Page 26 of Masters of the Game: Colton
“Not to in the way you should. When I think of how hard you must have worked to accomplish so much, in so short a time… Well, I am proud of you.”
She was touched by his words. “Thank you.”
“But…”
She raised a brow. “But what?”
“But I want you to start having fun again. You weren’t born to become a workaholic.”
She pulled her hand from his. “Don’t worry about me, Colton. I’m not a workaholic. I just believe in staying focused.”
They began walking again. “There’s nothing wrong with staying focused,” he said. “Too many people think multi-tasking is the way to go, but they don’t realize that when you try to do everything, you end up accomplishing nothing. You have to find a balance.” He stopped and turned to her. “Listen, since we’re going to be together, checking out New York and LA, why don’t we try to enjoy ourselves a little?”
She looked up at him. “Why?”
“Because I’d like to show you how important downtime is. It sparks creativity and keeps you healthy. And since we’ll already be in either New York or LA, we might as well enjoy it. Everyone needs some time to unwind.”
Downtime? The only time Kelly allowed herself time off was when she was invited to family events like weddings or birthday celebrations. She’d never considered establishing such a thing on her own. “Right now, the idea of downtime is a fantasy for me, Colton.”
She began walking again, and he caught up to her, taking a place at her side. Hoping to make him understand, she said, “It’s a vicious cycle. Major corporations don’t take a female-led company as seriously as they do a male-led one.” After pausing a moment, she added, “I want to know that I rightly earned any consulting jobs my consulting firm gets because of my hard work. Not because of favors, or because I’m a woman. It’s important that I work hard to make it a success.”
“It’s already a success, Kelly. Now is the time for you to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.”
Was it? She didn’t say anything for a moment as she thought about what he’d said. “Doing something like that sounds nice, Colton, but I can’t just yet. Maybe one day I’ll get a handle on work-life balance, the way you seem to have done.”
**
And he intended to make sure that she did just that. Sooner than later, Colton thought with more resoluteness than before. At the meeting today, she showed just how sharp she was. Professional, intelligent, it was clear she had done her research, and was on top of her game. She’d known what questions to ask, was quick to recognize cunning BS, and had no problem pushing back when needed. It had been obvious that the economics agencyhad been both surprised and impressed by her, and wanted their business. But Kelly left no doubt in their minds that they would have to earn it.
He glanced over at her. “You never did say what you thought of the play.”
She smiled, and he felt it was genuine. “It was magical… And dinner was wonderful. Thank you for both, Colton.”
“You’re welcome. Now you see how it’s done.”
She raised a brow. “How’s what done?”
“Working hard at your job yet still maintaining a social life. You were awesome at the meeting today. I was proud of you. Then tonight, you allowed yourself the time to enjoy yourself. And tomorrow, when we meet with the mayor and his board, I know you’ll be just as awesome. Do you know why?”
“Why?”
“Because you’ll be prepared. All that late-night cramming in college to meet PhD deadlines prepared you for this sort of thing. You’re a quick study.”
She chuckled. “Are you saying that you’re hoping I won’t stay up late tonight to get ready for tomorrow?”
“You know your stuff. There’s no doubt in my mind that your delivery will be awesome. When you get to your hotel room, you need to go to bed and get a good night’s sleep.”
“Is that what you’ll do?”
“Yes.” There was no need to tell her that his dreams would be filled with her. “You’ve got this, Kelly.”
During the two-block walk back to the hotel, their conversation shifted to a discussion of family and friends. When they reached the hotel and walked into the exquisite lobby, she said, “Every time I stay at a St. Laurent, I feel spoiled. It’s so beautiful and luxurious. Have you stayed in this one before?”
“Whenever I visit New York City.”
“Really? You don’t want to stay with Cobra?”
He chuckled. “Hell, no. You never know when he might have female company.”
