“Admit it, Jack, anyone else would have been out the door weeks ago.”
“Come on, Everly,” Jack pleaded again.
Everly shook her head. “What you fail to realize is that Annette not only let me down, but she’s failed you, and this entire organization. You aren’t going to be able to turn this around. I’m not changing my mind.”
Having had her say, Everly left his office.
* * *
—
Annette sat at her desk, wearing the same cocky look she had at the banquet. The twerp knew her uncle would never fire her, and she thought this made Everly powerless. Everly hadn’t built this company and earned the respect of this industry to let some kid win this war.
Jack followed Everly into her office. He paused long enough to close the door before facing her. After a moment, he leaned forward and braced both hands on the edge of her desk. “When was the last time you had a vacation?”
Of all the responses she’d expected from him, this one was a surprise. “A vacation?” she repeated. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“You’re stressed out, and it’s showing.”
“Ya think?” she said with a huff. “I can’t and won’t tolerate incompetence. If anything, Annette is responsible for upping my stress level.” She already had her hand on the phone to connect with HR. Whether Jack liked it or not, Annette was getting fired.
“Letting go of Annette will devastate my sister.”
“Your sister?” she repeated, shaking her head. Jack’s sister was the least of her worries.
“And Annette, too, of course.”
“Apparently you didn’t hear me. I gave Annette every opportunity. She doesn’t have the skills or the maturity for this position.”
“Give her one more chance,” he urged, placing his hands in praying position.
Everly adamantly shook her head. “I already have. I’ve said all I will on the subject.”
“It’s nearly December.”
What did that have to do with any of this? “It doesn’t matter, Jack. My mind is made up.”
Jack straightened and pointed a finger at her. “I want you to take the entire month of December off.”
“What? I can’t…” It sounded like Jack had lost his mind. No way could he deal with everything if she wasn’t around. The entire staff knew she was the problem-solver, not Jack. Then again, maybe this was exactly the lesson he needed.
The idea of sending her away for a month seemed to be growing in his mind as he started to smile, looking pleased with himself. “You need a break and I’m going to see that you get one, and that’s final.”
Everly frowned, wondering what had come over him.
“No buts, Everly. You’re too valuable to me and this company, but your drive is smothering your compassion. We’ll somehow muddle through without you. Now book a vacation.”
Her mouth opened and closed several times before she swallowed. The entire month of December? It was November 30; she had no idea where she’d go or what she’d do. Within a matter of days, she’d be bored out of her mind. This position consumed her every waking minute. Then again, there was always email. The team could reach her if necessary. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all to let Jack take over the helm while she silently kept watch in the background.
Before she could stop him, although she wasn’t sure she wanted to, he stepped out of the office and went directly over to Annette’s desk. “I want you to book a vacation for Everly,” he instructed. “Get her a cruise, somewhere tropical, with warm beaches where she can unwind.”
Annette snapped to attention. “Right away,” she said, eager to please her uncle. She immediately turned to her computer, and her fingers started typing away.
Everly put in a full day at the office. She rarely left before seven, long after everyone else had headed home. By the time she reached her Chicago condo, it was close to eight. For dinner, she generally picked up takeout on her way home. Her condo had an amazing view of Lake Michigan, although she seldom took time to gaze out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Seeing how little time she spent in her condo, it was more utilitarian than a real home. She had a few framed photos of her family here and there, but other than those, the space could have been a rental. And in fact, at one time it had been, until she was able to pick it up at a bargain price, thanks to Easy Home.
Once she’d eaten her sushi with a glass of white wine, she settled on her white leather sectional and rested her bare feet on the matching ottoman, crossing her ankles. It’d been one hell of a day. She wasn’t entirely sure she should take Jack up on his offer. He seemed to feel she needed time away, and he wasn’t far from wrong. She’d gone six years without a vacation worth mentioning. Oh, there’d been the occasional weekend here and there with her college roommate Lizzy, but those were rare now that Lizzy was married and had a toddler.