the reason for the meeting. Beth had actually considered that Mr. Buffett might be upset with her over her lack of work over the last few weeks, due to her accident. She hadn't talked to him, but others have in her place.
Mr. Thompson asked the ladies, "Have you had breakfast yet, ladies?"
"Yes , we have. We came down early to get breakfast out of the way. Just so when you arrived we could get right down to business." Beth informs her potential client.
Mr. Thompson likes that. "Well, let's get down to business then. Do you know who I am, and what position I hold?: He asks with a slight smirk on his voice. What a silly man, to ask that question of Beth.
"In fact, I do know who you are. I am a professional, Mr. Thompson. I did my research as soon as I was told I was meeting you. I have to admit, quite an impressive dossier. You've done well for yourself, which makes me wonder why you request my services." Beth says, with no affect what so ever. She can't let him know that she's 'on to' him and she'll never show fear. This man has more money than he knows what to do with, and that doesn't scare her. She had the brief thought, 'I'm sleeping with a man that has more money that you.' She smiled inside.
"Miss Adams, I have been told that you know of accounts that aren't publicly traded, and public knowledge. I would like to put some of my money in those accounts. Big investments, bigger return." he tells her.
"Mr. Thompson, I don't deal in anything illegal, all the accounts that are use are public knowledge, at least to the SEC. I don't invest in offshore accounts and I don't do anything that could even have the slightest look of being illegal. The accounts that I think your talking about are actually Mr. Buffett's accounts, and we all know how well his money makes even more money. But you don't need me for that?" She's not understanding what services he's expecting from her. She can invest in anything she need to, but why would she need to invest in Buffet's account for a Buffett employee?
Not realizing that he asked for a meeting with a woman that does know her job, Mr. Thompson says, "I guess I under estimated you, Beth,"
"Please call me Miss Adams. Would you like me to make transactions on your behalf , I'd be more than happy to, I just don't understand it. There are people at Berkshire that can do that for you?" She doesn't mean to sound rude, but it doesn't make sense to her.
"That's just it. I don't want anyone to know about it. I need it done quietly with no one knowing." he confesses. "I'm getting a divorce and I need to put some money away."
Beth is pissed. She went clear up to Napa Valley to handle something she could have done over the phone. And she is always discrete about all transactions she makes. She prides herself on her ethic and on her discretion. Tammy can see the anger on Tammy's face and it's so subtle, that only someone that knows her well could see it.
"Forgive me for being so blunt Mr. Thompson, but you called me all the way up here from L.A. to tell me this? We could have done all of this over the telephone and through emails. I'm actually a little pissed off that you had me come up here for this one transaction." she takes a deep breathe and shakes her head. She's about to the edge of not caring if this guy gets up and walks out. She has already decided that when she gets back to the office, she's calling Warren Buffett and going to express to him her displeasure in Mr. Thompson's attitude and nonsense.
Clearing his throat and smiling at her, the last thing Mr. Thompson said to her was, "I had to come see what all the hub bub was all about. I had to see who stole Jon Bon Jovi from his wife and family." and he paused..............and got no response.
Beth looked at Tammy, nodded toward the door and the two women gathered all of their things, got up and walked away from the table. Neither one looking back, and Tammy on the verge of laughing hysterically. Beth looks to her assistant, as she presses the button for the elevator, and says, "Can you believe that asshole?" The girls grab their bags and head to the airport.
They are an hour early to the airport, so they both take time answer emails, text messages and return phone calls.
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