Series: Like Us Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 241
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1182(@200wpm)___ 946(@250wpm)___ 788(@300wpm)
Even if I did, I wouldn’t have stopped Ripley from drawing green swirls on my cheeks. I think they’re pretty. Donnelly let my nephew color on him too. Blue squiggles on his face.
He’s standing near the staircase with everyone, even my parents. I take a quick peek behind me, and he sends me an encouraging smile.
I breathe deeper.
“Let’s start with Xander.” Uncle Stokes gives Orion one more pat before cupping his hands together. He just now notices the Sprite in my brother’s clutch. “Of course you’re drinking Sprite,” he sighs out. “I think we can both agree you aren’t going to be the CEO.”
“Yep.” Xander raises his Sprite to that, smiling.
Uncle Stokes smiles too. “Good job sticking with it. I’m proud of you. So are they.” He motions to everyone behind us.
Xander gazes back at our family and his best friend, and I want to say my younger brother looks happy. But more than happiness lightens his amber eyes. It’s immense love that he has for himself tonight.
I breathe in a slow breath, starting to realize Uncle Stokes likely stopped by to hand out consolation prizes. A soft, gentle job-well-done.
“Luna.” Uncle Stokes sets his total attention on me. “I’m going to be as frank as possible because you deserve to know what happened behind-the-scenes.”
“Okay…”
“The board was not receptive towards you. Initially, they felt as if you were too…quirky?” His eyes flash above me, and I assume my dad is drilling a death-glare into him.
“You mean weird,” I say outright. “You said you’d be frank.”
“Weird,” he shrugs, as if that’s not it entirely either. “Your leaked fiction had tentacle…scenes in it, and most of them just couldn’t look past it. They didn’t think you’d represent the brand well, but I’ve found you to be engaging, intuitive, creative, innovative, from the very start. It actually reminded me of my time as CMO.”
I forgot he used to be the Chief Marketing Officer of Fizzle.
“Anyway,” Uncle Stokes continues. “The board had been very set on Charlie up until the Fizz Gala. He’d angered a few shareholders, and after that point, most started to lean towards Eliot.”
“So who did they choose, Eliot or Charlie?”
“Post-presentations, they felt they couldn’t trust Eliot.”
“So Charlie,” I nod. “Charlie is the successor.”
Uncle Stokes shakes his head. “No, Luna. It’s not Charlie. It’s not Eliot. And I want to make this very clear when I offer you this…you are being chosen because you were the best. I’ve believed that, even before they could see it.”
Do not cry. You are a professional.
And you might just be a CEO one day.
I blow out a measured breath as emotion wells.
Uncle Stokes leans towards me. “Your presentation was exactly what the board was hoping for. Your reputation was the only real knock against you, and there’ve been plenty of people who’ve been tarnished in the media and risen out of it. Some have even led entire franchises to success.” His smile is one of complete faith in me. “I want you to be my Iron Man. Help me make this company better than it’s ever been.”
I’m stunned. Speechless.
I won.
They’re choosing me. But it means more…because Uncle Stokes wants me. I’m not a default winner. He believes in what I have to say.
“I’m…” I’m still lost for words. My family is quiet. Xander is gauging my feelings. Most are uncertain of whether this is good or bad news for me.
None of the Fizzle Five have expressed a clear desire to work in the corporate world.
I want this.
I’ve been sensing how much recently, and now that it’s here, I could crawl out of my skin in elation. I peer behind me.
Donnelly is grinning from ear to ear. He looks like he’s restraining himself from hurdling the couch and tackling me in a bear-hug. He blows me a kiss, and overwhelmed tears start to surge.
He knew.
He could tell I wanted it.
I really love him. I really, really do. Turning back to Uncle Stokes, I wipe my eyes with the heel of my palm.
“I don’t expect you to accept this tonight,” he says. “You’ll want your lawyer to look over the contract first. I’ll email it to you first thing when I leave. But I wanted to open the floor to you, to see if you have any concerns.”
“Sammy,” my dad calls out. “That big thing you promised you’d tell her. Tell her.”
Uncle Stokes sighs, eyes on me.
I frown back at my parents. “Did you know?”
Mom gives me an excited smile. “We did not not know.”
“Your uncle knew I’d feed him to our pet iguana if he didn’t tell us first,” Dad says.
“What pet iguana?” Uncle Stokes asks.
“The one I’d buy just to eat you.” He flashes a dry smile.
Uncle Stokes sighs. He does that a lot. Heavy sighs. Then he expresses to me, “Your parents love you very much, and it goes without saying, they don’t want you to accept this position if you don’t want it. I feel the same, but I really need you. Greg’s will was clear. We have to pick a successor from your generation, and I don’t want anyone else. So please, please consider this.”