I was scheduled to be away on business for an entire month, so before leaving, I asked my longtime neighbor and close friend, Lisa, to keep an eye on my house. All I needed was for her to water my plants, tend to the garden, and collect the mail while I was gone. It was a favor she’d done many times before, so I never imagined anything could go wrong.

The warm evening air carried the scent of freshly cut grass as I loaded my suitcase into the car.

“Nothing complicated,” I said, handing Lisa my spare key. “Just water the plants inside and out, and make sure the mailbox doesn’t overflow.”

She smiled reassuringly. We’d lived next door to each other for years, and I trusted her completely.

“Don’t worry,” she replied. “Your house will be exactly as you left it. Just focus on your trip.”

I thanked her, hugged her goodbye, and drove away feeling completely at ease.

If someone had told me then what I’d come home to, I would’ve laughed.

The business trip started better than expected. My presentation impressed the client, and the first meeting went smoothly. The following afternoon, we met again over lunch at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Seattle skyline. The conversation was productive as I walked the executives through our proposal, explaining how our product could benefit their company.

Everything seemed to be falling into place until one of the board members leaned back in his chair and said thoughtfully, “We like what you’ve shown us, but we’re concerned the pricing may be higher than we’re comfortable with.”

I took a deep breath, knowing the toughest part of the negotiation had just begun.