Read Lost Boys for Free Online Page B

there was no way he could sign that agreement. “I just moved my family to Steuben on the strength of a contract with Eight Bits that said nothing about this. As far as I’m concerned, this paper means that you are in material breach of our contract. So if your lawyer won’t revise this agreement, he’ll be talking to my lawyer about getting from Eight Bits the costs of moving here, the costs of moving back , and, if we can get the court to agree to it, and I think we can, a year’s salary. You have my phone number.”
    Step could not believe that he was already quitting and it was only eleven in the morning, but in a way it was almost a relief. The scene in Ray’s office and Dicky’s display in the staff meeting had already made Step so wary of the future here that having an excuse to leave sounded just fine to him. But his bold talk about what a lawyer could get for him was just talk—even if it worked out that way, litigation would drag on until they were long past financial inconvenience. It wasn’t just the mortgage on the house in Vigor and the cost of moving here. It was the fact that they had expected to pay last year’s taxes out of the royalty check this past fall, and so now they were deeply in debt to the IRS, and even bankruptcy couldn’t get them out of that. Quitting this job would be such a devastating blow that they’d probably end up slithering back to Orem, Utah, to live in DeAnne’s parents’ basement while the IRS auctioned off everything they owned.
    And still it felt pretty good to be walking toward the door in Cowboy Bob’s office.
    â€œWait a minute, Step,” said Cowboy Bob.
    Step turned around. The vice-president of finance was reaching into a drawer of his desk and pulling out another paper. “Since you didn’t like that first one, try this one before you walk out on us and we have to sue you for breach.”
    Step came back and took the paper out of his hand. He read it without sitting down. To his disbelief, it was a version of the agreement that could only have been written for him—it excluded prior software, it excluded programming on computers for which Eight Bits Inc. was not publishing software, and the noncompetition clause was for exactly one year.
    â€œYou already had this written,” said Step.
    â€œYep,” said Cowboy Bob.
    â€œSo why did you show me that other?”
    â€œBecause you might’ve signed it.” Cowboy Bob grinned. “This is business, Step.”
    Step stood there looking at him, debating inside himself whether he wanted even to live on the same planet with this guy, let alone work with him.
    â€œWe’ve met every one of your objections, Step,” Cowboy Bob prodded him.
    â€œI’m just wondering whether there’s another paper in that drawer.”
    â€œThere is. It has our lawyer’s phone number on it. How do I put this kindly, Step? Sign or be sued.”
    â€œGee, Bob, is this the way you talk to all the boys?”
    â€œLook at it this way, Step. You won’t be working with me. The only thing you’ll know about me is that I sign your paycheck, and after you get a few of those you’ll like me just fine. You’re pissed off now, but that’ll pass, and in six months maybe we’ll have a couple of beers together and laugh about how mad you were this first day.”
    â€œI don’t drink,” said Step.
    â€œYeah, I forgot, you’re a Mormon,” said Cowboy Bob. “Well, then, that’s out. Because looking at you, I’d say you could never forgive me without a couple of beers in you.”
    He said it with such a twinkle in his eye that Step couldn’t help but smile. So Cowboy Bob knew he was a son-of-a-bitch, and didn’t particularly mind. Well, Bob, I know you’re a son-of-a-bitch, and I guess I don’t mind that much either.
    Step laid the paper down on the desk, signed it, and