Feeling lighter than she had all week, Hazel took a big swig of her coffee and started rapidly taking notes and jotting down her questions about each scenario in the comments. It was one of the best classes she’d had with Cartwright since the semester had begun.
***
After Cartwright had dismissed the students, Hazel lingered, putting her tablet away slowly. While it had been gratifying to hear Cartwright support her, the discussion that class had been lively and a lot more helpful than she might have imagined. Despite his clout, Hazel hadn’t always thought that much of his business prowess. He was smart, yes, but much of what they discussed seemed like she could’ve gotten similar advice from the other professors. Besides, she would never be starting a business like his. Hazel would be running nonprofit startups and organizing grassroots action. Maximizing profits wasn’t exactly on the top of her priorities.
It really hadn’t occurred to her that through his posturing and charisma, Ian Cartwright had a great deal of practical experience.
“Well, Hazel?”
Hazel felt her cheeks growing warm. Even as she looked up, intending to tell him yes to his proposal, her heart was in her throat. “G-good class today,” she managed.
“I thought so. Timely.” Cartwright paused and crossed his arms. “I’m glad you appreciated the lesson.”
“I did.” Hazel brushed a hand over her hair and suddenly wished she hadn’t pulled her hair into pigtails that morning. She felt like such a kid. “Um, the case in London was particularly informative.”
“Yes, that one was tricky.”
Hazel bit her lip and hitched her bag on her shoulder.
“Was that all?”
“No.” Hazel drew in a deep breath. “About your offer…”
Dr. Cartwright raised his brows and tilted his head to the side. “You’ve decided against it?”
“No! Oh, no, I was going to say that I’d like to do it.”
Cartwright chuckled. “You seemed so anxious. I thought that didn’t bode well for me.”
“No, I just. That’s just… me.” Hazel shrugged. “I want to work with you as your assistant, and I actually love to do research, so that’s not a problem at all.”
“Oh, so there is a problem.”
Hazel squeezed the strap of her messenger bag. “Okay. Look. I know it’s customary not to give credit to research assistants or assistants in general, but I think the practice is less than ethical. I do want to work with you but, if I do, I’d like to make sure I get some degree of credit for my work, and I would want a letter of recommendation for graduate school.”
Cartwright seemed taken aback. “You want to be a co-author?”
“I-I no. Of course not.” Hazel shifted her weight. “I was thinking at least an acknowledgment at the beginning of the book. Maybe, if any articles appeared in business magazines prior to publication, I could be a co-writer.”
Cartwright put his hands on his hips and frowned. “I’ll have to think about that. I don’t tend to sit down and actually write the books.”
“You don’t?”
“Obviously, I’m too busy for that kind of thing. I make my observations and hand them over to a ghostwriter.” Cartwright rubbed his fingers over his lips thoughtfully. “Though, you are a good writer. Even if your prose is a bit dense for mass-market publication. We might be able to work out an arrangement, wherein you help with the research, we’ll discuss your findings, and I give you the notes that I would have given to my ghostwriter. In that case, I certainly would consider putting your name on the cover.”
“Oh!” Hazel gave a little hop, then cringed as he laughed. “That’s much more than I had hoped.”
“As for the letter… Honestly, graduate school is a waste of your time. You should just go into the market and get work experience.”
“That’s what my internships have been for, right? And I can write down that I’ve been your assistant,” Hazel replied. “You really don’t believe in graduate school for business?”
“Not for nonprofits, I don’t. Or social work. Or feminism, or whatever you intended to major in.” Cartwright rolled his eyes.
Hazel huffed. “I think that’s my business—what I choose to study. These jobs are work worth doing. There’s already so much wrong with the world. How can you live in it if you don’t try as hard as you can to make things better?”
“Fine.” Cartwright held his hands up. “I’ll write you a recommendation for wherever you’d like. Just don’t lecture me anymore today. I’m far too tired.”