Page 100 of February

“I know. Okay. Yeah. Just let me take it from here. I’ve got to go now so that I can do that, okay?”

“Okay, honey. Have a good day,” he said.

Monica hung up the phone just as Bridgette emerged from the bathroom.

“I have to tell you something,” she said.

CHAPTER 23

Bridgette hadn’t heard that right.

“They didwhat?” she asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

“They called my dad. I promise, I told my dad that I thought we shouldn’t–”

“Mon, I believe you. I don’t think you did anything to bring this on.” Bridgette looked down at the comforter. “My dad really just called your dad and said he wanted to sell and do it now?”

“Apparently, there was an increase in benefits.”

“Yeah, that tends to happen once a year. They didn’t plan for that? God,” she said as she flopped back onto the bed. “How are they so bad at this? They’ve owned this company for years. They didn’t anticipate the increase in benefits costs? It literally happens every year, and the company usually absorbs the difference in cost for the employees.”

“I guess there are quarterly bonuses that they can’t pay out if they do that.”

“I’ve told them, like, ten times to make the bonuses annual and performance-based, not just basically a guarantee and done quarterly. Giving them to everyone, regardless of how they perform or what the company can afford to do, just makes it a bigger paycheck once a quarter, but it is essentially a guarantee. Why don’t they listen to me?”

“I don’t know, babe,” Monica said.

“What is your dad going to do?”

“I asked him for the day. I think we should meet with your parents, and I think you need to tell them about your ideas.”

“It’s still their company,” Bridgette replied. “They’re just going to ignore me how they always do, anyway.”

“But you have to try, right?” Monica asked as she moved over to Bridgette’s side and lay down next to her. “Babe, you have to try.”

“They want to sell it. Just let them. Ican’tkeep trying. You just got here, so you haven’t seen me try for years with them. I’m tired, Monica.” Then, to Bridgette’s surprise, Monica moved again until she was straddling her. “Well, hello,” she said as she slid her hands up Monica’s thighs. “God, you’re hot up there.”

Monica rolled her eyes at her and placed her hands on her stomach, under Bridgette’s shirt.

“You are not just giving up. That’s not you. You need to go in there and tell them that they’re making a mistake; that you can help them figure this out, but they have to let you. You need to explain your ideas and be firm. Tell them that you’re not taking no for an answer. Admonish them for their awful decisions, if you want, or let them know you’ll take care of the business they built, but you can’t just let it go. That’s not you, Bridge. I know you well enough to know that much. And nothing is official yet. My dad says the lawyers are ready, but I can hold them off if I have to. I’m here to help, or I can stay out of your way. Whatever you need, okay?”

“I don’t know how to do that. You know I’ve tried, and I’m not exactly a wallflower about it. I’ve been firm in the past. I’ve told them over and over again that things need to change. They just didn’t want to listen.”

“Then, today, youmakethem listen. This is too important for them not to listen to you, so you’ll make them listen.”

“You’ll be there?” Bridgette asked.

“Yes. But you don’t need me. You’re going to do this yourself. Let’s get you up now and into that shower you pretend to not know how to use.”

Bridgette smiled up at her and said, “I think I’ll just go home and use my own. I’ll meet you at the office, okay?”

“Oh, no, you won’t,” Monica said as she hovered over her. “Don’t lose that sexy swagger now.”

“Sexy swagger?” Bridgette chuckled while she moved her hands under Monica’s shirt over her back.

“Yes, you have sexy swagger. Don’t lose it now.”

“Well, I doubt my parents consider my swagger sexy,” Bridgette suggested.

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