“You reminded me why I got into hospitality in the first place: to serve and respect people.”
Later, as she sipped a tonic water at the bar, Ben Graham approached her, a supportive smile on his face.
“Well done,” he said. “You handled that speech like a pro.”
She laughed self-consciously.
“My legs were shaking the whole time. Public speaking is not my thing.”
He raised an eyebrow playfully.
“You looked confident. Maybe you’re a natural?”
Then he glanced at Patricia, who was busy in an animated conversation with a group of journalists, and lowered his voice.
“I wanted to let you know that Patricia and I are considering you for a more formal role in The Decency Project. It’s entirely your choice, of course. We don’t want to pressure you, but we think your authentic voice is incredibly valuable.”
Sarah’s eyes widened.
“A role? Like, a job for the foundation?”
He nodded.
“Part-time or full-time, whatever works for you. We know you have responsibilities with your daughter, and we wouldn’t ask you to leave your job at The Silver Swan if you didn’t want to. But we’d love for you to be a sort of ambassador—a spokesperson who travels with us to speak about worker empowerment. We’d provide compensation, of course, and the schedule could be adjusted to your availability.”
Her mind was spinning.
“That sounds amazing, but also terrifying. I’ve never done anything like that.”
He offered a kind smile.
“Think about it. Talk it over with your family. The offer stands whenever you’re ready.”
With that, he gave a friendly nod and walked away…
