Page 130 of Misfortune and Mr. Right

“Right. Well, since your asking, I’ll tell you. I thought about each of you and your strengths, what you bring to the team, and what kind of leadership style might take us farther in the coming years. The bottom line? You each would bring something positive to the position. It came down to this. I can find another digital marketing specialist to do what Logan does. Maybe not one as strong as him, but I know a few who might be nearly as good. I don’t think I’ll find a replacement for you as easily. And I had to pick one of you to promote. We need you in content development. And I know you, Olivia. You love creating content. You’re one of the best at filming long testimonials, collaborating on concept design, bringing all of it together in front of clients. Logan seems to love leadership the way you love content development.”

“So you picked Logan.”

“I did, but as I told him yesterday when he came in here to ask me to take him out of the running, I had planned to offer you a raise that would make your pay commensurate with the manager salary. It only seemed fair.”

I shake my head quickly. I feel my brow crinkle.

“When Logan came to … ?” I look down at my lap and back up at Darwin. “You want to give me a raise? And I can keep on doing content creation?”

“Unless you really want to be the manager.” Darwin sighs.

“I … don’t know if I do.”

I thought I wanted to be a manager. I’ve always planned on that as a next step.

I never considered anything but a promotion to management when I thought of growth in my career. Last night, as I tried to separate my emotions from the reality of Logan being manager at Barnes, I realized how happy I am doing what I do. And I saw how much he will bring to management.

Sitting here discussing Logan’s strengths and mine and our respective passions, it’s even more clear what a natural fit Logan will be as a manager. I do love content creation. I don’t know if I actually want to give that up.

“What am I going to do with you two?” Darwin asks.

I barely hear him through the chatter in my head.

Logan asked Darwin to take him out of the running?

“What do you mean, do with us?” I ask Darwin.

“I really only had the two of you in mind for this role. Now it seems neither of you wants the position. Does it come down to rock paper scissors? You tell me.” He shakes his head. “Yesterday, Logan came in here to discuss the position. He said, ‘I’d rather work for Olivia than be her manager.’ Then he rattled off reason after reason as to why I should consider you. All valid reasons—but promoting you would still leave me hunting for a content specialist who’s half as good as you, and that’s not going to be easy.”

“Thank you.”

“Why don’t the two of you talk this through, and then the three of us can sit down and problem-solve? I’m pretty sure we can come up with a creative solution. After all, that’s what we do for a living.”

“Okay. Yes. That sounds good,” I agree. “Excuse me.” I stand. “I think I need to find Logan.”

Darwin smiles at me while I stumble over my words.

Logan turned down the manager position because he wants me to have it.

No. It’s better than that.

Logan turned down the position because he knows I want it.

He’s willing to give up his desires and goals so I can have the position I thought I wanted all these years.

Clearly, Logan wants to become a manager.

And, as Darwin just said, he’d be perfect for the job.

I walk out of Darwin’s office. “I’ll just go find him.”

“You do that.” Darwin’s light chuckle of amusement follows me into the hallway.

Logan turned down his dream job for me.

I speed-walk down the hallway into the open workspace. Everyone’s busy collaborating on projects or working independently. I scan the room, looking from face to face in clusters of employees and across private work spaces. I don’t see Logan.

“Where is he?” I say out loud to no one and everyone.

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