Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 49189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
As much as I try not to, I end up curled in a ball, hugging my pillow on my bed. Sobbing until it feels like there are no cries left in me until I fall asleep.
The sound of our front doorbell, then knocking that turns into what sounds like fists pounding, wakes me with a jolt hours later.
I'd be terrified if it weren’t for Jase’s voice calling my name from outside.
I race to the door, only remembering everything that’s gone down today so far as I swing it open.
His worried face shifts to relief when he sees me.
“Oh my God, Vanessa,” he exclaims. “I’ve been trying to reach you for hours. What the fuck?” he cries, stepping inside without me asking him to and gripping me by the elbows.
“Are you okay?” he asks, looking more worked up than I’ve ever seen him.
My mouth opens and moves, but nothing’s coming out yet.
“I texted you, then called you. So I thought I’d take you out celebrating,” He says, looking at his feet, suddenly shy.
Looking hurt.
“I thought you’d wanna share your big moment, but if it’s because I’m your new boss…,” he starts to murmur, looking uneasy.
My jaw is still slack, but I feel my head tilt and my eyes narrow.
Unable to comprehend what I’m hearing.
“Jase?” I manage to say finally. Figuring I may as well just come out and tell him what happened.
But he doesn’t sound like someone whose Dad told him I ran out of the interview.
He’s talking as if….
“Celebrate,” I say slowly, replaying everything he’s just told me in my mind. Glad when his eyes meet mine and his mood shifts to good old Jase again.
Positive, happy, and yeah, even a little annoying, he’s so damned upbeat.
“Yes. Celebrate,” he scolds me playfully, shoving my shoulder gently with his hand.
“I called Dad when I couldn’t reach you, and he said you’ve got the job, but you took off before he told you when to start.
“When to start…,” I parrot back slowly, wondering if I’m actually losing my mind after all.
“You start Monday, Ms. Campbell. And as your new boss, I recommend we go out and have some fun. It’s your last weekend as an unemployed bum,” he announces, laughing at his own joke.
“I…I don’t understand,” I confess, sniffing and rubbing my eyes.
“What exactly did your Dad tell you?” I ask him, a tone of suspicion in my voice. But Jase only rolls his eyes as if we’re wasting valuable time even talking about it.
As if I should know already that I’ve got the job. As if I should be happy like he is.
But how? Why?
After what happened this morning, I figured I’d be the last person Jase would wanna see, let alone his Dad, when Monday morning rolls around.
“You’re too modest, Nessie bestie,” Jase teases me.
“Dad said you’re a perfect fit, and you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty if something suddenly comes up….”
Oh, he did now, did he?
The words make me smile, but not for the reasons Jase might be thinking.
“And?” I ask, hoping there’s more. And there is.
“He said the final decision is mine, being in charge of accounts, but you know I want this for you as much as you do,” he says pleadingly. His eyes beg me to stop acting so down in the dumps when I should be shouting from the rooftops that I got the job.
“And you start Monday,” he adds. “Dad wants me to help some client out of town for a few days, but we did it, Vanessa! We got you a job, and I get to boss you around like an asshole. Just kidding,” he says joking.
“Now put some real clothes on, I’ll take you shopping for some work clothes, and then we’ll go out for dinner,” he says as if I have no say in the matter.
Opening my mouth to speak, he overturns any protests I have ready in my mind.
“And you can pay me back out of your first paycheck if it makes you feel any better. Now, come on! The day’s almost over,” he coaxes me.
He busies himself with a text as I move to get ready to go out again.
Jase’s nervous energy, mixed with him not saying anything about what happened, makes me feel a relief I never thought possible.
Michael made sure I got the job, and he didn’t say a word about what happened.
And why should he?
I mean, if there is something between Jase’s Dad and me, surely that’s just between us.
Right?
Oh my God. I got the job, and I’ll get to see Michael again. But what did Jase say about going away for a few days?
Hmmm.
Maybe this dark cloud of a day does have a silver lining after all.
CHAPTER SIX
Michael
Watching Vanessa go is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I’ve faced plenty of tough moments in my life.