Page 24 of Hidden Chance

“I am.”

“Are you?”

“Okay, maybe not excited, but that is good news.”

“Then why do you look disappointed?”

“I’m not. I just…I was excited about working here originally because of all the good that I thought TreadCraft was doing. I wanted to be a part of that.”

“You don’t have to be running the fundraiser to be a part of it.”

“How can I have an impact on it if I’m not a part of it?”

“Why are the company’s efforts never good enough for you?”

“It’s a nice sentiment, but it’s all about window dressing for them. If I thought they actually cared…I don’t know. Don’t listen to me. Forget I said anything.”

“No wonder you’re exhausting yourself. You set your expectations way too high for a company like this. You have to temper yourself. They carry a lot of responsibility for a lot of people, including shareholders who expect a good profit. TreadCraft can’t afford to look at the world the way you do. But that’s why we needsomeone like you here to keep championing these things. Just don’t push too hard.”

She hated that what he said made sense. “I know. I shouldn’t let myself get disappointed. I think I lost some steam after how badly that meeting went.”

“It didn’t go that bad.”

“I ran into Marty in the lobby a couple of days ago. She barely said two words to me.”

“Don’t worry about her. You’re doing a great job here. And promise me you’ll never change.”

“I thought you didn’t like how hard I was pushing.”

“Yeah, well, maybe. But we need more Hannahs in the world. You provide the balance. Your morality is a breath of fresh air—but too much oxygen can make it hard to breathe.”

“Is that even true?”

“Yes, I looked it up.”

“So you’ve been preparing for this?”

“I’m your boss. I’m trying to look after you.”

“And where does your morality stand in all of this?” She was tired of him patronizing her.

“Me? I stay out of it. To each his own, I say. Life’s too short.”

“So you want me to keep fighting, but also lighten up.”

“No, I think you should stop fighting altogether. There are some battles worth giving your all for, and this is not one of them.”

“But you just said?—”

“I said don’t lose that edge, but you don’t need to fight all the time. You can work together with them onthis. Just follow their lead. Go where they go, and don’t stick your nose in too far.”

“And lighten up.”

He smiled. “Only once in a while. It wouldn’t hurt. Maybe come to this year’s Christmas party so we can see the other side of Hannah Reynolds.”

“Why would I be any different at a Christmas party?”

“Everyone is different. That’s what an open bar does to people.”

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