I rubbed my eyes. “I don’t know.”
“I need to know when I can schedule these meetings,” she insisted.
“I don’t know!” I growled. “I am trying to sort through this mess. I don’t know when I will have time to take a meeting!”
“What do you want me to tell them?” she snapped. “You’re too busy.”
“Yes, actually, that works. Tell them I’ve got my hands full. Tell them I’m incompetent.”
There was a pause. “Is that real or are you being sarcastic?” she asked.
I blew out another breath. “Tell them I’m out for the week,” I said. “Do your damn job.”
I hung up the phone and ran my hands through my hair. This was not working. I was losing money every hour I sat in this damn office and stared at paperwork I didn’t understand. I was going to end up getting sued or getting the people who trusted us with their taxes sued.
“What a fucking mess,” I muttered.
I got up and rolled my shoulders. I could feel the tension in my neck and shoulders, and it was still early. I was going to age twenty years in just one week. I’d stepped in the shit this time. I could just imagine what my father would say if he could see me now. I fucked up. I fucked myself. I shouldn’t have bitten off more than I could chew. I got ahead of myself and I was going to pay a high price for it.
I heard the door open. “Not now,” I barked without turning around to see who it was.
I heard someone clear their throat. “Should I come back later?” Saige asked.
I whipped my head around to find her standing partway in the door. I wasn’t going to let her know I was flustered. I straightened my tie and ran a hand over my head to make sure my hair wasn’t sticking up. I was not going to give her the satisfaction of knowing she’d left me in the lurch.
“Did you need something?” I asked as coolly as possible.
“I was hoping I could have five minutes of your time,” she said.
I took a seat and gestured for her to take a seat as well. “What’s on your mind?”
“How are you doing?” she asked.
“Why? What did they say?”
“Who?” she asked with confusion.
“Them. All of them. What did they tell you?”
“I don’t know who you are talking about, but no one has said anything. I’m asking how you are doing?”
I studied her, trying to determine if she was being sincere or if she was there to rub it in my face. “I’m doing fine,” I said. “Why?”
“I was just asking. I was wondering how things were going here. You seemed concerned last week.”
“I’m fine,” I said again.
“I’m not an idiot,” she said. “I see the paperwork. I can see the look on your face. Things aren’t going well, are they?”
“It is no concern of yours,” I spat back. I was not going to let her see me sweat. No way would I let her think she was somehow winning this little game she was playing. Show no weakness. That was my motto.
“I’m not here to lecture you or rub it in your face,” she said.
“There is nothing to rub in my face,” I told her, doing my best to sound nonchalant.
“You’re lying,” she said. “I can see it in your face. I’m looking at that form right there, and I know it should have already been filed. Swallow your pride and admit you need help.”
“We’re going to be fine,” I insisted. “It was somewhat rocky, but we’re getting through it.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. You need help.”
“And I’m actively seeking to hire someone to do that. For now, it’s me, and contrary to what you might think, I’m doing just fine.”
She raised an eyebrow and clearly did not believe me. “Yeah, it looks like it,” she scoffed.
“Do you want to tell me why you are here?” I asked with every ounce of my impatience showing. “Is it to try and get the rest of my staff to quit?”
“No, I’m here to make you a deal.”
“What makes you think I would want to deal with you? I already tried to offer you your job back. You didn’t want it. In fact, if I remember correctly, you had quite a bit to say about working here and for me.”
“I’m here to suggest a way we can make this work.”
“Make what work?”
She pointed at the paperwork. “I can get this train back on the tracks. We need each other to make this work.”
“I don’t need anyone.”
“You say that, but we both know you are wrong,” she said without missing a beat. “You need me to help you run this place and get you over the finish line. Without me, you are going to destroy the reputation of this firm. No one will leave their business with us if you screw this up.”
I raised an eyebrow. “If I screw this up? I didn’t quit without notice because I didn’t like someone. I didn’t walk out and leave the clients and the staff in the lurch because someone took away my donuts.”
“You know it was so much more than that,” she said with a glare. “I’m not trying to rehash all of that. I’m here to offer you my help. If we work together, we can save this firm. If you don’t want my help, fine, but you will fail.”
“I don’t fail,” I said without missing a beat. “Won’t happen.”
“It will happen.”
I mulled it over for a moment. I did need help. I could feel myself drowning. I was the captain of a sinking ship. It was an uncomfortable feeling I did not relish. I had a choice to make. My pride was telling me to go down with the ship. The more sensible side of me was saying take the help and deal with the aftermath later.
“Why?” I asked. “Why are you willing to come back now after I went to your house and personally asked you? Is this a game to you? Are you messing with me?”
“It isn’t a game, and I am not messing with you. I’m willing to come back and work for a couple of months to get you through this season and set you up for success. I’ll train my replacement.”
I studied her. I sensed there was a but. There was more to her little offer. I had been in business a long time and I knew when I was being worked. “Why? What’s in it for you?”
“I’m going to start my own firm,” she said. “I’d like to learn from you about the business side of things. I know what I’m doing when it comes to managing people and actually doing the work, but I’m not all that familiar with whatever it is you do in here.”
“You want me to train my competition?” I asked.
She smiled. “I guess you can think of it like that. I’d be going out on my own. I’m not sure I would really be your competition. I can’t compete with this place.”
I didn’t know if I believed her. “Are you trying to poach my clients?”
“No, and they aren’t your clients,” she said. “If you don’t bring me back, you don’t have to worry about me poaching your clients. It will be one of the other firms.”
“Have you heard something?” I asked.
“No, but I will,” she replied. “This isn’t exactly surprising. I’m gone. You’ve lost several key employees. This accounting community is small. Everyone knows you are sinking. I’m offering you a lifeline.”