That dip of dread was back, but this time it was a full plummet. Lauren almost didn’t know what to say. A potential buyer? Had that been the plan all along? To come up with ideas for Cold World only to have them . . . used by someone else?
If she was stunned by this news, she could only imagine how Asa must feel. And yet she couldn’t even look at him. She didn’t want to see the look on his face. She didn’t want to see his heartbreak, knowing that on some level she was responsible for it. Why had she let them dream at all? Why had she thrown herself into this, instead of practicing caution the way she normally did?
Surprisingly, it was Daniel who spoke up first. “You’re selling Cold World?” he demanded, his familial relationship with Dolores allowing him to openly say what they were all thinking.
Dolores hesitated, looking genuinely regretful. “I don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t decided yet. But it would make sense to do it now . . .” Finally, she seemed to remember who she was talking to, the circumstances that had brought them all into her office. The meeting she had called—and then completely changed the rules for. “Of course, any contract will have clauses about retaining key employees. Lauren, the business will always need someone to handle its accounts, no matter what it turns into . . . there might even be a promotion in it for you. Vice president of finance. Something like that. I don’t know how these investment groups handle these sorts of things, but it would be a great opportunity. And Asa—”
Dolores broke off abruptly, dabbing a manicured finger delicately under one eye. “You’re the heart and soul of this place,” she said. “You have been from the day you first arrived, all bony elbows and that uneven hair, like you’d taken a Weedwacker to it. You walked into the Snow Globe and started singing ‘White Christmas’ like you were Bing Crosby himself, even though you couldn’t carry a tune to save your life—” She reached out, even though she was too far away to put her hand on Asa’s arm like she clearly intended. “—I’m sorry, my darling, but you know it’s true.”
Lauren did risk a glance at Asa then. His jaw was tensed, his Adam’s apple working as though he was having difficulty swallowing. “I remember,” he said.
“I know you’ve always said you didn’t want to be in management,” Dolores continued, “but I could recommend—”
“What if I went to part time,” Lauren cut in. She couldn’t stand to see that look on Asa’s face anymore, couldn’t stand the idea that Cold World would be run by some soulless corporate overlord. “I could do the most important parts of my job in twenty hours a week. I know I could. That would save you half of my salary.”
Dolores frowned. “But your benefits—”
“You’d save on those, too,” Lauren said, taking a deep breath. “I applied to go back to school to get enough credits to sit for the CPA exam. I’ll be eligible for cheaper health insurance through that program, anyway. And we can also—”
“Wait, you applied for what?” Asa said, and when Lauren turned to face him, he didn’t look any better than he had before. If anything, he looked worse.
“Well, technically I already got in,” Lauren said. “It’s a master’s in accounting, half the program’s online, I don’t think it’s that competitive so it’s not like—”
“You got in?” Asa’s expression was completely inscrutable to Lauren. She could see a flash of something familiar, a hint of pride or joy or another emotion she might’ve expected. But then that fell away, and she couldn’t interpret what was left.
Dolores interrupted before Lauren could say anything more. “That is very generous of you, Lauren, and I do appreciate the thought. But it wouldn’t be enough. The truth is that Cold World—”
She broke off as Asa turned and, without saying another word, left through the office door, shutting it quietly after him. She looked up at Lauren, seeming more bemused than upset by his sudden exit.
Lauren just stared at the closed door. She knew how much this place meant to Asa, could only imagine what he must be going through thinking that it might be sold. But couldn’t he see that was why they had to keep working, come up with another idea, find some way to convince Dolores not to do it? She couldn’t shake the fear that he was upset about more than just Cold World. That it had something to do with her.
“Good riddance,” Daniel said, breaking into her thoughts. “Like some paint on the wall is going to completely revolutionize this place. But Mom, listen—”