Heather

Donna of my dreams

Still setting the stage for all the drama, enjoy meeting Janine till then.

Promise, things are going to heat up in every way in a bit.
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After dropping Bee, I head straight to tend to work, and spend most of the morning heads deep in reports, so lost in the numbers that I startle when a knock on the door rudely pulls me from an operational report of our latest outlets.

"Heath, your 2 o'clock is going to be here early."

"What? Why? When?" I answer half startled and slightly baffled by the short notice. The interrupter, notices my obvious dislike for spontaneous things.

"Okay boss calm down, everything is set for the meeting, and for the rest of the day, so don't worry"

"Janine you are a lifesaver, any thing else I need to know?"

After 15 minutes of quick catch-up with the best-ever assistant on the planet, I got around to all my meetings. I own a chain of quirky and niche-specific cafes, and I plan on expanding these cafes on a global level and the past few months have been a struggle to find the right kind of investors. Some of hold on too tight to their purses, others don't have any creativity or vision, and some have too much of it, hence too many unfeasible demands. Some want a more active say in decisions, others want none.

All the investors I have met in the past 2 months are interested but none are the right match for my company. I am looking for a partnership, a perfect balance of finances, vision, passion and support. Which none of these expensively dressed idiots seem to have. And another afternoon of dealing with these obnoxious investors is enough to sour my mood.

"So how was the meeting? Did it go all okay?" my assistant asks with a broad smile on her face, as soon as I get back to my office. By some magical trickery, Janine always manages to look chirpy and positive. She single-handedly keeps this place bright and lively at times.

"What look do I have on my face?" Janine took not but a second to answer that question, damn I did well hiring her. She is the Donna of my dreams. And yes I did hire her because she is just like Donna, the Suits Character. I have always known I wanted to be an entrepreneur, and when I watched Donna Paulson on the show, I was even more sure that is who I wanted for a secretary. It was not easy to find one. But that's a story for another time.

"You are pissed at what incompetent people walk around in fancy suits thinking you can be ordered around."

"Damn right! I never want to hear from all these idiots again, I am in no way ever going to work with them, especially not the last ones" My anger was building up slowly and steadily.

"What did they do, I thought you wanted to work with the Mr. Pearson, you looked up to him as a kid."

"I did, because my dad worked for him for a while and he said everything good about him, but his son is an ass, Mr. child-face had the guts to suggest that if he comes on board he'd like to see this company under stronger leadership."

"Because you are so utterly mad, I am gonna go out on the limb and say, he suggested that Landon be that supposed stronger leader."

I just gave her a look and that was all she needed to know, that she was right from the start, Pearson Junior is a sexist asshole.

It isn't that I don't think Landon won't be a good person to take my place, he is the only one I trust with both my babies, my little Brian and my fast-growing Sequoia. But this is my office and my work.

"It's okay Heath, we'll find the right investor, the right partner for you." She looked at me with such tenderness, that for a minute I just wanted to give up and cry out of frustration. Instead, I just drop down in my chair and huff out a breath. "I don't know any more Janine, been two long months trying to find the right partner with no luck, I can't keep on holding back on the pace of our expansion, and you know I don't want to ask my parents for help or go take on debt. Not right now."

"It'll be fine, I know it, you are exceptional at what you do, the company charts are so good, that's why there is still such a long line of investors at your doors, you will find the right partner."

I just give her a tired smile, she takes a seat in front of me and after looking through her planner, she looks up and asks, "Why do you want a partner so badly, we both know that you can pull off the expansion on your own, between you and Landon you have enough to fund the project and you don't have anything against taking out a huge business loan, then why are you so set on a partner and not just a silent investor?"

Before I can get a word in she just carries on, "Landon is your partner, a silent partner, but he does help around a lot, then why heath?"

I relax further into my chair and look out the floor-to-floor glass towards the city, "I don't know, it just feels like the right move."

"Heath, for as long as I have worked with you, that you don't your own shadow without logic to back it up, doing anything solely by feels is not you, so why a partner and why now?"

I sigh, "You ask too many questions, I don't think that's what I pay you for, Now do I?"

"Don't give me that exasperated look, and for clarification, you did say while hiring me, I don't need an assistant who'll sit around and fix my meetings, I need a person who will question, suggest and even argue for this company's sake." The proud smile on her face is kind of annoying because those were my exact words. I am so sure she has it written down somewhere and memorizes it daily, simply to shut me up when I get bossy.

"I said no such thing." "Yes, you did"

Before I can even say anything, she is up and walking out of my office, "Your meetings are done for the day, go back home, I'll see you tomorrow. Give your boys a hug for me"

"I'll do that and I am not coming in tomorrow." That stops her dead in her path.

"Why not?", "Going to meet my parents and then one of Brian's friend's mum has invited us for dinner."

"Okay, enjoy your day boss, am I in charge for tomorrow then?" She smiles crazily like a four year old being allowed to get behind a car and cause havoc on the streets. "Yes Janine, go wild, just don't fire anyone, its all yours for tomorrow."

"I love my job."

I sigh and smile at the now shut door, her question echoing in my mind. I brush it aside and get ready to leave for the day.