Sisters by Choice (Blackberry Island #4)(66)

“Sister, you need a lot of help and you’re not going to get it acting the way you do. You don’t know everything, but you seem to think you’re the only one with information or expertise or drive.”

Had she been talking to Dugan? “I don’t mean to be like that.”

“Whether or not you mean it isn’t important. In the end, it’s what you do that matters. Have you read what your former employees say about you online?”

Sophie tried not to flinch. “I’ve been catching up on that in recent days.” There was a common theme in the comments, and most of them included calling her a bitch. Sometimes a class A bitch, which didn’t seem like a compliment.

“I have control issues.”

“You have a lot more than that.” Maggie leaned toward her. “I’ll admit I like what you’re doing at CK and I think there’s a lot of potential. You desperately need some custom products that wow your customers and make them want to have them, no matter the price. You need to be the go-to place for the crazy cat ladies out there. A lot of them have money.”

“I do need all that, and you’re the person to make it happen.”

“I don’t think I can work for you. You’d piss me off so much, I might do something I’d regret.”

“I’d give you free rein.”

Maggie’s eyebrows rose. “No one believes that for a second.”

“I’d try really hard. I want this to work. I want your contacts and expertise. I want CK to grow. I want to have the special products that make my customers love the brand even more.”

Maggie looked doubtful.

“Don’t sell your house,” Sophie said impulsively. “Keep it. I’ll rent you a house on Blackberry Island. I’ll pay to move your family. If it doesn’t work out, you can come back here, no worse for the wear.”

“Except I won’t have a job.” Maggie’s tone was dry.

“I’ll promise you six months’ severance.”

“Do I get a pony, too?”

“Do you want one?”

“God, no.” She sighed. “You’re serious about all this.”

“Even the pony.”

“You shouldn’t put it all out there,” Maggie advised. “It really reduces your ability to negotiate.”

“I don’t want to negotiate. I want you to come work for me. I think we’d be a great team.”

Maggie drew in a breath. “I’ll pick the house we rent, but you’ll pay for it.”

The rush of elation left Sophie filled with hope and anticipation. “I will.”

Maggie groaned. “I really hope I don’t regret this.”

“You won’t.” Sophie held out her hand. “Welcome to the CK family.”

Maggie shook hands with her. “Try not to be so annoying that I have to kill you.”

Sophie grinned. “We’re going to get along just fine.”

  Heather really liked working for Elliot. He was smart, he knew his stuff and despite the fact that she was pretty sure she disappointed him on a regular basis, he was always patient and kind. She always did her best, putting in extra time when she could, so as to give him what he wanted. But there were days when no matter how she tried, she could tell he wasn’t happy with what she’d done.

He scanned the report she’d finished and set it on the desk. The stern set of his face told her she’d failed. Whatever pride she’d had in the job faded until she was left wondering what she’d done wrong this time. She knew the ratios were right—she’d double-checked her math. She’d looked up the information he’d wanted; she’d prepared the background material. She’d stayed at her desk until nearly midnight to get it all right.

“Tell me about your mother,” Elliot said unexpectedly.

“My mother?”

“When you first started working for me you said I shouldn’t fire you because you’d already quit your breakfast waitressing job and that you had to take care of your mother.”

Heather wished she could crawl under the desk and disappear. “She’s, ah, my mom.”

“Helpful.”

“I don’t know what you want to know.”

“You’re what? Twenty? Twenty-one? So she’s in her early forties. Why do you take care of her? Is she ill?”

“No.” She hesitated. “My mom got pregnant right out of high school. The guy was long gone before she even knew she was pregnant.” Heather didn’t bother explaining about the rodeo cowboy because that would only make things sound even more pathetic. “She had to give up college and any chance for a future because of me.”

“So now you take care of her?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Most families are.” He looked at her for a long time. “I can’t decide if you want more than you have or if it’s just cheap talk.”

“I want more,” she insisted. “You’ve seen how hard I work. I was going to community college until this quarter.” No need to mention the reason, she thought grimly. “I’ll go back. I want to get off the island and start my life.”

“And I want to believe you.” He leaned back in his chair. “You’re like clay. Unformed and useless.”