Never Forgotten: Second Chances by Alana Hart, Marlena Dark

appreciated. That's really what it comes down to. I put together a damn good marketing plan, and I have a clear vision of how to implement it." She paused, seeing herself doing exactly that. "If you had to bring in someone new to do it, that person would take time to get up to speed, and that's time you don't have. The plan wouldn't be nearly as effective, and that assumes you got someone really good."
    "Why would we bring in someone new?"
    "If I don't feel appreciated, I can't see any reason to hang around. This is a turning point for this company. You've made that clear to everyone, and I'm one of the key players. I know you don't like me, but even you said my work was good."
    "Because it is."
    "Then I should be rewarded. I want to be in a position to benefit if you pull this off."
    "Rewarded? I think you've been paid very well for your work."
    "Perhaps, but there is a big upside potential to this project and without stock I won't see any of that. Why should I stick around, busting my ass to make the plan work when it just helps you get rich while I draw a salary? And there is a downside for me too. I'm taking a gamble by staying here. If this fails, that won't look good on my resume. If the company folds, I get tarred as a loser. If I left and you failed, I'd look a lot smarter--like I had the sense to get out. Even if you manage to pull it off, I can claim my part in the success."
    "So what exactly do you want?"
    "I want an incentive to stay and make it happen. I do believe in the product, in Craig's work, but I need to feel like I'm a significant part of the team and that I'll benefit financially if we pull this off. I want an ownership position."
    Megan sat back and took in her determination. Although Lenora was definitely being presumptuous, it wasn't a totally unreasonable request even if it came along with a threat. This was the kind of play that top people made all the time. Megan could understand why she was applying pressure, threatening to quit just when she was needed and her usefulness the most obvious. Hoping to cash in while she had value and leverage was reasonable. But Megan's hackles were up. She sensed some unstated agenda beyond the obvious that lay behind the request. Even though she didn't care for Lenora working with unpleasant people wasn't a problem, but now there was some other factor at work that bothered her. Eventually, she'd understand it. If it was a minor thing, or something unrelated to work, such as pressure from a boyfriend, then it wasn't important. But she wanted to know. "Let me think about it. And then I'll need to get Craig and Thom to approve anything like that. You understand that giving away part of the company isn't something I can do on my own."
    Megan saw a smile flutter on Lenora's lips. "You can make it conditional."
    "On what? What do you mean?"
    A thin smile crossed her lips, telling Megan they'd finally gotten to the sales pitch. "Make giving me stock conditional on the company getting the investment. Then you won't have to restructure the package. You can tack on an amendment that says I can execute my option when the deal goes through."
    "That would mean I don't have to redo all the paperwork, I suppose."
    "Look, I know agreeing would be a pain in the ass and a complication for you, but if you are willing to do it, I'd be happy to help you woo investors. And I'd be extremely motivated."
    The way she phrased the proposal now made Megan realize that she'd talked to a financial person and that most likely it was Thom. The idea of an amendment allowing her to execute her option was exactly the kind of thing he'd come up with. It did what she wanted without making Thom's shares less attractive or worth any less. It was far too clever and showed more knowledge of investing than Lenora had demonstrated. "If we agreed, what exactly would you do to help find an investor that we aren't doing already?"
    "I can't find them, but I could and would help convince them. Negotiation depends