Page 16 of Connor

“The sound healing Adonis who came in on Friday?” she asks, putting two and two together.

“That’s the one. His girlfriend was not overly friendly,” I murmur, putting another forkful of curry into my mouth. I really need to stop talking. But he’s all I’ve been thinking about. Six figures is a lot of money. Whispers looks like a nice town. At first, I was offended by his arrogance and the way he pointed out all the faults at Sunshine, but now, I’m feeling different. Like this opportunity is one that I would be silly to pass up.

“Bad words create ugly people, I’ve always told you that,” Dad says, and I smile. He has always told me. In primary school, when the girls would be mean because I was bigger than them all, I would cry in my room and my dad would always be the one to console me.

Then in high school, when the boys started calling me Daisy Cow because of my weight, my dad marched down to school to see the principal, threw around a few professional words, such asharassmentandverbal assault, and those boys got suspended. But it didn’t stop. I’ve been teased about my weight all my life.

“I know, Dad,” I say, sighing, thinking back to the woman. She was stunning. Model perfect. Exactly the kind of woman you would expect to be on Connor Whiteman’s arm. Although certainly ugly on the inside, if her words about me are anything to go by.

“Did he remember you?” Mom asks, looking at me innocently, and my guilt starts to fester.Am I really considering leaving her and Sunshine to work in a small town?

“Well… about that.” I put down my fork and look at both of them. “Connor actually offered me a job,” I tell her, and she sits up straighter. My nerves dance, not sure what they’ll say or think.

“A job?” my dad asks, frowning.

“He owns a whiskey distillery in a small town a few states over. They’re opening a spa, and he needs a consultant to help him get it up and running.” My palms sweat a little, and I grab on to the clear quartz harder.

“And he wants that to be you?” my dad asks, brows still pinched, clearly not liking the idea, which is in complete contrast to my mom, who’s beaming.

“Mm-hmm. He fell asleep during my treatment and then stayed back for a bit afterward, asking me a lot of questions. I think he saw my passion and knowledge and wants to bring that to his business,” I say, swallowing. I searched for him online last night when I got home from the game. Trisha was right. He’s a gazillionaire. There were lots of images online of him in suits, at high-end bars, at different functions with the president. It was all a little overwhelming, to be honest. But he’s clearly well regarded, his business brain in high demand, and he’s also very well connected. I feel from a business perspective, I would learn a lot from him, and though our banter has been mostly snide comments, we do riff off each other well, both full of energy.

“Well, I did say the universe would decide…” my mom says, but my father isn’t so easily convinced.

“So, he just expects you to, what? Pack up your life and move halfway across the country?” He’s worried, I can tell. As an only child, I’ve been here with them all my life, so he’s probably freaking out a little.

“Oh please, I was hitchhiking across the country when I was her age,” Mom quips.

“Exactly!” Dad says, looking at her pointedly, like they share a piece of information I’m not privy to. I ignore them and continue explaining.

“He would fly me and provide accommodations, as well as a consulting fee.”

“Whatever amount you’re thinking of charging, I want you to double it,” Dad grumbles. “It’s basically a relocation. Whether you’re there for a few days or a few weeks, it’s the same. You have commitments here that you need to uphold. Your mother needs…” he trails off.

I look at Mom as my stomach dips. I feel bad about leaving her, but I know in my gut, despite how infuriating Connor is, that this job opportunity will be a good move for me. To my surprise, Mom interjects.

“Nothing. Actually, I’ll cut down my hours and start to only open a few days a week when you’re gone. My hands are giving me too much pain these days anyway, so this is perfect. It allows me to slow down, and it allows you to try something new. When you finish, you can come back and consult with some of the amazing places here in the city. It’s a great skill set and experience to have,” Mom says, giving me a smile, and I can’t believe that I worried so much about what she would say. She may not like my ideas or growth plans for Sunshine, but she isn’t going to hold me back. I shouldn’t have underestimated her.

“I’m not totally sold on it,” Dad murmurs, although I see him softening.

“I don't really have a lot of other options for career growth at the moment, Dad. I didn’t go to college. I work all day at Sunshine. I feel like this might be a really good opportunity, and it isn’t forever. It’s a few weeks, a month or two, tops, maybe? You won’t even know I’m gone,” I tell him, and he sighs. The more I think about it, the more it feels like the right decision. I can’t work for my mom forever, and this will give me the experience of not only learning more about business but having new colleagues and new bosses to report to.

“That’s at least four Sundays…”

I give him a small smile, because that’s as good of an approval as I’m going to get.

“Sounds like you’ve already made up your mind?” Mom asks, looking at me expectantly, and I huff a laugh.

“Not at all. The job would be great, the small town looks quaint. But Connor is frustrating. Pretty arrogant at times. I’m not sure working with him would be worth it.” I scoop up more dahl as I think about it some more.

“Things don’t always go to plan in business, Daisy. You and your mother work well together, but when you work for others, compromise is a key attribute to utilize, as are negotiation and communication,” Dad says, as only a professional can.

“I know. But I enjoy what I do. I love working at Sunshine. I enjoy the treatments, yoga, the teas and elixirs, crystals.”

My mom smiles proudly, and my heart sinks a little as I realize I want more. I want to be more.

“Sunshine is your mother’s business. It doesn’t have to be yours,” my dad says, and Mom and I look at him.

“He’s right, honey. Sunshine is my passion; it was what I always wanted to do. But it may not be the way forward for you. Not in the way it is now. You’re always coming up with new ideas, but I’m happy with how things are. You need to find your passion.”

---