“Okay, but Kamila, why the hell do you care what any of us say? Do you think you could do it?”

Kamila didn’t have an answer to that.

“The Kamila I’ve never liked always got what she wanted,” Jana said. “From anyone.”

“A girl like Kamila can have whatever she wants,” Kamila whispered.

“Who said that?”

“Rohan.” Kamila put her hand on the desk, the cool glass giving her strength. “You’re right. Why can’t I do it alone? Let Dad sell his HNS shares—I don’t want them. But why can’t I buy Emerald from HNS? The clients, the space, the name. I could do this.” It would be a lot of work—even more than she was already doing—but it was doable.

Jana grinned. “Exactly.”

“Actually”—Kamila couldn’t believe she was about to say this—“I can grow it alone. Offer more services. Financial literacy classes, estate planning. Hey, maybe partner with Aim High to teach classes to the incubator clients. Turn the boardroom into a classroom. Sorry, not incubator. What are you calling it now?”

Jana frowned. “You’d want to work with me?”

“I would. Our fathers created something from nothing years ago—maybe it’s our turn.”

Jana snorted. “Now who’s a renegade? But how are you going to convince Rohan to sell it to you? Now he’s talking of expanding Emerald.”

Kamila bit her lip, thinking. Then she smiled. “It’s not Rohan I have to convince. It’s Dad. What are you doing tomorrow, Jana?”

Jana grinned. “I’m there if you need me.” She paused. “By the way, did you know that Bronx Bennet is now a professor of South Asian religions?”

Kamila blinked, then laughed loud and long with Jana Suleiman for the first time in her life.

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Kamila had been looking forward to the puppy prom for months, and she really needed to be rested for the big day, but with everything going on, she simply could not quiet her brain enough to fall asleep. Instead of tossing and turning in her room, though, she went downstairs, made some tea, and pulled her computer onto her lap to do some research. If she was going to make a case to Dad for keeping Emerald for herself, she needed to have all her ducks in a row.