Page 108 of A Bossy Surprise

“Oh my God, Dad. No, I didn’t bribe or blackmail anyone into getting this debate. Like I said, GNN is doing good work and we’re starting to get recognition for it. I know I told you that when you asked me to shutter the company and you didn’t believe me. Now maybe you’ll believe the Commission on Presidential Debates.”

Dad is mute again for a moment. “When is the debate?”

“In a month.”

“That soon?”

“Yes, that soon. The board meeting to get me to abandon GNN is in two weeks. With the debate coming up, I’m going to be very busy. So should I still keep that meeting on the books or use that time for something more important?”

“I’ll cancel the meeting.”

“Good.”

“Congratulations, son. I knew with the right motivation you would turn this whole thing around.”

Of course, he’s trying to take credit for this. Although it does, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. Now that I have beaten him at his own game, he’s going to insist that he pushed me to get the best out of me.

Bullshit.

I could push back against that insane assertion, but that only means I’ll be on the phone with him for longer.

So instead, I shake my head and say, “Thanks, Dad.”

“Will you be needing help prepping for the debate?”

“No, thanks. We will manage just fine.”

I hang up the phone and a full-body shudder seizes me.

“That was amazing,” I say.

“Tell me about it. The only thing that would’ve made it better would’ve been seeing his reaction in real-time,” Kayla replies with a smile.

“Yeah, that would’ve been great.”

“Can you believe he tried to take credit for this?” She shakes her head. “Or that he accused you of cheating your way into it?”

“Actually, I can. It’s the kind of thing he would do. So I’m not surprised that’s exactly where his mind went.”

“Really?”

“I mean, I don’t have any proof of it, but a lot of things have gone his way that shouldn’t have. I wouldn’t put it past him to have greased a few palms here and there. He is quite the shady businessman.”

“What interesting stock you come from…” She raises an eyebrow.

“I know, right?”

“Anyway, as thrilling as that was, I do have a lot to do. I’ll see you in an hour.”

She turns and leaves the room.

I spend the next hour researching both candidates’ political records and coming up with questions for the debate.

Once the meeting is underway, everyone has much to add. They are all good questions and I’m kind of upset that we won’t be able to use all of them but that’s where the work is. Refining.

We have to find ways to whittle our questions down to the most important, the ones whose answers the American people want to know. It’s going to be hard to do, but I have all the faith in the world in this team.

I can’t wait for the debate. Even though Consuela is nervous, I know she’s going to hit it out of the park. And when she does, it will shoot GNN into the stratosphere.