“The role would be Director of Technology Investments. It would mean building the division from a real foundation—hiring, strategy, portfolio management, the whole thing. You would have genuine authority and genuine accountability.” He paused again. “And I want to say clearly: the reason I’m offering this to you is not because you are my daughter. It’s because you are one of two people I’ve met in thirty years who actually understands what I just described. You are the other person.”
“Who’s the first?”
“Your mother,” he said. “But she became a landscape architect, so she’s not available.”
Emily laughed—a real one, the kind that surprises you by arriving—and pressed her hand to her mouth and let it pass.
“I need to think about it,” she said.
“Of course.”
“Seriously think about it. I’m not going to say yes just because it’s you.”
“I’d be disappointed if you did.”
She looked out at the city. The lights were very bright in the dark.
“Give me a week,” she said.