7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Emma
"How's it going out here?" I heard my boss Cassie ask.
I stifled a groan and attempted to force a smile before looking up, but I wasn't convinced I'd succeeded in more than a grimace.
It was going like shit. I'd barely slept last night; I was too busy thinking about the conductor and my little performance yesterday.
I'd woken up late and felt too nervous to take the train in case I saw her, so I'd taken a far more expensive cab here, which gave me more worries. What if someone saw me, the head of the Save the Railways project, taking a car? If anyone noticed, it might cause me trouble.
I had to get over myself. Despite what had happened yesterday with the conductor, I had to take the train home today like always. If I wanted to keep the trains running—and I desperately did—I couldn’t avoid her. I would just have to face my fears of running into her.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, though. Maybe she wouldn't be there, or if she was, maybe she would ignore me. I just wasn't quite able to convince myself that’s what I actually wanted.
Cassie cleared her throat, reminding me she'd asked a question that I hastened to answer.
"Good," I lied. "What can I do for you?"
"Stop letting your train of thought get derailed by the Railway project?"
I took a deep breath and asked, "Is that an order?"
She sighed. "No, I suppose not. You haven't been letting your other work pile up, though I have no idea how you're getting that done and being the champion of the railway at the same time."
It was easy to do both when no one wanted to hear anything about the railways. No one seemed to care. I wished I were busier. It would mean feeling like I was accomplishing more.
"I wish I had more to do," I admitted, unable to stop the defeat I was feeling from coming out. "It feels like I'm not doing enough."
Cassie lowered herself into one of the chairs facing my desk. "If the Railway project doesn't work out, it won't be because of your lack of effort. You're trying so hard."
"But it's not enough."
"If anyone can do it, it's you," she insisted, giving me a smile. "I just wish you'd turned your mind to an easier project. Defeat doesn't look good on you."
"Give it to me straight. Is it hopeless?"
"I'm not sure about hopeless. Difficult, yes, but you're good at what you do."
"You think?" I asked.
"I hired you for a reason. When you moved back to the island and came in looking for a job, I was convinced you weren't suited to the job.
After all, you left. Why would someone who wanted to leave the island be good at convincing people they wanted to come visit the island?
You convinced me I was wrong. You convinced me that, because you tried to leave and had to come back, you were the perfect person to convince others about the draw the island has and to get tourists lining up to come. "
I smiled a little at her words.
"And you were right. Our numbers are up from this time last year."
"Not by much," I argued.
"But enough to show you're making a difference, and there's so many people commenting about coming later in the year. Don’t forget, most of the island's hotels are completely booked for the fall festival and the Halloween festival that didn't even exist before you."
I shrugged, fighting back the blush I felt coming on. "It was nothing; just doing my job."
"Exactly. So, like I said, if anyone can stand up to big car-ma, it's you."
I chuckled at that. It was a dumb play on words, comparing the car industry with the pharmaceutical industry in their relentless drive for profit over community.
It was nice to know Cassie was in my corner, even if I didn't think she understood why the trains were so important to me. I barely understood myself, but Cassie's playful, teasing support warmed my heart.
"Big car-ma will get their karma," I joked.
She grinned. "There she is. Confidence suits you, and you'll need it for where I'm sending you."
"Where's that?"
"It's not the where, but the who. I arranged a meeting for you with one of the higher ups at big car-ma."
"Why?" I asked quickly.
"Because the Railway project is important to you. I figured maybe you can try to find out what they want. See if compromise is possible."
I thanked her as much as I was able to, but I had a bad feeling about this. I doubted the meeting would be with Miles's father himself, but I knew the type very well and doubted they'd be receptive to the plight of the trains.
I couldn't help feeling panicked, like I was caught on a runaway train.