“And now?” my father asked.
“Now, I can take on that responsibility. I can take a look at properties, I can take Lucas with me to assess their worth and design. I can call up Flynn and punch some numbers, and Wisteria Lake Designs can go from a simple design firm to an entire one-stop-shop for outfitting and flipping homes,” I said.
“Which is what we want to do in the end,” Lucas said.
I glanced over at my brother as he sat up straight in his chair. He always had the posture of Dad whenever he got on a roll with something serious. Massive, bulky, with steely eyes like our father. He was the only one in the family that had them, and it made him a very intimidating force to be reckoned with.
“If you take away the fact that the place burned to the ground, it doesn't sound like a bad idea,” my mother said. I let out the breath I was holding as my father crossed his arms over his chest.
“Why didn’t you boys come to us any sooner than this?” my father asked.
“Because we knew you would try your hardest to
negotiate for something else. Something that didn’t scoot you and Mom out of the company. And we get it. It’s always been a family operation. But for years we’ve all strived to get out from underneath your shadow, and we can’t do that if you still have your hands in our company,” I said.
“Do you not like it being a family operation?” my mother asked.
“It’s not about that, Mom. It’s about establishing something for ourselves. We all know Drew is groomed to take over your real estate empire when the two of you decide to retire. And Drew doesn’t want any part in Wisteria Lake,” I said.
“It’s true. I don’t want anything to do with the house-flipping business,” Drew said.
“And we’ve made a good reputation for ourselves. Despite this fire, the historical society has given us the okay to reconstruct another one of their properties and sell it. We’re on a good track despite this hiccup,” Lucas said.
“Which property?” my father asked.
“It doesn't matter right now. We can talk about it later. That isn’t the point of this conversation,” I said.
“Then what is the point?” my mother asked.
“I guess, right now, it’s to sell you guys on that fact. Our eventual goal is to buy out you and Dad’s ten percent that you hold in Wisteria Lake and to make this a Wilder Brothers operation and not a Wilder Family operation. It’s time we took this to where we want it,” I said.
“And that doesn't include us,” my father said.
“It doesn’t include your reputation and public influence. There’s a difference,” Lucas said.
My parents looked at one another before they both heaved a sigh. And it was all the signal we needed. I glanced over at Lucas and I watched him bury the grin rolling across his cheeks. My parents always sighed like that when they were about to throw in the towel. And it didn’t happen often.
“How much are you thinking the ten percent is worth?” my father asked.
“In the beginning, the two of you tossed us five hundred thousand for it. But, the business has done very well since then. Wisteria Lake Designs easily grosses fifteen million a year, so we feel a fair price for the ten percent is one and a half million,” Flynn said.
“That’s on the nose,” my mother said.
“An accurate valuation,” my father said.
“Your father and I will consider it on one condition.”
“We will?” my father asked.
“Name it, Mom,” I said.
“You wait to buy us out until after this issue with the mansion has been resolved. If you need our influence, presence, or money in any aspect of this, I want to be able to help out as part of the company,” she said.
“They just said they didn’t—”
“Kane. I love you, but no one has yet addressed that there’s a possibility this could be foul play. That someone could have intentionally burned that place down because of our boys. I want to be able to help as a part of the firm if that’s the case,” my mother said. My parents locked eyes with one another before my father nodded.
“Do you boys have any idea who might have burned down a place like that if it is arson?” he asked.