Page 60 of The Estate
“Nailing this project will allow me to demonstrate what I can do to Seth. But that means I have to really step up. I have to share my thoughts and opinions. And that’s scary. But that’s the only way to show Seth who I am and what I’m capable of.
“In the process, I also want to prove to myself that transferring to client services was the right decision. That I am capable of doing this job and that I’m good at it.”
“Your boss was pretty upfront, huh?”
“Yeah. Not gonna lie. It stung a bit.”
“I can see that. I don’t know if you know this, Rachel, but you can be a bit of a control freak. And I say that with love,” Jess emphasized. “So it sounds perfectly normal to feel like somewhat of a mess.”
Rachel quickly glared at her sister before focusing back on the road.
“I know. I know,” Jess placated. “Not helpful. Well, a little helpful to know it seems like a normal response. I think the bigger thing here that you should remember and focus on is that you’re doing extensive work. Looking at your life and seeing where it’s necessary to make changes so that you can create the life you want? That’s big stuff, Rachel.”
Rachel’s shoulders dropped, and she sighed.
“And I’m so freakin’ proud of you,” Jess continued. “You’re going to do great. I know it. Just keep plugging away—with work, with all the things you’re examining in your life. Don’t let feeling messy stop you. Baby steps forward when and where you can. You aren’t obligated to tackle them all in the same moment.”
Rachel let her sister’s words wash over her. Just talking about the situation made her feel lighter. Having her sister respond so thoughtfully was everything she wanted.
“Good point,” she replied, giving Jess’ hand a quick squeeze. “Thanks Jess. Really. I appreciate the support.”
“Anytime, Rach. And when you need to vent or if everything becomes overwhelming, just call me.”
“Count on it,” Rachel replied. Jess was right. Dwelling on everything was too much. She had to focus on what was immediately before her and make changes when and where she could.
And although she enjoyed the kiss with Cal, it was totally a sign she was not focusing on where she should be. Her job was already complicated enough, she couldn’t afford to entangle it further with a romantic relationship.
She had muddied the waters with Cal, and that just couldn’t happen. All the more reason to push forward and forget it. Not the most mature approach, but it was all she could manage right now.
Arriving at the property, they took a few moments to park and made their way slowly to the door.
“This is stunning,” Jess said, glancing around.
“Isn’t it?” Rachel replied. “Those hydrangeas there? Cal’s grandmother’s favorites, so Cal makes sure they’re always well-tended. Past the house, if you follow that stone path, that’s where the Chapel is. And around the back, there’s a beautiful garden and an amazing ocean view.”
Walking through the doorway, Rachel was surprised at how different White Hall Estate felt. Granted, there were now towering flower arrangements in the foyer, and music coming from the ballroom, but it was more than that. Watching guests milling around and the wait staff circulating, she was amazed at the change in the energy. It felt alive.
Walking through the foyer, they stopped to accept a glass of champagne from a server. Once he moved off, she reminded her sister, “Cal said a drink and some appetizers are fine; he’ll adjust on his end. But we’ll have dinner with him.”
Trace came scuttling out of the ballroom and was soon engaged in an intense discussion with a person from the catering company. Rachel hadn’t realized she was staring, until Jess said, “Wow. Who is that having the hissy fit?”
Rachel bit back a laugh. Trace was tossing her hands around an awful lot. “That’s Trace, the event planner I’ve told you about.”
Just then, Trace planted her hands on her hips, and said rather loudly, “I’m not the one who has to fix it.” Spinning on her heel, she stormed away.
“Yeah,” Jess drawled. “She shouldn’t be working events.”
After all of her interactions with Trace, Rachel to concur, but it seemed a little quick to judge. “What makes you say that?” she asked. “I mean, besides the issues I told you about.”
“Well, there are those, and they weren’t insignificant.”
Rachel agreed. Jess wasn’t wrong. But was there something else that Jess was seeing? “That the only reason?”
“No,” Jess responded slowly, her head tilted thoughtfully.
“Perhaps she’s having an off evening, and she’d not normally this frazzled,” she continued. “But events are, by their very nature, stressful. No matter how meticulous the planning and preparation, things will go sideways. It’s about adjusting and pivoting to fix problems. And it’s all on you, so if something goes wrong, it’s a very public mistake. Even if it’s the fault of someone else in the chain, the buck stops with you in that moment.
“From what you’ve told me, she just doesn’t seem to have the temperament for it. I’m not saying you can’t be agitated and get angry. That happens. You just need to handle high stress times without losing your cool with staff, vendors, or clients. All eyes are on you, and that’s not the time to let emotions take charge.”
