AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know it is.” It was hard to let go of the control he’d had our entire lives. “But you raised us in the business. We learned everything from you.”
Papà pursed his lips. “That is true.”
“Give him a chance,” Mamma said.
“Leo is smart, and he got the business bug from you,” Harper said.
It felt good to know the women in my life were on my side. Now I just needed my father’s support.
“Get me those numbers, and I’ll look at them.”
Harper smiled at me, and I let out the breath I’d been holding. Maybe, just maybe, I’d get everything I wanted.
Nine
HARPER
My job at Happily Ever Afters was to manage the office, including the contracts, the billing, and the schedule. With three wedding planners and multiple weddings each weekend, it was a large task.
When Gia first hired me, it was to streamline their scheduling by choosing and utilizing a program. After that task was completed, she expanded my role. I loved the job, and I was so grateful to her for offering it to me.
I didn’t have a college degree, and she could easily have justified hiring someone who did. But she always said I was uniquely qualified for the position.
I sat in on the initial consultations with clients to make sure I had a feel for the bride and groom and how demanding they would be so I could work that into the schedule. I also handled all deliveries and vendors. The more Happily Ever Afters grew, the more Gia relied on me.
We started each morning with a meeting between the two of us. Today, I carried the tablet I was never without into her office. She sat behind her large desk, looking professional in a fitted blouse and pencil skirt.
“Did you have a chance to look at the numbers?” Gia asked without looking up.
I sat across from her in the plush leather chair. “We aren’t signing as many couples. Our conversion rate is down.”
“Do we know where they’re going?” Gia asked.
Some couldn’t afford a wedding planner, or one of Gia’s caliber, others already had another planner in mind—a friend or even a family member—and others went to an all-inclusive option, either a destination wedding or something like Silas Sharpe’s Chesapeake Resort. “Since the last time we talked about it, I started sending follow-up emails with a survey asking if they’d tell us why they chose not to use our services. Of those that responded, they either said they decided to go without, or they went to Chesapeake Resort.”
Gia groaned.
“There’s not enough data to conclude that Silas’s resort is the problem.” The luxury resort bordered the bay, offering a golf course, two large pools—indoor and outdoor—a spa, and several five-star restaurants. Silas employed his own wedding planner and didn’t allow any outside planners on-site.
Gia pursed her lips. “Oh, Silas is most definitely a problem.”
“The fact is, we’re booking fewer high-budget weddings.” I wasn’t positive about the reason yet. Gia had her suspicions, but I wasn’t convinced. I needed more data.
“We need the high-budget weddings to float the business the rest of the year.” Gia voiced what we already knew.
“What are we going to do? I don’t want to let anyone go. Aria just started handling her own weddings. Not only that, but we’re friends with them.” They’d become family. We had a contract with outside vendors like Lily, Sophie, Abby, and Harrison, but Aria and Ireland were salaried employees.
“I think Ireland loves this job, but she hasn’t expressed any interest in being promoted. Not like Aria has.”
“I think it’s because she doesn’t have to work. She genuinely enjoys working with brides and keeping busy.” It was my understanding that Ireland had a trust fund to fall back on. She enjoyed this job but most likely didn’t need it. “But it’s not fair to take her trust fund into consideration when deciding who we might need to let go.”
“Definitely not. It’s just that Aria needs this job. I like what both planners bring to the business, and I don’t want to lose either of them. Some brides are more suited to Aria’s personality, and others to Ireland’s. That’s what makes this service so unique.”
“We don’t want to lose anyone.” It was better for everyone to have more planners on staff. I didn’t want Gia to overextend herself by managing the weddings on her own.
“There has to be another way to bring in business before we consider cutting staff. We need to assume a certain percentage of brides will prefer the all-inclusive option, so how do we lure more brides interested in what we have to offer?” Gia asked, and, as always, I was surprised she asked for and relied on my opinion.
“I’ve always thought of the business as a specialized service. Brides come here to be taken care of.” It wasn’t just hiring someone to assist you. In most cases, we became close with the couple and their family, rejoicing alongside them at the ceremonies.
