Page 72 of April

“Anyway, now we’re all here. I have fifteen planners in this office, twenty-two assistants, and more in administrative staff. I could retire now if I wanted to.”

“Amazing how you have been able to make it grow,” Asher said because she felt like it was something to say.

“Soon, Dallas will be open,” Carolyn said.

“Yeah, in a few months,” Asher replied.

“And I need someone to run it.”

Asher froze.

“You’re my top planner, Asher, and you’re great with clientsandthe staff here. You have a way with vendors that gets clients the best deals and doesn’t impact anyone’s bottom line. I want you to run Dallas for me. It would be a change, I know. You’d do what I do: plan fewer weddings and do more on the business side. I get to do about one to two really big accounts a year, and that’s enough for me now. We could transition you slowly to that. Maybe four of the big ones next year, like usual, andthen one to two in the second year of the office. You’d be full salary with no commission, though, but I’m willing to talk about a bonus structure based on the office’s performance. You’d end up with a raise in the end.”

“You want me to run Dallas?”

“Yes.” Carolyn nodded. “I thought about going myself and leaving this place for you to run – it’s new territory for me, a new challenge, and it’s a competitive market – but my life is here. My husband likes his job, and our kids are still in school, so I don’t want to uproot them. Dallas would be a new challenge for you, too. I’m going to make offers to two planners here to join you and one of the assistants to start, and you can hire the rest yourself.”

“But…” Asher paused. “I’d be moving to Dallas.”

“Yes,” Carolyn said with a nod.

“Dallas, Texas,” Asher added.

Carolyn laughed and replied, “That’s the one. It’s a short flight away, and I’ll be there to help at least once a month in the beginning. Then, we can work out my travel schedule and how often you need to come back here.”

“Oh,” she said.

“You don’t sound excited.”

“I’m just surprised.”

“You’re surprised? You didn’t see this coming? You’re the best planner I’ve ever had, Asher.”

“But I’m a wedding planner. I don’t run the business.”

“You help me all the time when I need you. You know what you’re doing, and you’ll hire people that will help you. If you want to make offers to a couple of admins, I’d be okay with that. There’s Eric in accounting. He’s ready for a promotion.”

“I just… I… Can I think about it?”

“I thought you’d say yes,” her boss revealed.

“It’s a big change, Carolyn.”

“I know. We will pay for relocation, if that’s something you’re worried about.”

“That’s great. I have a lease here.”

“We can talk about any fees you’d have to pay to get out of it.”

“Okay,” Asher said.

“Okay, you’ll take it?”

“Okay, can I have a day or two to consider it?”

“Yes. But I need to know soon, Asher. We have planning and hiring to do before the office opens, and you’d have to move.”

“Right,” she said, still in shock.

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