Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Olivia
Love is already the strongest magic in the world.
~ Tera Lynn Childs
“Come in, Olivia,” Darwin says.
He’s sitting behind his desk with a smile on his face.
“I hope you’re feeling better today.”
I take a seat in one of the two chairs facing Darwin’s desk.
“Yes. Sorry. You know I don’t usually call out. I just needed a personal day.”
“I understand. We all need them from time to time. And we should take them. It helps keep burnout at bay. Is everything okay?”
“Yes.” I give him a cordial smile and fold my hands in my lap. “Actually, I need to ask you about something.”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Well, I overheard you talking with Logan in the conference room the day before yesterday. About the promotion. I didn’t mean to listen in. I was taking a call in the hallway. When it ended, I walked up and you two were discussing your choice.” I pause, and then I press forward. I’ve gotten this much out, I may as well say it all. “I’ve spent the last day and a half thinking about your decision. Logan is definitely a good candidate for manager.”
Sometime in the middle of the night last night, it dawned on me that Logan really would make a great manager. Maybe he’d even make a better one than I would.
Darwin nods. “I agree. He’s got natural leadership skills and many other qualities that make him a strong choice.”
“And I understand why you chose him,” I say.
“Do you?”
“Yes. He’s strong and decisive, calm under pressure. He brings a clarity of vision to every project he works on, and he has a good rapport with clients.”
“All true,” Darwin says.
“I guess, without sounding pouty or jealous, I’d like to know why you chose him—over me.”
“I’m sorry you had to hear that part of our conversation. I certainly would have phrased it differently if I were being smarter and more considerate. I saw you on the phone in the hallway and didn’t anticipate you finishing your call and overhearing us.”
Darwin smiles compassionately at me. Then he adds, “The way I couched what I was saying had everything to do with offering Logan the position. My words were skewed in his favor because he was my audience. If you had been present—if I had known you would hear me—I would have included a lot more about you and your strengths and how difficult the decision was for me, because it was difficult. You are both strong candidates. I’m in an enviable and challenging position having both of you as alternatives.”
“It’s okay,” I assure Darwin. “You weren’t unkind. You simply stated the facts. It came down to the two of us.”
“You have great leadership skills as well, Olivia. And you’ve risen to every criterion I set for the manager position.”
“Thank you.” I pause. “Forgive me, but those sound like reasons you would choose me, not reasons why you’d pass me by to pick Logan.”
“Right. Well, since your asking, I’ll tell you. I thought about each of you and your strengths, what you bring to the team, and what kind of leadership style might take us farther in the coming years. The bottom line? You each would bring something positive to the position. It came down to this. I can find another digital marketing specialist to do what Logan does. Maybe not one as strong as him, but I know a few who might be nearly as good. I don’t think I’ll find a replacement for you as easily. And I had to pick one of you to promote. We need you in content development. And I know you, Olivia. You love creating content. You’re one of the best at filming long testimonials, collaborating on concept design, bringing all of it together in front of clients. Logan seems to love leadership the way you love content development.”
“So you picked Logan.”
“I did, but as I told him yesterday when he came in here to ask me to take him out of the running, I had planned to offer you a raise that would make your pay commensurate with the manager salary. It only seemed fair.”
I shake my head quickly. I feel my brow crinkle.
“When Logan came to … ?” I look down at my lap and back up at Darwin. “You want to give me a raise? And I can keep on doing content creation?”
“Unless you really want to be the manager.” Darwin sighs.
“I … don’t know if I do.”
I thought I wanted to be a manager. I’ve always planned on that as a next step.
I never considered anything but a promotion to management when I thought of growth in my career. Last night, as I tried to separate my emotions from the reality of Logan being manager at Barnes, I realized how happy I am doing what I do. And I saw how much he will bring to management.
Sitting here discussing Logan’s strengths and mine and our respective passions, it’s even more clear what a natural fit Logan will be as a manager. I do love content creation. I don’t know if I actually want to give that up.
“What am I going to do with you two?” Darwin asks.
I barely hear him through the chatter in my head.
Logan asked Darwin to take him out of the running?
“What do you mean, do with us?” I ask Darwin.
“I really only had the two of you in mind for this role. Now it seems neither of you wants the position. Does it come down to rock paper scissors? You tell me.” He shakes his head. “Yesterday, Logan came in here to discuss the position. He said, ‘I’d rather work for Olivia than be her manager.’ Then he rattled off reason after reason as to why I should consider you. All valid reasons—but promoting you would still leave me hunting for a content specialist who’s half as good as you, and that’s not going to be easy.”
“Thank you.”
“Why don’t the two of you talk this through, and then the three of us can sit down and problem-solve? I’m pretty sure we can come up with a creative solution. After all, that’s what we do for a living.”
“Okay. Yes. That sounds good,” I agree. “Excuse me.” I stand. “I think I need to find Logan.”
Darwin smiles at me while I stumble over my words.
Logan turned down the manager position because he wants me to have it.
No. It’s better than that.
Logan turned down the position because he knows I want it.
He’s willing to give up his desires and goals so I can have the position I thought I wanted all these years.
Clearly, Logan wants to become a manager.
And, as Darwin just said, he’d be perfect for the job.
I walk out of Darwin’s office. “I’ll just go find him.”
“You do that.” Darwin’s light chuckle of amusement follows me into the hallway.
Logan turned down his dream job for me.
I speed-walk down the hallway into the open workspace. Everyone’s busy collaborating on projects or working independently. I scan the room, looking from face to face in clusters of employees and across private work spaces. I don’t see Logan.
“Where is he?” I say out loud to no one and everyone.
I glance around again, and then I see him.
Logan’s in the back corner with Suze and Charlie, bent over a table with the sleeves of his white dress shirt pushed up. He’s bracing himself on the table, looking down at a laptop. He looks as strung out as I’ve been feeling, only way more handsome.
As if he senses my presence, he looks up, glances around, and then his eyes lock on mine.
His expression is hesitant, brows raised, eyes wide, mouth a thin line. But as I start walking, a sheepish smile dawns on his face.
I pick up my pace. Logan moves around the table and heads toward me.
My focus isn’t on anyone or anything but Logan now. I have to get to him.
He turned down the manager position for me .
I run the last few yards until I’m right in front of him, and then, some rogue part of me that acts without thinking, jumps—right into his arms. And he catches me.
My arms are around his neck and he’s holding me up, his arms firmly around my waist. I slide down until my feet hit the floor, my eyes fixed on his.
He leans in and brings his forehead to mine. A sigh of relief whooshes out of him.
“Hey,” I say, looking up into his steely blue eyes.
“I take it this means you’re considering forgiving me?” His voice is quiet and rumbly.
He smiles a private smile, just for me.
“I’m strongly considering it.” I smile up at him. “The tulips and coffee help. It might require a little more groveling on your part.”
His smile widens.
“Good. Because I can’t start off under a new manager with her hating the sight of me.”
Logan’s voice is a near whisper.
“I don’t know if I’ll be your manager,” I whisper back.
Logan leans in so his mouth is right at the shell of my ear. “Can we go somewhere to talk, privately?”
I nod, unable to form words.
We break apart, and our coworkers explode into applause and whistles.
I cover my face with my hands, peeking out between my fingers.
Logan gently pulls my hand away from my face, weaving his fingers through mine.
“Come on, Pennington. I think you owe me a lunch date at a deli.”