A photograph of a storefront popped onto the white screen in front of them. “Vitamin Boutique. Primarily a Midwest-based specialty retailer of, you guessed it, vitamins, with 125 stores across twelve states. I met last week with the investment bankers representing the company. They tell me that they’re looking for an opportunity to grow beyond the Midwest, expand into other distribution channels, and significantly bolster their online presence. They made it clear that they’re interested in a buyout.”
Sidney saw that the associates and analysts around the table had begun diligently taking notes. “By the way, you’ll be dividing into two teams and splitting this list, so start thinking about which companies you want to spend the next four weeks learning inside and out. Standard due diligence: all their financials, pending lawsuits, who their corporate lawyers are, and how big of a pain in the ass those lawyers are going to be if we do the deal.”
One of the associates, Spencer, let out a bark of laughter. Then he stopped abruptly as if uncertain.
Sidney nodded encouragingly. “No, you were right, that was another joke. Let’s not hold back here, people, we’ll be working together on this project for the next five or six years. Feel free to chuckle away at these witty little comments of mine whenever it strikes your—hey, there we go, now the room’s warming up . . .” Over their laughter, she clicked the touchpad on her computer and the logo for another company popped onto the screen. “All right. Next up, Evergreen Candles.”
The meeting continued for another thirty minutes, after which the team members dispersed. Sidney hung around the conference room for a few minutes to talk with an associate who had some questions, then made her way back to her office.
She heard a knock on her door a few minutes later and looked up just as Michael Hannigan popped his head into her office. The youngest of the three partners on the firm’s investment committee, he’d been the one who’d recruited her the most aggressively and had become a mentor to her since she’d started working at Monroe Ellers.
“I heard you killed it in your first team meeting,” Michael said.
Sidney never ceased to be amazed by the rapidity with which information could spread through an office. “How could you know that already? I just finished the meeting about five minutes ago.” She cocked her head. “Did they actually say ‘killed it’?” Admittedly, she’d been trying hard to have a good vibe with the group, but she didn’t want to look like she’d been trying hard. Kind of like a good first date. If memory served.
“Stacy has the desk right outside the conference room,” he said, referring to his secretary. “She tells me that’s what people were saying as they left your meeting.” He winked before leaving. “Can’t wait to hear your plans for the fund.”
Sidney smiled after he left, thinking that she did indeed have plans. And not just with respect to work.
This upcoming wedding had given her clarity on a few things.
• • •
AT LUNCHTIME, SIDNEY met Trish at a restaurant between their offices, eager to share her plan with her best friend. But first things first.
“How’s your first day back at work going?” she asked Trish, who’d just returned to her media relations job with United Airlines after a four-month maternity leave.
“I’ve already had three crises to deal with. I love it,” Trish said with a laugh. With her blond hair newly cut in a stylish bob, and her navy power suit, she looked ready to take on the world. “But wait, I need to get my hourly fix.” She pulled out her cell phone, and both she and Sidney aw-ed at the cute pictures of her son, Jonah, that the nanny had texted that morning.
“How was the rest of your weekend?” Trish asked, after putting her phone away.
“Quite interesting. I have some news. Isabelle is getting married.”
Trish’s expression conveyed her shock. “What? I didn’t realize your sister was seeing anyone that seriously.” Having been best friends with Sidney since the third grade, she’d known Isabelle for years.
“Actually, she and Simon haven’t been dating that long. She met him three months ago,” Sidney said.
“Three months? And they’re already engaged?”
Sidney shrugged casually. Trish was her best friend, and she didn’t like keeping secrets from her. The only thing that trumped that, however, was her loyalty to her sister—which meant keeping Isabelle’s pregnancy news on the down-low. “She says she knows Simon is her Mr. Right. They’re going to get married Labor Day weekend. At the Lakeshore Club.”
“The Lakeshore Club?” Trish studied Sidney carefully. “That’s a little odd, given your history with that place.”
Well . . . yes. “Isabelle asked if I’d be okay with her having the reception there.”
“And are you okay with her having the reception there?” Trish asked.
Yes. No. Sidney had waffled all weekend on this. But she’d given Isabelle her blessing, so now she would make the best of it. “Sure. In fact, this whole situation has given me extra incentive to get my personal life back on track. I’m kicking this plan to start dating again into high gear.”
“Glad to hear it,” Trish said enthusiastically.
“I knew you’d be on board.”
“Assuming you’re truly ready to be dating again, that is.”
Sidney pulled back in surprise. “Me? Of course I’m ready. It’s been six months. I’m thirty-three years old, I can’t wait forever before throwing myself back out there. I’ve got plans, desires, biological clocks ticking.”