Chapter 6
Atlanta
I sit in my small rental home, eating a frozen turkey dinner and watching the NFL triple header.
I could have flown home to Texas since we had the week off.
My cousin, Capri, is hosting Thanksgiving this year and even offered to pay for my flight.
I decided to stay in Hope Peak to finish up my big project.
And, let’s face it, to be around in case Holden needs me.
“Pass interference!” I shout at the TV even though I’m completely alone.
It’s a Creekmore family tradition to watch football after our Thanksgiving meal, and this is the second year in a row I’ve watched it by myself. My shoulders tighten. It’s my dad’s favorite holiday, and he was not happy about me missing the family dinner twice. My phone pings.
Dad: Did you see that?
Me: That should’ve been a flag.
Dad: Your mom is losing it over here.
Me: Brace yourself.
Dad: She just threw a pillow at the TV.
We FaceTime at the commercial, complaining about the game and checking in. I miss my family, especially my brother, Aspen. We’re two years apart and very close. He ran back to his apartment for whatever reason, so I can’t talk to him, but it’s alright. We’ll catch up later.
I take the last bite of turkey and stuffing from my frozen dinner, then walk it into the kitchen and recycle the tray. As I pour myself a glass of wine, my thoughts drift to Holden.
Is he with family? Is he by himself? Weary, I lean against the counter.
I’m still very angry with him for toying with my promotion.
Doesn’t he know me well enough by now to understand that I will help him for free?
He didn’t have to bargain with me. But at least I’ll be getting what I know in my heart I deserve, to be the head designer at Big Sky Architecture and Design.
But it doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t sit right with me.
It feels icky, like I’m not getting it on my merit, but because I’m helping him out of a tough spot.
I push those feelings down, refusing to listen to the negativity.
He wouldn’t have said it at all if he didn’t believe in me, right?
His actions show that he sees my talent.
He consults me on major design decisions before anyone else like I’m already the lead designer in everything but title.
But a niggling sense of doubt chews at my brain, so I slam the door on it before my thoughts spiral.
Content, I head back to the couch, glad to watch the Texans take the lead.
My phone bleeps with a message from my cousin, Capri.
Capri: Can you chat?
She FaceTimes me, where I say my happy holidays to her husband and kids.
“I’m worried about you.”
I look at Capri’s sweet face, love for my cousin filling me. Our mothers are two of four sisters who made sure their children were close. We all ran around like a pack of feral dogs whenever the moms got together.
Capri and my cousin Levi are a few years older than me, both only children who grew up in the same neighborhood.
It made sense that she moved to the same small Texas town where Levi settled, Indigo Hills.
She’s married now to a billionaire rancher who dotes on their three children almost as much as he does her.
“There’s nothing to be worried about. I already heard this from Mom earlier.”
Capri looks at me, blinking with guilt.
“Wait, are you guys texting about me?”
“We wouldn’t be texting about you if we weren’t worried.” Her eyes bore into me from 1,600 miles away.
“I hate secret text chains. I’m gonna kill my family.”
Capri shakes her head. “Don’t. You just don’t seem to be yourself lately, Atlanta. You have always been family first. The last few times we’ve seen you or talked to you, it’s like your light is dimming a little bit.”
“And you’re the one who was elected to tell me, huh?”
“Well, yes.”
“I appreciate it. I really do. And I’m okay. I’m just trying to figure some things out.” I fiddle with the stem of my wine glass. “I’m getting the promotion.”
“Oh, that is so great! That stubborn bosshole finally came to his senses.”
The knot in the pit of my stomach returns. “Yep. Yes. My new position begins January 1st.”
Capri is beaming. “I am so proud of you, hon. I’ve got to run, but we’ll talk soon. And if you get any time off at Christmas, instead of going to Dallas, think about coming out here. We’d love to have you.”
“I’ll think about it. Love you.”
“Love you back.”
I hang up, hating the way I got this promotion.
The shame of it settles over me like an invisible cloak that only I can see, but I know it’s there, bristling against my skin with every movement I make.
There’s only one thing I can do, which is to talk to Holden about it.
Or I shake off the feelings of shame, refusing to let that settle onto me because I deserve this promotion, and Holden promised it to me months ago.
He’s just finally giving me what he already promised. And that can’t be bad, right?