Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
I feel… lost.
Every day, I look at job listing websites and apply for jobs. I don’t want to, but I’m going to have to start searching outside of Nashville. I don’t want to move away from my brother and best friend again, but I have to go where the work is, and it’s starting to feel like that’s not Nashville, at least not for me.
My phone rings, pulling me from my thoughts. I smile when I see Sloane’s name. “Hey, you,” I greet her.
“Hey, hey. What are you doing today?” Sloane asks, as if I’m doing anything different than I’ve done every day for the past month.
“Oh, you know. Same old. Just sitting by the pool with my laptop, looking for jobs.”
“Still no luck?”
“Nope. I think it’s time to start expanding the area I’m searching.”
“No. No, something will come up. Take the rest of the summer to relax and see what happens.”
“You know I hate depending on Landry to support me.”
“I know you do, but he can afford it.”
“That’s not the point,” I remind her, just as I have almost every day since I graduated from college and moved back home.
“I know it’s not, but it’s still the truth. Come on… hang out with me the rest of the summer. I don’t start back to work until the middle of August. I need some bestie time.”
“What do you call what we’ve been doing the last month since I’ve been home?”
“Come on, Corie, it’s not enough. You lived away from me for four years. Four very long years. I missed you.”
My heart squeezes. Sloane has been there for me through thick and thin, and I missed her, too. We talked on the phone and texted every day. She would visit during the summers, but it wasn’t enough. She’s like the sister I never had.
“I’ll give it until the beginning of August. If I haven’t found something by then, I’ll need to change where I’m looking. Trust me, I don’t want to move away again, either, but that’s all a part of growing up and being an adult, right?”
“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbles. “There is a job in this city for you. I can feel it.”
“I hope you’re right,” I tell her.
“Now that we have that settled, I’m on my way over. Do you want me to bring food?”
“Actually, why don’t we just make something here? Landry’s home, and I’m sure he’ll be hungry, too.”
“Sounds good. I’m on my way. I’ll see you in fifteen.”
“Drive safe,” I tell her, placing my cell phone back on the chair beside me. Closing my eyes, I tilt my head back and enjoy the feel of the sun beating down on me.
Although I hate that Landry is supporting me, I can admit that it feels nice to take a break. It's weird because I’ve been nonstop for the last four years, but it’s also nice to have nowhere to be, and I have time to figure out my next steps. Sloane’s right. I need to give it time and see how it all pans out.
I’m trying to put all the worries out of my mind when a shadow falls over me. The sun is no longer blazing. Sunglasses cover my eyes, blocking the harsh rays hidden behind my brother, but I still have to squint to see him smiling down at me.
“Damn, I thought you were sleeping. I was going to toss you into the pool.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I tell him, sitting up straighter in the lounger.
“Nah, not unless I knew you were fully awake.”
“That’s not much better, but thanks… I think,” I say, chuckling. I’ve missed my brother so much.
“What are you getting into the rest of the day? It’s Saturday. Shouldn’t you be out on the town, enjoying the downtime you deserve?”
That’s his way of telling me that being a freeloader is okay with him. I really did get lucky in the big brother department. “Actually, Sloane is on her way over. We’re just going to hang out here if that’s okay. Unless you need me to make myself scarce?”
“What? No. This is your home, Corie. I don’t bring women here. The only women who have been in this house are you and Sloane.” He says that sadly, because he bought it two months after our mom passed away. “You come and go as you please, and don’t you dare ever think you’re not welcome here. I don’t care what’s going on, Corie Reynolds. This is your home.”
Tears prick my eyes. “Thanks, big brother.”
Landry sits on the corner of the lounger and leans in to hug me. “Love you, baby sister.”
“What are you doing? Training camp starts in a couple of weeks. Are you going to be living it up until then?” I tease.
“Nope. Not that Beckett would let me even if I wanted to. I swear, he’s worse than Coach Warner sometimes.”