Beyond the Point(68)
“I’m thinking you should let the other researchers take the reins this next go-round,” Mr. Webb finally said. “No need to waste your talent on the grunt work.”
“I like the grunt work,” Dani said. “I like the research.”
“Well, unfortunately, I don’t see you here much longer.”
Dani furrowed her brow in an expression of utter confusion. What did he mean, he didn’t see her here much longer? And why in the world was he smiling if he was about to fire her?
“Let me be straight with you, Dani,” he said, then paused. “I’m here to offer you a promotion. How would you feel about moving to London?”
Dani stared at him and then laughed, thinking this surely was some kind of mistake. Twenty minutes ago, she was staring at Boston, excited about her Thanksgiving plans. And now Jim Webb was sending her to live in a different country?
“You want me to work on Laura Klein’s team?” Dani asked. Her memory was fuzzy. She remembered the woman’s British accent. The posh black dress. At that career fair, Laura had made some joke about expecting Dani to be a man. The few e-mails they’d exchanged in the last year had all been short. Terse, even. “Wait. Does she know about this?”
“It’s less about what she wants, and more about what the company needs. We need someone like you on the creative side. Someone who can bring all that”—he pointed toward Pete’s desk, indicating the research—“to the actual creative product. I think someone who knows the target consumer as intimately as you do needs to be on the marketing team.”
Dani’s mind raced. When she considered all the logistics of an overseas move—the housing and the packing and living so far away from family—it seemed like such a hassle. She’d only just finished decorating her apartment here! And she’d be even farther removed from her friends. But then again, Hannah was deploying to Afghanistan and Avery lived in North Carolina, which required a plane trip anyway. Why limit herself to the States?
“When?” Dani asked.
“January. That gives you a couple of months to move and get situated. Oh, and I forgot the most important part,” Webb added. “It’s a change in salary, too.”
He wrote a number on a piece of paper and pushed it toward her. Despite the shock she felt at seeing the number, she kept her face neutral. She’d learned at West Point, the first rule of negotiation was to never to show your cards too quickly.
“That’s great, but you and I both know the cost of moving will be steep. The cost of living in London, I imagine, is pretty different than Boston,” said Dani.
“We can include a corporate travel account with Delta, so you won’t have to pay for your flights to and from the U.S. And you’ll be eligible for bonuses at this level. So that will sweeten the deal a good bit. You’re good at your job, McNalley. You deserve this.”
On the outside, Dani nodded and acted as though she were considering it all very soberly. On the inside, her mind was racing. To turn down this job would be stupid. So what if she was only selling razors? Razors made people’s lives better. This was a blessing, Dani decided. A gift. Staring at the number on the page in front of her, she wondered what she would even do with that kind of money.
“Okay,” Dani said, nodding as if she were trying to convince herself that this conversation was real. “Okay.”
17
Fall 2005 // Boston, Massachusetts
Clink, clink, clink!
“A toast.”
Dani’s brother, Dominic, stood at the center of the table, holding a glass of champagne. He looked almost exactly like Dani, Avery thought, only tall and bald, with thick Buddy Holly–style glasses and the same glowing McNalley aura. Dominic’s partner, Charles, a Canadian-born physics professor, sat beside him, surreptitiously feeding their pug, Daisy, scraps of food under the table.
A half-carved turkey rested in front of Avery, surrounded by empty dishes, where an hour earlier had been the most beautiful assortment of delicacies: sweet potatoes, roasted corn, fresh broccoli, creamed spinach, acorn squash stuffed with mushrooms and rice. Tim stretched his arm over the back of Hannah’s chair. Locke Coleman cut his girlfriend, Amanda, another slice of pumpkin pie. Dani’s parents had retired to the living room to watch football, leaving two empty chairs beside Dani, who sat at the head of the table, rolling her eyes at her brother’s theatrical toast. Noah’s hand warmly massaged the back of Avery’s neck, and a thimbleful of red wine sat in her glass. She was surprised to see the glass so empty. It had been full at least twice during dinner.
Everyone was leaning back in their seats, bellies full, smiles wide, though in all honesty, Avery was still hungry. Noah had convinced her of the benefits of vegetarianism, but staring at that leftover turkey on the table, Avery’s mouth watered with desire. She’d never not eaten turkey at Thanksgiving. She found herself growing jealous of Dominic’s pug.
“I drink to the general joy of the whole table,” Dominic began, raising his glass.
“That’s Shakespeare,” interjected Charles. “How about something original, Dom?”
“Pipe down, Charles. I’m talking.”
Noah reached for the open bottle of wine and refilled Avery’s glass.
“Like I said,” Dani’s little brother continued, “I drink to your joy. But most of all, I drink to my sister, whose greatest joy in life is to share it with others.”