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She snorted. “Like what? I didn’t work for three years. No one wants to take a chance on someone out for so long, especially someone who’s turning thirty-five.”
He didn’t like that she saw herself that way—like she had an expiration date stamped on her and she was counting down the days until she was thrown away. “Your birthday bothers you a lot.”
“Heck yeah, it bothers me a lot.” She lowered her voice. “I’m a grown woman living at home with her grandmother. I have nothing to my name, and I’m doing entry-level work. I feel like a failure.”
“You’re looking at this wrong.”
She blinked at him. “Okay, I’ll bite. Tell me what you mean.”
“You’re a grown woman, yes. You have a breadth of experience that few people have. You’ve been in a relationship and understand the ins and outs of that. You had a career before. I’m assuming you were successful.”
“I was,” she answered carefully. “How did you know that?”
“Otherwise, it wouldn’t bother you so much to be so underutilized, not to mention you’re not the sort of person to just go through the motions.” He nodded. “You understand how to get people on board with a project, and you see what needs to be sequentially in order to attain success. I’d hire you in an instant.”
“Well, gosh.” She sat back. “Do you need an assistant?”
Something clicked in his mind, and suddenly he saw what Didier had been pushing at him, albeit a grander version that involved more than him dishing out advice half-naked. The clarity of the vision rocked him back. It was like when he was running toward the goal and he could see the ball’s path clearly straight into the net.
“What is it?” she asked.
It didn’t surprise him that she’d noticed his reaction, but he needed to think it out before he talked to her about it. So he simply said, “You aren’t assistant material, love. You’re more of a boss.”
“I thought I wanted to be the boss, but today threw that into question.” Blowing out a deep breath, she leaned toward him. “Okay, I thought I’d be able to set this aside until tomorrow, but I guess I’m not good at compartmentalizing. You know I did my presentation today.”
“And you were brilliant,” he said because he knew she would have been.
“I was.” She brightened happily for a moment before she seemed to droop. “I was so excited. I could feel the promotion fall right into my lap with each passing minute. But then my boss dropped a bomb on me.”
He watched the worry tighten across her face. “What?”
“You have to promise not to tell anyone.”
“I promise,” he said, though that went without saying.
“I found out that the project my promotion hinges on is a redevelopment project in Hyde Park.”
He stilled, already seeing where this was going. “Is it going to threaten Lottie’s home?”
“Not yet, but it looks like that’s the next stage.” She winced. “Only it’s not just Lottie’s house. It’s Clancy’s too. They want to replace that entire block with an upscale storefront. I’m afraid that Chris won’t have any choice but to sell out, and that’d break his heart. He promised his grandfather that he’d make it work. The problem is Clancy’s is barely making it, so if they squeeze him, he won’t have any recourse.”
He shook his head. “The real problem is that if they find out that you’re helping Chris, your job will be jeopardized.”
“I know, but I have to help Chris. He’s been my best friend since I was a kid.” She wilted against the seat. “They told me that the second phase of the project probably won’t get approved.”
“That’s utter shite,” he said matter-of-factly. “If they had in-depth plans for the project, they’ve been approved on some level, even if it’s just verbal. They want you on the team because you’re good and you’re from the neighborhood, so you’ll be able to pitch the project more successfully than businesspeople who have no ties to the community.”
She blinked at him. “You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”
“I have cousins in business. I listen when they talk.” He grinned crookedly. “Mostly.”
After a moment of introspection, she sighed. “I want the promotion, Jamie.”
“Okay.” He rapped his knuckles on the table.
“Okay?” She tipped her head.
He nodded. “You’ll get the promotion, and we’ll make sure Chris is set.”
