AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Summer gave a firm nod. “Absolutely. Why not? In fact, you should take photographs for the company and work with the marketing and web design team at W. L. Robotics. I know you haven’t thought about what you want to study at school, but photography and marketing would use your two talents.”
“Two?” Natalie asked.
“You’re really smart, Natalie. You see how to get people interested in things through advertising. You’re always talking about the stuff you see on social media and TV. What you like. What youdon’t. You see things in a way others don’t always see them. You could be a real asset to the company, or any company’s marketing department.”
“I never thought about it,” Natalie confessed.
“You should. You can add real value to the company your father and Cody built. You have all the talent to do something you enjoy that doesn’t feel like work to you. I could even see you working for an ad agency.”
Natalie sat there stunned.
Summer went even further. “There are lots of possibilities to use your love of photography. You just have to find the one you like best and go for it.”
“Don’t you think Dad wants me to study business or engineering and work for the company?”
“Did he ever say that to you?” Summer didn’t think so.
“No. Not really. It’s the family business. Cody works there. Brooke, too.”
“From what I’ve learned, they chose to work there. It was a way for them to carry on their dad’s work. But that doesn’t mean you have to, unless you want to, too.”
Natalie had never considered that she had anything to offer a robotics company. But now... Yeah, it might be nice to be a part of the family business. Or maybe an ad agency where she got to work on lots of different products. Maybe even do fashion shoots.
Summer touched her shoulder. “I see the wheels are turning. Whatever you want to do or be, you can do it. All you have to do is try. And if it turns out you find you like something else more, you can do that, too. Not everyone knows exactly what they want to be when they grow up. Some people have to try lots of different things before they find it.”
Natalie stared at Summer. “You were born into your position.”
Summer laughed under her breath. “I suppose I was. Most ofthe time, I like it. I like knowing that I’m carrying on something my grandfather built. I want to make him proud.”
“Even though he kept a big secret from you?”
“The reasons he did are complicated and layered. I’m angry that he did it, but I also see that some of the reasons why he did it are valid and could have made my life, and Dad’s, and by extension yours, worse in some ways.”
“Because your mother would have caused trouble.”
“She can be incredibly selfish and shortsighted. She doesn’t foresee how her actions affect others negatively.”
“She likes to get what she wants.”
Summer nodded. “Yes.”
“It seems like you’ve got everything. Money. Houses. Your own business.”
“I have a lot of stuff,” Summer agreed. “But the more stuff you have, at least for me, the more you see what really matters. I didn’t wish for ponies and parties and clothes when I was young. I wanted my dad. I wanted someone who put me first. I wanted to matter to someone.”
An alarm went off on Summer’s phone. She pulled it out and checked it. “Time to help your mom make dinner.”
“Do you miss having a personal chef?”
Summer shook her head. “Not even a little bit. I love hanging out with your mom, talking about her day. She tells the best stories about why people love and hate the homes she shows them. Oh, and some of the god-awful decorating things in the houses. Some of the photos she’s shown me make me cringe. But also laugh.”
“I’ll come down and help you guys, I guess.”
“I’d love that.” Summer headed for the door. “Careful on the stairs with your sore ankle.”
That made Natalie wince, because her ankle was fine.
And maybe Summer wasn’t so bad after all.
