Shipped(78)

Christina launches herself at me in a bone-crushing hug. “Barbara told me.”

Bad news sure travels fast. Tory bustles into the bathroom behind Christina. Barbara is hot on her heels.

“Henley, I’m so sorry,” Tory says, platinum eyebrows pinched. Her voice echoes in the empty bathroom.

It takes me two heartbeats to register that Christina is actually hugging me, a veritable first, before I squeeze her back. My tear ducts decide to swell like we’re watching a Hallmark movie, and a big, fat tear rolls down my nose.

“Thanks, guys.” Disconnecting, I grab a paper towel at the dispenser near my elbow and dab it under my eyes.

“This is some grade-A bullshit,” says Christina.

I shrug. “James didn’t like my proposal. What can you do?”

“You don’t have to take it lying down,” Barbara offers from beside the sink.

“How so?”

“Go over his head,” she says.

“What, to Marlen?”

“Yes,” Tory chimes in. “He always says at our all-company meetings that he welcomes fresh ideas from any of the staff—even though he’s the CEO. What if you took your proposal to him directly? Maybe he would overrule James and give you the promotion?”

A month ago, I would have jumped at the slightest possibility of a second chance for a director role. But now…

“No. Screw the promotion.”

Tory and Christina exchange openmouthed expressions of shock.

“Um, Henley, is that you? Or is that a brain-eating amoeba talking?” Christina asks, eyeing me like a doctor examining a terminal patient.

“Screw it,” I enunciate. “This goes way past the promotion. I did something in the Galápagos, something good.”

The vision of the dead baby finch, Doug and Analisa’s gratitude, and the enthusiastic faces of the guests when they had the chance to give back flash through my mind and I stand a little straighter. “I’m going to Marlen, but it’s not about the promotion anymore. It’s about taking a stand for something that can make an actual difference in the world.”

Tory nods, her cheeks bunching in a wide grin.

“How can we help?” asks Barbara.

“Well, to start, what’s the best way to get a meeting with Marlen?”

“Let me work my executive assistant magic.”

Barbara turns to leave but I catch her by the arm. “Barb, why are you helping me? Not that I don’t appreciate it, just—why?” Barbara and I get along, but we’re not exactly friends. We’ve never spent time together outside of work, and besides our snarky exchanges about James, we haven’t really spoken all that much.

Her full lips quirk. “You remind me of me when I was younger. Before life threw me some babies and an ex-husband and my hopes for college and a fulfilling career went out the window. It wasn’t my dream to be a secretary, you know. But now I get to live vicariously through you.”

“It’s not too late. You can always go back to school, get a degree…”

She shakes her head. “Don’t worry about me. This is your time. Just don’t give up without a fight.” She strides out of the bathroom.

Christina steps forward. “What can we do to help?”

I rub my jaw as I begin pacing. “If I’m going to present this idea to Marlen, I’m not limiting myself to the Galápagos. I’m scaling up. What if I proposed the creation of a company-wide conservation initiative that touches all of the regions we operate in? A major pivot toward ecotourism?”

“Like a company-wide rebranding campaign?” says Christina.

I nod.

Tory blows out a long breath. “That’s complicated. You’d need to identify organizations that we could partner with in every region, preferably nonprofits that overlap with our itineraries. Then there’s the cost of handling guest donations, and the legal framework to protect us from liability. We’d have to update the website, all of our printed materials…”

My shoulders slump.

Tory pulls out her cell and taps the screen. “One second, let me make a call. Hey, babe,” she says into her phone, and walks over to the far side of the bathroom, murmuring quietly.

My own phone dings. A notification has popped up. Lunch w/Walsh in 10 minutes. I shoot her a quick text, letting her know lunch may be off and to stand by.

Tory returns and slips her phone into her back pocket. “I told Michelle about your idea, and she says she’ll help. She can advise on some of the legal aspects and I’ll work the numbers.”

The bathroom door opens again and Barbara reappears. “I talked to Rose, Marlen’s executive assistant. I got you a meeting with Marlen this Thursday morning at ten. Sorry it’s so soon, but it was the only opening he had for the next two weeks.”

My heartbeat accelerates. That’s less than forty-eight hours from now. “Thanks, Barbara. You’re the best.”

“Planning meeting at your place tonight?” says Christina, pushing off from the counter and brushing her hands together. “Tory, does that work for you and Michelle?”

“Of course.”

“Barb, you in?” she adds.

Barbara nods. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

Three pairs of eyes study me expectantly, and I find my own misting. “You don’t know how much this means to me.” Lips quirking, Tory wraps an arm around me just as Christina does the same. I return the hugs. How did I get so lucky to have such good friends? “Tonight it is.”