“Yes.”
“I can’t, in good faith, remain on your payroll.”
He set the salmon patty down and walked to the sink. “Why not?” he asked as he washed his hands.
“Because I know that I won’t be able to hide my feelings, Kayn. And people will see that I love you whenever we interact. And if I’m honest, I don’t think you’ll be able to hide your feelings either.”
“Good,” he stated as he walked back toward me. He dropped a kiss on my lips and declared, “I ain’t never been in the business of hiding shit from nobody. And in case you hadn’t noticed, I own the business, so I don’t owe nan nigga an explanation about what I do.”
“That’s just it, Kayn. You don’t. But I don’t want people thinking that I screwed my way into my position or that I’m still laying on my back to keep it. Or worse yet that I crawled up under the desk to suck off the CEO.”
He smirked, and I knew that I wasn’t getting anywhere with him.
“Sounds like a good idea to me. Shit, we need to try that out as soon as we get back.”
I had convinced Kayn to take the rest of the holidays off and spend them with me. He had planned to return to the office the day after Christmas.
“No. That’s just it. I don’t want to have that reputation. I want to work hard for what I get.”
“Baby, you do.”
“Yes, but I don’t want anyone to think otherwise. That’s not a reputation I want to have.”
“So, what are you saying? Still thinking about switching departments?”
“No.”
“Then what?” Kayn’s face scrunched up, and he looked extremely unhappy.
“I want to start my own business and be my own boss.”
The irritation on his face morphed into confusion and then into thoughtfulness as the muscles in his face slowly relaxed and the furrow in his brow disappeared.
“Okay. I’m listening.”
“I wasn’t lying to your aunt when I claimed to be your life coach. I’ve always been excellent at organizing people and helping them to accomplish their goals. When we think about my past jobs, I’ve been a personal assistant twice, once to a business professional and the other to a local celebrity.
“Both of those jobs were extremely demanding, and they relied on me to not just run errands but also to help them plan their goals and create tasks to help them accomplish them. I was doing the same thing when I was an HR administrator. I organized every part of our department, from orientation to the new hire process. I’m good at what I do.”
“I know that. You came in and turned my entire office around in a matter of days and did what no one else was able to accomplish. So, where is all this leading to?”
“Do you know how I was able to help you get organized?”
Kayn shook his head.
“I asked the right questions, and I listened. From the day you called me into your office and read off a list of things that needed to happen, I recalled everything and how passionate or dispassionate you were about every item. That’s what I want to gift my clients, the ability to hear them, work with them to identify their goals and passions, and empower them and help them create a strategy to accomplish their goals and passions.”
“Who are these clients?”
“Executive leadership at various businesses.”
A slow smile formed on his face.
“Damn. I can see that for you. You’d be hella great at that, Kandi.”
“I know. I will stay in my position with you for up to two months to get someone else hired and trained. But during that time, I’ll be working on my own business goals and objectives to get started so that I can have a smooth launch when I leave your company.”
“Damn, baby,” he stated, pulling me to the edge of the stool. Kayn wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled my neck. “I’m already missing you, and your ass ain’t left yet.”
