Page 23 of An Engagement for Erica

Joel laughed. “Got it. I’m trying, but it doesn’t mean many will listen to me. Anyway, thanks for taking the time and hearing me out.”

“Always,” he said. “Doesn’t mean it’s all going to get approved, but we’ll work something out.”

“I can’t ask for more than that,” Joel said.

He went back to his emails and before he knew it, he was stretching his back to the sounds of an old man getting out of a chair. He saw it was seven.

How the hell was twelve hours flying by without him knowing daily?

This had to let up at some point or he was going to burn out and start hating his life.

He didn’t want to get to that point and have it reflect in his management style, but there was only so much a person could suck up and move past.

He was getting ready to leave when an email came up from Erica.

When his hand went to his face to see if he was smiling, he dropped it down and thought, oh shit, he was in trouble.

9

PORK SIZZLE

“My first party as a married woman,” Daisy said two weeks later.

“You love hosting,” Erica said. “And I love to just come and relax. So thanks for doing this.”

“It was nice that Theo was off this weekend and I’ve got Monday off. I don’t normally get a three-day weekend, but I was thrilled Rose gave it to me this time. I worked last Labor Day.”

“I think she’s worried about all the hours you’ve been working while she’s been on maternity leave,” her brother, Theo, said coming over. “She might be afraid you’ll leave.”

“Never,” Daisy said. “But it is nice to have another person in the back doing some of the custom work with me too.”

Daisy had expanded her duties in the time since she’d been there. She’d created several pieces that were added to the lines each year. Erica knew because she’d gotten so close to her sister-in-law and wanted to hear all those exciting success stories.

She’d never felt she had someone to share work experiences with in the past.

No one ever understood what she did.

Maybe she didn’t want to say what she did half the time since it was listening to more negative than positive.

Prior to going out on her own, she was helping businesses adapt to being bought out or acquiring another company. Depended on the side she was hired to come in and fix. Neither was pleasurable.

“You’ll be happy when Rose is back,” she said. “Right?”

“Of course,” Daisy said. “But I do enjoy all the extra responsibilities. I think she might let me keep some of them now.”

“Good,” she said. “I’m happy for you.”

“Enough about me,” Daisy said. “How are things going with you? I heard your new client is smoking.”

“Harmony!” she growled.

“What?” Harmony asked, skipping over on purpose. “Did someone mention a little bit of pork sizzle?”

“Was I not supposed to mention him?” Daisy asked, smirking.

She was being played. “He’s a client,” she argued.

“A hot one,” Harmony added.

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