Wild Hearts at Cub Camp

FIVE YEARS EARLIER…

This entire summer camp business, Conleth was increasingly convinced, was doomed before it had even started.

“Thank you, we’ll be in touch.” He maintained his professional smile until the web meeting disconnected. Then he closed the app, dropped his head into his hands, and let fly a long, heartfelt stream of curses.

“I take it that’s a no, then,” Zephyr said from the doorway.

“Completely unsuitable.” Conleth picked up a pen, crossing out the last name on his list. “When I asked him how he would structure a multichannel seasonal marketing campaign to appeal to each of our core user personas, he gaped at me as though I’d asked him to construct a working nuclear fusion reactor out of tinfoil and marshmallows.”

One of Zephyr’s dark eyebrows quirked. “Do I need a camp manager who can structure a multichannel seasonal marketing campaign?”

“What you need is an entire admin team, including a personal assistant, accountant, and HR manager, plus a marketing division and an experienced business director in charge of overall strategy. Unfortunately, what you can afford is a single person.” He opened his email, scrolling through messages in the vain hope that the perfect candidate might have miraculously dropped into his inbox within the past two minutes. “One who is willing to do five different jobs in a sweltering log cabin square in the middle of nowhere, for slightly less pay than they could get as a shift manager at the average McDonald’s. It’s proving somewhat challenging to fill the position.”

Zephyr entered the office, taking care not to touch the paint still drying on the doorframe. “I wouldn’t dream of questioning your expertise, and of course I’m grateful for your guidance. But that’s the seventh candidate you’ve rejected. I can’t help wondering if you’re setting the job requirements a little too high.”

© 2024 Joseph E Tacelli (Audiobook): 9798347715305

Release date

Audiobook: 7 December 2024