a few weeks ago.”
“Well, she was also my girlfriend. We’d been talking about…you know…being serious, but she got a grant to do some postdoctoral work in the South Pacific and she took it.” She looked at Laurie with a sad shake of the head. “Without talking to me first.”
“Why do you think she did that? Were you not getting along?”
Kaatje shifted a little, looking puzzled. “No, things were good. But I think she wanted more…I don’t know…something.”
“Money? Power?”
Kaatje flinched, then she seemed to realize Laurie was teasing.
“Maybe that was part of it. A lot of people don’t think sailing is a career…whatever that is. Or maybe it was that she couldn’t figure out a way to use her degree here.”
“What was her degree in?”
“Marine biology.”
Laurie pointed to the vivid blue ocean. “Duh.”
Laughing, Kaatje said, “We don’t have a university with any research capacity. She would have had to get a job at a school in the States and then do field research here for us to have any time together. I don’t think that appealed to her.” She sighed and looked away, staring at the water for a moment. “I’m not sure.”
“How long were you together?”
“Six months. Not very long. Barely long enough to make me think it could be…something more. But I guess we never actually said those words…”
“That’s a tough time, that six month assessment period. I’ve been there a couple of times when it hasn’t ended up like I wanted it to.”
“Maybe that’s because you said, ‘Six month assessment period.’ That would seal the deal for me. I’d send you packing.”
“No, I think it’s when I said, ‘It’s time for your semi-annual performance review.’”
Kaatje gave her a quick look, then smiled when Laurie grinned. “You got me. I believed you.”
“That’s probably closer to the truth than I’d like to admit, but I never actually said those words.”
But if you didn’t stop and think about how things were going on a routine basis, how would you know when you were failing to meet expectations? There was nothing wrong with using a business model in your personal life. Results were what mattered—in every area of life… weren’t they?
Chapter Five
AS THEY SKIMMED along, Kaatje pointed out a long, fairly hilly island in the distance. “That’s St. Bart’s. The beautiful people vacation there.”
Laurie blinked a few times. “What? I didn’t hear you.”
“That’s because you’re thinking about work.”
Busted again. How obvious was it? Maybe Kaatje was some sort of mind-reader. “I can’t help it. I know this seems silly, but the worst thing is for me to look spacey. As a woman I can’t afford that. Ever. And missing a boat is very, very spacey.”
“How long have you worked for Luxor?”
“Six years.”
“Wouldn’t you think they’d know you by now? I mean…you’re not generally spacey, are you?”
“No,” she allowed begrudgingly. “But still…”
“How well do you get along with your boss?”
“Really well. We’re kind of in tandem.”
“Tandem?”
“Yeah. Fernando’s a few years older than me and he was my first manager. As he moves up, he takes me with him. He was promoted to executive VP this year, and I should get bumped to senior VP soon. If this escapade hasn’t killed my career.”
“I don’t know much about your situation, but they’d be stupid to hold one scheduling mistake against you. Why don’t you call your boss and let him hear what happened from you?”
“I thought I’d call when I got to a hotel.”
“I’d let you use my phone, but it’s spotty out here too. My satellite internet works though. E-mail him.”
“It works? Really?” Try not to drool or to look as excited as you are. She’ll just think you’re crazier than she already does.
“I’ve never seen a woman look happier to hear about internet access.” She gave her a warm smile and pointed to the cabin. “My
“Well, she was also my girlfriend. We’d been talking about…you know…being serious, but she got a grant to do some postdoctoral work in the South Pacific and she took it.” She looked at Laurie with a sad shake of the head. “Without talking to me first.”
“Why do you think she did that? Were you not getting along?”
Kaatje shifted a little, looking puzzled. “No, things were good. But I think she wanted more…I don’t know…something.”
“Money? Power?”
Kaatje flinched, then she seemed to realize Laurie was teasing.
“Maybe that was part of it. A lot of people don’t think sailing is a career…whatever that is. Or maybe it was that she couldn’t figure out a way to use her degree here.”
“What was her degree in?”
“Marine biology.”
Laurie pointed to the vivid blue ocean. “Duh.”
Laughing, Kaatje said, “We don’t have a university with any research capacity. She would have had to get a job at a school in the States and then do field research here for us to have any time together. I don’t think that appealed to her.” She sighed and looked away, staring at the water for a moment. “I’m not sure.”
“How long were you together?”
“Six months. Not very long. Barely long enough to make me think it could be…something more. But I guess we never actually said those words…”
“That’s a tough time, that six month assessment period. I’ve been there a couple of times when it hasn’t ended up like I wanted it to.”
“Maybe that’s because you said, ‘Six month assessment period.’ That would seal the deal for me. I’d send you packing.”
“No, I think it’s when I said, ‘It’s time for your semi-annual performance review.’”
Kaatje gave her a quick look, then smiled when Laurie grinned. “You got me. I believed you.”
“That’s probably closer to the truth than I’d like to admit, but I never actually said those words.”
But if you didn’t stop and think about how things were going on a routine basis, how would you know when you were failing to meet expectations? There was nothing wrong with using a business model in your personal life. Results were what mattered—in every area of life… weren’t they?
Chapter Five
AS THEY SKIMMED along, Kaatje pointed out a long, fairly hilly island in the distance. “That’s St. Bart’s. The beautiful people vacation there.”
Laurie blinked a few times. “What? I didn’t hear you.”
“That’s because you’re thinking about work.”
Busted again. How obvious was it? Maybe Kaatje was some sort of mind-reader. “I can’t help it. I know this seems silly, but the worst thing is for me to look spacey. As a woman I can’t afford that. Ever. And missing a boat is very, very spacey.”
“How long have you worked for Luxor?”
“Six years.”
“Wouldn’t you think they’d know you by now? I mean…you’re not generally spacey, are you?”
“No,” she allowed begrudgingly. “But still…”
“How well do you get along with your boss?”
“Really well. We’re kind of in tandem.”
“Tandem?”
“Yeah. Fernando’s a few years older than me and he was my first manager. As he moves up, he takes me with him. He was promoted to executive VP this year, and I should get bumped to senior VP soon. If this escapade hasn’t killed my career.”
“I don’t know much about your situation, but they’d be stupid to hold one scheduling mistake against you. Why don’t you call your boss and let him hear what happened from you?”
“I thought I’d call when I got to a hotel.”
“I’d let you use my phone, but it’s spotty out here too. My satellite internet works though. E-mail him.”
“It works? Really?” Try not to drool or to look as excited as you are. She’ll just think you’re crazier than she already does.
“I’ve never seen a woman look happier to hear about internet access.” She gave her a warm smile and pointed to the cabin. “My
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