Page 59 of Texas Made
Trust Rachel to pounce on their argument over the supplier. “I was wrong and you were right. I admitted that.”
Rachel simply raised an eyebrow.
“Well, if I didn’t, I should have. At any rate we’d obviously have to work out a lot of things and talk to our lawyer but what do you think?”
Rachel didn’t speak.
“It would mean more responsibility, obviously, and longer hours, but you’d make more money,” she added anxiously. Why wasn’t Rachel talking? Did she hate the idea?
“About that…”
“About what?”
“Money. I can’t afford to buy that much stock right now.”
Of course she couldn’t. Jaclyn knew Rachel’s monetary situation as well as her own. Rachel was helping support her widowed mother and had taken on the cost of college for her younger sister.
“We can work it out. First of all, you’d get a raise in keeping with your new position as vice president. You could get stock as a bonus when you meet certain financial goals. But in the meantime your priority will be the Dallas branch and mine will be getting the new one up and running.”
“What if I screw up?”
“You won’t. Besides, I’m not totally abandoning you. I’ll still be a part of major decisions. We can talk however much you need to. I can come to Dallas for a face-to-face when necessary.”
“But Divinity is your baby. You’ve built it up from nothing. From an idea.”
“It still is. But I loved starting it. I want to do it again. And it will be so much easier this time because the new one will be a division of Divinity, which is well established.”
“When do you plan to start this project?”
“No time like the present. I’ll set up a meeting with the lawyer as soon as possible and we’ll discuss making you a partner. Any days or times that are bad for you?”
Rachel started laughing. “If you think I can remember anything right now, you’re crazy. My God, Jaclyn, you just offered to make me a partner in Divinity!”
“Let’s finish here and we’ll go to my place and start making plans. You’ll need an executive assistant and so will I. Do you want to promote your current assistant and hire someone new for what she’s doing now?”
“Yes, she’s great.”
“I’ve got my eye on someone who’s been with the company a while and I’d like to offer her the job as my assistant. But I don’t want to poach your people.”
“Who is it?”
“Amber Hawthorne. She’s young, she’s single, she’s a hard worker and she’s very bright.”
“I hate to lose her but you’re right. She’d be perfect for you.” She stopped and shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re talking about this.”
“I can’t wait to tell Marshall.”
“Are you going to call him and tell him right away?”
“No. For one thing I want to tell him in person. For another I need to get a little further along before I spring it on him.” Besides everything she needed to do with the original Divinity, she wanted to talk to a commercial Realtor in Whiskey River and find out about office and manufacturing space. She wanted to tell Damaris too, but Marshall needed to be the first to know. And he would be once she got her ducklings in a row.
“I’m thinking of calling it Divinity Lotions & Potions.”
“I like that.” Rachel ate some of her dinner and drank her margarita. “I don’t think it will be easy. It’s a huge undertaking. Starting what’s essentially a brand-new company from scratch. Are you sure about this?”
“I said easier, not easy. And I’ll be able to avoid some of the mistakes I made when I started Divinity. I’m really looking forward to it. Starting up again will be a challenge but I like challenges.”
Rachel looked troubled.
