Page 49 of All My Heart

“As long as your work is getting done.” His tone was chiding.

“Don't worry. It is.” I should tell him about my plan for design services. “I know you said you weren't sure about combining construction with design?—”

“I told you we'd think about it.”

My stomach tightened. “Yeah, but it's been over a year since I initially mentioned it.”

“I don't think our customers need that service. They already know what they want.”

“Not all of them, and they find someone else to do it for them.” Frustration crept up my spine.

“You can't know that. I don't want to spread ourselves too thin.”

My heart was pounding. I rarely did something like this on my own. “I offered my services to a few clients, and they said yes.”

Dad was quiet for so long I checked to see if he'd hung up.

“I don't like that.”

My face flushed. “Why?”

“I don't want you bugging the clients, trying to sell them something. They come to us for construction. That's what we do.”

Dad was so set in his ways.

“I'm only talking about the clients who ask if we offer a design service. I said the company doesn't, but that I'm starting my own.”

“How do you think that looks? My daughter peddling a service to my clients on the side?”

My shoulders lowered. “I don't think they know I'm your daughter necessarily.”

“In this town?”

“Don't you think I should get the business over someone else?”

“I don't like mixing the two,” Dad grumbled.

I blew out a breath. “I'll continue working for you, but I'm going to start this business on the side. I won't say anything to the customers when I call them, but I'm going to market it.”

“Why are you insisting on this?” Dad asked.

“Because I need to do something else. You've never let me work in the business the way I want to.”

“We've talked about this. Your brothers do the construction.”

“Why can't I? Is it because I'm a girl?” I asked, irritation making me bold.

“We need someone in the office.”

“And it has to be me?” When he didn't answer, I continued, “I'll stay while I get my business off the ground, but I think you should look at other options for your administrative issues.”

“You can't be serious.”

It was outside of my dad's understanding why I'd ever want to work somewhere else. “I've saved some. Maybe it's time for me to buy a place and try my hand at some renovations.” Working with Axel had made me realize it was something I could do. And we were learning new skills sanding and staining the wood floors.

“I didn't realize you were so unhappy.”

“I have a different vision for working for the company than you do, and I'm realizing that they're not ever going to line up.”

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