“Standard MBA organizational behavior curriculum,” Cole said, smug as always. He always had to throw his postgraduate degree in my face. Frustratingly, I couldn’t throw my additional ten years’ experience in his because that wasn’t how being a woman in corporate America worked. If I did, they’d call me old. Used up. Ready for retirement, or at least a role out of the spotlight.
“Clearly, you two are in yourstormingphase,” Stan said smugly. “You need to move on tonorming,then as quickly as possible toperforming.And I think the best way to do that is a corporate retreat.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. It wasn’t a terrible idea. With a little creativity, I could combine it with my office tour concept.
“Hell, Stan,” Cole said, “you think a couple rounds of golf and some trust falls are going to solve this?” He gestured between himself and me.
“I one hundred percent will let you land on your ass in a trust fall,” I muttered.
“See?” He spread his arms. “The board set up this conflict when they told us we had to prove ourselves. No retreat is going to resolve it. Only getting to the end of the trial period will.”
“I don’t believe that, Cole,” Stan said. “I have faith in you two, and in your leadership team. We’re going on a retreat.”
“Okay,” I said.
Cole’s head whipped around so fast a few of his dark locks almost fell out of place. “Are you serious?” he asked. “I’ve been on my share of corporate retreats. There’s a campground and dirt and sleeping on bedbug-infested mattresses. You”—he scanned me from my bun to my heels—“wouldn’t survive thirty minutes.”
“I’ve been camping plenty of times.” It was the only type of vacation my family of seven could afford when I was a kid. I straightened in the uncomfortable chair.
“Hold on,” Stan said. “We’re not going to summer camp. More like Palm Springs.”
Cole was already nodding, but I had a better idea. “Wait. We can combine it with our site visit to Costa Rica. They have a lovely corporate retreat center less than an hour away in the rainforest. John used to take his team there. Did you ever go, Stan?”
“Once,” he said. “You’re right. It’s gorgeous.”
“Gorgeous sounds expensive.” Cole tilted his head. “Is it fiscally responsible?”
“The board allocated funds for teambuilding in case of this…eventuality,” Stan said.
“Excellent. I bet Costa Rica is cheaper than Palm Springs, even with the airfare, Mr. Fiscally Responsible.” I rubbed my no-longer-sweaty palms together. Once Cole met the competent team in the San José office, once he saw them as human beings, even his stony heart would soften, and he’d hesitate to replace them with his team in India. “I’ll have Finley check availability for next month.”
“Nothing about this sounds excellent,” Cole grumbled.
What about a company-paid trip to a four-star resort in Costa Rica didn’t sound excellent? I frowned at him. Was this because I’d reined in his runaway plan?
“Come on, Cole,” I said. “Where’s your spirit of adventure?”
6
THE BEST DAY
Most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Cole:Ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon.
Bridget:Does shopping on Black Friday count? It was pretty cutthroat…
COLE
“Good day?” I asked, glancing into the rearview mirror at my daughter in the back seat. Zara always gave my Porsche the stink eye, but an eight-year-old fit perfectly into the compact back seat, especially since she’d grown tall enough to ditch the bulky booster seat.
“The best!” Caitlyn replied. She had a smudge of chocolate under her lower lip. I didn’t suggest she wipe it off. Zara would see that I’d capped off “the best”day with ice cream.
“What was your favorite part?”
“The tornado room.”
“Fantastic. You’ll remember that at school, right, when you’re studying earth science? It’s easier to understand theconcepts when you’ve seen them in action. What are you studying now, anyway?”
