keep onboard. “Between you and me?”
“Sure.”
“Not yet. Mother signed separation papers.”
“Good.” He nodded again, apparently checking off an internal list. “Your parents probably owned the practice jointly, but he walked away.”
She figured this wasn’t the time to mention that both her parents had given her a small ownership stake in the practice. Of course, since they’d made her a member of the limited liability company instead of an employee, she wasn’t paid a fixed salary. And since she was taking a leave of absence from her Seattle job, she wasn’t drawing a salary there either. Which meant, she stayed broke.
Definitely something wrong with that picture.
Rick continued, “Washington’s a community property state. Your father will likely get half the practice in the settlement, as of the time they separated. The new business should stay with your mother.”
“I don’t do much estate work.”
“If you stay,” he paused and gave her a pointed look, “you’ll need to learn it. Anyway, I hope that’s the reason for all the new clients—your mother needs the cash from the new business to buy him out.”
“Honestly, I’m not that involved.”
His skeptical look said he didn’t believe her. “The other alternative is you’re building up the practice to sell it.”
She winced inwardly. The staff was not supposed to know that. The clients were definitely not supposed to know. “Mother asked me to help. To bring in more business. That’s what I’ve done. She hasn’t told me her longer range plans.”
“Holly.” He used the same cool tone. “I didn’t move to Seattle when I graduated because I wasn’t interested in working for a big firm.”
She pasted on her understanding smile. When she left Richland for college, she had no intention of returning to the small town. High risk, high reward; she thrived on the high-profile pressure of the mergers and acquisitions work.
“I didn’t want the hours or the stress,” Rick said.
Oh crap . He was going to leave. He couldn’t leave. She needed him to manage the staff. To handle the project work.
And dammit, she liked him. He was one of her allies, her friends.
Rick recrossed his legs. “I talked to Bill Druise over at Wiltshire and Caruthers. He said we’d be working together soon.”
Blabbermouth . Druise wouldn’t last two minutes in corporate transactions.
“That was seriously jumping the gun,” she assured him. “Mother told me W&C called. They’ve thrown out some feelers, probably hoping to pick up the practice at a bargain basement price—which isn’t going to happen, by the way. She didn’t say whether they made an actual offer. Or if she’d even consider a proposal.”
His shoulders relaxed an inch. “That’s a relief. I don’t want to leave Desert Accounting.”
“That’s good to hear. I don’t want you leaving, either.” Slumping in her chair, she kneaded the muscles in the back of her neck. “Now quit worrying.”
“I’ll quit worrying when you quit bringing in more clients.” The teasing note was back in his voice.
She made a shooing motion. “Go harass the staff or something.”
“Or should I say, when you earn your ‘walking money’?”
“Out.” She pointed at the door and Rick left, wearing a self-satisfied smirk.
Holly stared at the mess on her desk. She might feel overwhelmed at times by everything her mother asked of her and privately bitch about it, but she’d never regret helping her.
Had she handled Rick appropriately? Although he’d seemed okay with her explanations, the boss role still felt foreign.
With a twitch of her shoulders, she set Rick and his questions aside. She was only here a few more months. Rick might end up working for a slightly larger firm, but he’d be okay. In the meantime, she had to focus on what was important.
She propped her elbows on the desk and braced her forehead against her palms.
So many things were
“Sure.”
“Not yet. Mother signed separation papers.”
“Good.” He nodded again, apparently checking off an internal list. “Your parents probably owned the practice jointly, but he walked away.”
She figured this wasn’t the time to mention that both her parents had given her a small ownership stake in the practice. Of course, since they’d made her a member of the limited liability company instead of an employee, she wasn’t paid a fixed salary. And since she was taking a leave of absence from her Seattle job, she wasn’t drawing a salary there either. Which meant, she stayed broke.
Definitely something wrong with that picture.
Rick continued, “Washington’s a community property state. Your father will likely get half the practice in the settlement, as of the time they separated. The new business should stay with your mother.”
“I don’t do much estate work.”
“If you stay,” he paused and gave her a pointed look, “you’ll need to learn it. Anyway, I hope that’s the reason for all the new clients—your mother needs the cash from the new business to buy him out.”
“Honestly, I’m not that involved.”
His skeptical look said he didn’t believe her. “The other alternative is you’re building up the practice to sell it.”
She winced inwardly. The staff was not supposed to know that. The clients were definitely not supposed to know. “Mother asked me to help. To bring in more business. That’s what I’ve done. She hasn’t told me her longer range plans.”
“Holly.” He used the same cool tone. “I didn’t move to Seattle when I graduated because I wasn’t interested in working for a big firm.”
She pasted on her understanding smile. When she left Richland for college, she had no intention of returning to the small town. High risk, high reward; she thrived on the high-profile pressure of the mergers and acquisitions work.
“I didn’t want the hours or the stress,” Rick said.
Oh crap . He was going to leave. He couldn’t leave. She needed him to manage the staff. To handle the project work.
And dammit, she liked him. He was one of her allies, her friends.
Rick recrossed his legs. “I talked to Bill Druise over at Wiltshire and Caruthers. He said we’d be working together soon.”
Blabbermouth . Druise wouldn’t last two minutes in corporate transactions.
“That was seriously jumping the gun,” she assured him. “Mother told me W&C called. They’ve thrown out some feelers, probably hoping to pick up the practice at a bargain basement price—which isn’t going to happen, by the way. She didn’t say whether they made an actual offer. Or if she’d even consider a proposal.”
His shoulders relaxed an inch. “That’s a relief. I don’t want to leave Desert Accounting.”
“That’s good to hear. I don’t want you leaving, either.” Slumping in her chair, she kneaded the muscles in the back of her neck. “Now quit worrying.”
“I’ll quit worrying when you quit bringing in more clients.” The teasing note was back in his voice.
She made a shooing motion. “Go harass the staff or something.”
“Or should I say, when you earn your ‘walking money’?”
“Out.” She pointed at the door and Rick left, wearing a self-satisfied smirk.
Holly stared at the mess on her desk. She might feel overwhelmed at times by everything her mother asked of her and privately bitch about it, but she’d never regret helping her.
Had she handled Rick appropriately? Although he’d seemed okay with her explanations, the boss role still felt foreign.
With a twitch of her shoulders, she set Rick and his questions aside. She was only here a few more months. Rick might end up working for a slightly larger firm, but he’d be okay. In the meantime, she had to focus on what was important.
She propped her elbows on the desk and braced her forehead against her palms.
So many things were
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