Page 29 of The Overtime Persuasive

“Look, I know showing someone your accounts is personal, and I know you’re proud of this place and all you’ve done. I’m not asking you clarifying questions because I think you can’t handle it. I know you can handle it, Eva.” I reach for the book that goes on top. “But, I have a business degree, and I like spreadsheets more than any normal person should. If you want another pair of eyes, I’ll look. If you don’t, I’ll keep folding boxes.”

She stops working. “You have a business degree?”

“Ouch.”

“No, I only meant—” She waves one hand in my general direction. “You.”

“Excellent recovery.”

“I’ve seen you sing karaoke with a lampshade on your head.”

“One time at my dad’s birthday party.” I place a hand on my hip. “I know because I’ve only sang karaoke once.”

“So the lampshade is a usual thing?” She stares at me for another moment, then returns to the tissue paper when I don’t respond.

“Lucy would already be going through my laptop,” she says.

“Well, we may be twins, but in case you haven’t noticed, we aren’t one hundred percent alike.”

“True. She looks better in a lampshade.”

We work in silence for the next few minutes. Two more boxes join the finished row before Eva wipes her hands on her jeans and walks over to the laptop.

“Okay. Fine.” She wakes the screen and opens a spreadsheet. “But I’m not asking you to tell me whether I can pay the assessment. We already know I can.”

“You’re starting with paying them twenty percent up front, right?”

“Yep. Twenty-four hundred dollars. Then the remaining ninety-six hundred, plus interest, through the payment plan––and, if you look at this, I think I can cover everything.” She turns the laptop toward me. “Even with inventory for the next boxes, the store’s regular expenses, and payroll if I bring someone in.”

The spreadsheet in front of me is detailed. More detailed than I expected, which is probably unfair to her.

Eva’s listed her projected store revenue, online orders, subscription income, supplier costs, shipping, utilities, insurance, loan payments, taxes, and the hourly cost of the employee she wants to hire.

“You included payroll taxes,” I say.

“Of course I included payroll taxes, are you surprised?” She crosses her arms.

“I’m not surprised, I’m impressed.”

“That’s…nicer than I thought you were going to be.”

“Eva, I’m nice. Maybe you’re defensive?” I ask, and she playfully smacks my arm. Laughing, I scroll farther down. “So, this is monthly?”

She nods.

“That changes things, Eva.” I sit back, and tilt my head to the side and point to the screen. “That’s why it looks comfortable.”

Her expression changes immediately. “I really don’t want you to tell me I can’t afford it.”

“I’m not,” I say, pointing to the screen. “Your income covers your expenses over the course of the month. But that doesn’t mean the money will be in your account on the day each bill comes due.”

Her lips twist. “That sounds like the beginning of bad news.”

“More like specific news.” I pull an empty chair closer and sit down. “You need a thirteen-week cash-flow forecast. Where we put every payment and deposit into the week it will actually happen. Nothing enormous.”

“Why thirteen weeks?”

“It gives us roughly three months. Far enough out to show where the pressure builds, but close enough that we’re using real numbers instead of inventing an entire imaginary year.”