Page 76 of Buried Roots

Icanstay. I can open a RevitaHome office here and let Natanya run the New York office. She’s clearly a rockstar, and she doesn’t need me. I’ll just finish with the Kleins, then move to Violet Moon. I’ll have the money from the sale of Bo’s Château to get myself an affordable place and open a second office.

I love it here. I love Owen. I love living on a farm and being surrounded by animals. I love taking care of animals. It’s a part of my life I’ve always longed for, even though I didn’t know it.

Now, I just have to tell Owen.

28

The Call

Myphonebuzzesfroma text, and I look down.

Natanya:Willow, are you in there? The Kleins want out of the deal. Call me NOW.

I dial her instantly. “Natanya. What is going on?” My words sound choked off.

“They’re pulling out.” It sounds like she’s been crying. Natanya never cries.

“They can’t do that. We have a contract.”

“They’re saying we’re in breech. I think they got a better price.”

My vision goes hazy. “I don’t understand. We’re halfway through!”

“I don’t know.” She lets out a soft sob. “But we can’t bounce back from this.”

“Yes, we can. And we will.” I say the words, but don’t believe them. This is why I never let up, not for a second—I can’t. I can’t because when I do, everything falls apart. “This is my fault.”

“It kind of is.”

Oh, god. Itismy fault. I wasn’t in the office. I wasn’t there meeting with the Kleins myself. I was late to a few meetings, and I didn’t send their selections when they needed them. “If I was there, I could’ve matched the price or re-organized the deal.”

“But you can’t be everywhere. You just had to delegate, which you refused to do.” Natanya’s voice is sharp.

“You’re right. You should’ve had the power to negotiate. I’m sorry.” But I also should’ve been there for the most important deal in the company’s history. My company. “I’ll fix this. I’m coming home tomorrow. Hang in there.”

“Okay. See you soon.” She disconnects.

Ihaveto fix this, or I’ll be forced to file bankruptcy, and my employees will be completely and totally screwed because of me.I’llbe screwed because of me. I put my face in my hands. “I just imploded my company.”

Owen touches my back. “I don’t understand how. You’ve been working day and night for the Kleins, giving them everything they’ve asked for.”

“It wasn’t enough.”

“Maybe nothing would’ve been enough, Willow. Business is cutthroat. No loyalty. Companies go with the best price, or choose their friends, or work deals under the table. Shit happens in business.”

I stare ahead. “Yes, shit happens all the time in business, which is why you have a contingency plan. Which is why you never put all your eggs in one basket.” Why did I do this? Puteverythinginto this?

“You took a risk on something that had a big payoff. And I would’ve done the same thing. Most people would’ve done the same thing.” He studies me. “How would you have known that they were going to be snakes?”

“I couldn’t have known, but I could’ve prepared for the deal falling through. I’ve always been prepared, but all this has distracted me.”

“It has, but you’ve seemed so happy. What about that?”

“What does happiness matter if everything falls apart?”

“Happiness is theonlything that matters. You can have all the business success and money in the world, but if you’re not happy, what’s the point?”

“The point is that you survive.” My voice is sharper than I intend. “When you have money, you survive. You have a place to live. You have food to eat.”

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