Jeff took a deep breath. “Okay. I know this is hard to hear, and the last thing I want to do is stress you out, Bob. But maybe we need to focus on one of the projects and let the other one go. I mean, it sounds like this would be a challenge if you were running the show, but with a new and inexperienced CEO like me, this could be a recipe for disaster.”

Bob nodded and took a drink of his water. “I understand.”

Jeff wanted to be relieved, but he sensed that a qualifier was coming. He was right.

His uncle's smile slid into a wince. “It's just that the legal nature of the hospital deal is that if we back out, we lose a huge chunk of capital. And they've already advanced us a first payment on the hotel, part of which we're using to finish the Oak Ridge shopping center.”

Jeff was now starting to feel very warm, and not in a good way. He took a long drink from the beer bottle in front of him. “So we're talking about cash flow issues? And this is too much to walk away from?”

Bob nodded. “Oh yeah. It would be a deal breaker for the firm.” Then his smile returned. “But as soon as we get these projects going, we'll be fine from a cash standpoint.”

Suddenly, Jeff was not appreciating his uncle so much.

Bob tried to cheer him up. “You can do this, Jeff. You're smarter than I am. You're younger than I am. And you'll have plenty of help.”

Jeff's tone changed. “How long ago did this all happen?” He was beginning to sound a little accusatory.

“Well, like I said, the hotel deal closed yesterday, and the hospital came through—”

“No, I mean with the doctor?” Jeff interrupted.

Bob was puzzled. “Well, that was just yesterday afternoon. It was supposed to be just a precautionary test because I had a little pain recently.” His eyes opened widely as he suddenly realized what Jeff was getting at. “You don't think that I knew all this and set you up, do you? I wouldn't do that to you, Jeff.”

Bob started to sound a little choked up. “If I had any idea that I'd be leaving the business, I would never have agreed to these projects and put you in this dilemma.”

Jeff felt terrible for his uncle and for having seemed to distrust him. But he couldn't help but ask the next question: “So then you don't think I can do it?”

“No, that's not what I meant. I just meant that putting you in a situation like this is not something I would have done on purpose. But that doesn't mean you can't manage it. You'll hire a few more people. It's just a matter of scale. It will be fine.”

Jeff hoped Bob really meant it. He wasn't convinced.