"I can't go to Hawaii," I replied, the suggestion ludicrous.

"You can and you will," she said, her tone firm, as she stood up and slipped back into her heels.

I stared at her stunned and stammered, "I-I-I can't...."

She bent down and put her perfectly red manicured finger nail to my lips. "Sssssshhh, Cassie," she said, again using my shortened name, again attempting to show her power. "The last piece of my non-negotiable contract is that the owner leaves for at least a week, so I am not dealing with him or her as I try to restructure the company."

"You want me to leave?" I said, bewildered.

"Yes,"...