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"How was your boss once I left?" I ask.
"Oh, he hates your guts. I don't think you could have made a worse impression on him."
"Yeah, I figured that. I sent an email, but he has not replied and will not take any of my calls. He does realize that he will lose her, doesn't he?"
"No," states Teal. "He believes we will retain her services, and she will sign over the rights, but even I'm starting to doubt that."
"You are closest to her. How do you feel about the situation?" I ask.
"To be honest, I don't think Charlie knows what she wants yet. This is bigger than anything she has ever done, and I'm not sure she knows how to deal with it. I have no idea what she wants. Sometimes, I think she likes the attention that all this gives her."
"Everyone loves attention," I say. "So, that's what we will give her."
"We?"
"I still want to work with you on this. You are the closest to her, and your boss is using you to make some money."
"And you are not?" Teal asks.
"You know I am not. I want to protect the book, and you know me well enough to know that."
"I don't know if I do know you." Teal looks at me, and I know she is not only talking about IP rights. "I will concede that you seem more invested in protecting the book than profiting from it, but we can't work on this together. My boss has made it clear that I am to have no contact with you. I am only talking to you because of the baby, which he doesn't know about yet. I don't know how that conversation is going to go. I don't even know if I will get maternity leave!"
"I offer great maternity leave," I state.
The idea was there before I came to visit, but it has grown as I have talked to Teal. It feels right.
"What are you talking about? You want to pay my salary while I am not working? I already told you that I don't want—"
"No, that is not what I am talking about. I know you do not want that. I am not offering a handout. I am offering you a job. A job withpaidmaternity leave and all the health benefits you need to take care of the baby."
"You want me to be your assistant?"
"No, I want you to be the head of the company."
"What company? What are you talking about?"
"I wanted to partner with Good Relations to seal this deal, but that was only because of you. Your boss has made it clear what he thinks of me and my offer. All that is left is to go after you, Teal. If I cannot partner with a publishing company, then I might as well start one."
"You are going to just start a publishing company? What do you even know about that?"
"I know a little, but not much. You, however, have first-hand experience. You will lead the company and use your relationship with Charlie to make this work."
"You're serious, aren't you? You want to just start a company from nothing?"
"I have done it before. Not with publishing, but it is all the same. We will do this together and protect and publish this book."
"I don't even know if… what is the pay?"
I smile at her interest. "Take your salary right now and triple it. You might not know how to run a company, but I can teach that, and you bring more than I can ever give. You have tenacity and drive, and this is all you have wanted, right?"
"Triple my salary? This is just a way for you to pay me off under a different heading."
"I expect you to work for it. I am a generous man, but I do not give handouts. I invest in quality. Your skills and experience, not to mention your bond with Charlie Morton, are worth that. I will do everything in my power to win this book, and I know you are the key to that. I trust you will be worth the investment."
"And if we get the rights, will you cast me aside?"
"We can start with a three-year contract. After that, we can renegotiate."
