Dani was halfway to work the morning after the board meeting when her migraine started. By the time she returned to her apartment it was full blown. She needed medicine and a darkroom. Usually she slept it off and felt fine after a few hours. Baxter knew about her ailment but she hadn't shared her weakness with anyone else, except Mac. She blamed Kasper and the stress he caused. The pounding was worse than usual requiring a second dose and a day of sleep. She ignored the buzzer at her door. The last person she needed to see was Mac. She wasn't sure why he felt the need to text and buzz her door. At least she knew Baxter hadn't worked late if his driver was free at six-thirty.

The next day she adopted the mantra 'he's here now but won't be for long', especially if his track record was any indication. Dani took part in the meetings with various departments. Every once in a while Kasper impressed her. Did he think people didn't take breaks and shop on Amazon? She trolled social media as part of her job. When Baxter started dating Ivy, Dani brought viral stories to his attention. Thankfully, no one cared about the married couple, although they had been photographed walking in the Public Garden with the twins. Recently, she kept her eye out for Kasper, but he was uncharacteristically quiet. Other than attending functions with the family, he had been flying under the radar. She couldn't pinpoint why that unnerved her. Was he hiding a lover? Maybe with Doyle settled he needed a friend.

A week later, Dani sighed and steeled herself as she knocked on Kasper's office door. It was open, but she had some decorum.

He looked up at her and smiled. The genuineness in the flash of his perfect pearly whites shot straight to places she didn't understand. Sure, she had a crush on him, but it would never be anything more. 'Career first', another mantra. No wonder she had migraines with all the chanting in her head.

"Are you ready to review what we've discovered?"

"I've discovered that even Baxter's most prized employee likes gossip sites."

She laughed. "The ones that you blocked. Have you ever considered it is part of my job to know before your mother finds out?"

"Baxter's too boring for gossip."

She smiled and shook her head, although it was true. "He wasn't a few years ago, but what about you?" She held her breath waiting to hear his response. It felt oddly important.

"I expect they'll throw my name out there when the show airs. I'll need to go to the finale."

"That's not for months. What about now? Fans stalk you at nightclubs." She lived the life with Tate, VIP sections and lots of attention.

"Not if I don't go to them. I'm almost thirty."

He was less than a year older than her, but she always felt five years ahead of him in maturity. She cleared her throat. "Let's get down to it."

As they discussed each department, the overarching theme was too much staff. There were some savings in better purchasing policies and efficiencies, but salaries and benefits were the biggest line items for Kane Headquarters.

Kasper frowned. "I know what you are leading to."

"It's a fact."

"These people depend on us. How many retirements did we predict in the next year?"

Dani narrowed her eyes. He was a whiz with numbers. "You know as well as I do."

"Not enough. Even with attrition." His face looked like a child who had lost his puppy. "My incentives caused a few accounts receivable staff members to give notice."

"With the new rates of productivity it is still over staffed by thirty percent. Accounts payable is slightly understaffed. We can move one or two, but two or three need to go."

"How much will that really save? They can't make that much."

"Enough. It all adds up. Compassion doesn't help the bottom line."

He stared at her hard. She almost cracked a smile. "You sound like my brother. I say we should think of ways to increase revenue."

Dani shook her head. "That's Baxter's job."

The puppy was dead, not lost by the drooping of his face. Dani had the overwhelming urge to hug him, but just the thought was inappropriate.

Her phone rang giving her an excuse to end their discussion, but it was Darlene, not a call she wanted to take. She stepped into the boardroom for privacy. "I'm at work."

"Dad and Derek aren't speaking."

"They live in the same house."

"Dad wants him to pay rent."

"Well, he should."

"But he does all the work. Dad just sits around all day. You need to talk sense into them."

"Why can't you?"

"They don't listen to me. Besides, I have to work to pay for my medicine because you refused to help me out."

Pushing back the guilt, Dani said, "We need a family meeting."

She cringed as she said the words. The last thing she wanted was to do a Zoom with her family. She moved out of Kentucky but hadn't abandoned her family. Her mother never called after she left. Over ten years in the North, Dani hardly sounded like she came from the little town north of Nashville. When she turned to leave the boardroom, Kasper's eyes lingered on her. No one knew the truth about her family.

At seven-thirty, she logged on to Zoom. Her father's face popped up. He held his smart phone in front of him too close to his face. She could see the red capillaries on his cheeks.

"Hi, Daddy."

"How's the North?"

"Good Daddy. Getting colder, but I don't mind."

"You should come home."

"I can't." She meant it. "I have a good job. How are you feeling?"

"Lousy. My back hurts. Can't hardly get out of my chair."

Because you never exercise and you eat all day. "You should move around."

"Hi Dad. Where's Derek?" Darlene appeared in a box on the screen.

"Derek!"

Dani felt his yell across the eastern seaboard. "Dani, you look good. How expensive is your shirt?"

Dani looked down. "It's a tee shirt from TJ Maxx. I can't afford designer clothes. What color is your hair?"

"Red. Do you like it?"

"Yeah, if you do." It was red-red, not redhead red.

"Derek! Get yer ass on this family call."

"What's the emergency?" Derek also held his phone but his was too far from his face as he yawned.

"Were you sleeping?" Darlene snapped her gum.

"I worked last night. I'm tired."

"All he does is sleep."

Derek laughed. "And all you do is sit on your ass old man."

Dani didn't need to listen to the bickering. She should disown them all, but her father had kept their family together after her mother left. At least he didn't run away from his kids.

She raised her voice using Baxter's tone. "Enough. I heard you want Derek to pay rent."

"No fucking way."

"Jesus, Derek. People pay for a place to live. I pay for my ratty apartment. Dani pays big bucks for hers."

"I practically wipe his ass."

Dani cringed. "Fine. Derek and Dad, figure out a wage for the services he provides, not cleaning up after himself, and subtract it from the rent." She solved bigger problems at work. "Dad, I wish you would get healthier."

"You try having pain every day."

If she had migraines daily, she would cry. Darlene interrupted her painful thought. "She sits on her ass all day. Try doing actual work. Cutting hair nine or ten hours a day. No wonder I can't get pregnant."

"I'm sorry I had a scholarship and went to college. I could have been waiting tables for Leon, but I got out." Escaped.

"Yer just like yer mama."

"I wouldn't know because she never calls to check on any of us."

Darlene harped. "If you cared, you'd give us some money for the infertility drugs."

"I'm not rich. My boss is, but he doesn't hand out hundreds like toilet paper. I don't know what you think. Rent's expensive." And professional clothing.

"I'm hanging up. It's time for Law & Order."

"Bye Daddy. Derek, get along with him. Remember, after mom left he did everything for us. Go to school. Learn a trade. Make something of yourself."

"I have a job. I make my own hours."

"Driving Uber. It can't keep you busy."

"I work in Nashville. It's hopping. I have to go to work."

"Okay. Bye." Dani hung up before her sister asked for money again.

Everyone wanted babies, but Dani wanted a career. Baxter could deal with diapers and drool. She would figure out how to cut costs with or without Kasper's input. Then Baxter would give her Kasper's empty office, because he would never stick around.

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