Chapter 15
I’m fine. I’m really, really fine. Ugh, I’m so not fine.
It’s been a week, and I can’t stop replaying what happened with Cal at Happy Endings.
He stayed away for the rest of the night, drinking his beer at the bar, talking to Aunt Charlotte and Aunt Lauren.
And now he’s ghosted me. Won’t return my calls or texts. I’m not going to beg.
What does he expect me to say? I’m sorry, I actually would like to be in a relationship with you. Is that what he wants? He sure has a funny way of showing it.
How can I make this better? Then I remember we made a deal. He said he’d do the fake-dating thing, and in return, I’d get his sister, Sutton, to move here for a job. That has to get him to talk to me again. Besides, I’ve been wanting Sutton in a larger role.
“Mackenzie, thoughts?” Nathan asks.
We’re having an in-office meeting, and I’m spacing out, convincing myself I’m fine. “New client wants more hands-on from you. Let’s work up the scope and billable hours.”
Nathan and Owen exchange a look. “Yes, but,” Nathan says slowly, “I’m asking what you think about me moving to an apartment in the city to build my network with the financial sector.
Now that we’ve snagged one client, it could help.
A lot goes on after hours in the city. It would mean I’d be less available for these in-person meetings. ”
“And so he can meet women,” Owen adds helpfully.
“Would you shut up about that?” Nathan says with no real heat. “Meeting women has never been a problem for me.”
“Ah, but the right woman could require a larger pool to choose from,” Owen says. He’s one of those happily married people who thinks everyone should get married. I’d find it irritating if I weren’t so happy for him and Shayla.
“I thought you loved your house in Eastman,” I say.
“I do,” Nathan says. “I decided to keep it as a place to take a break from the city.”
“Sure.” Sometimes I forget he comes from money.
He’s an only child with a trust fund. His family founded a major financial services company generations ago.
That company isn’t our client because Nathan’s dad, while tolerant of his son’s entrepreneurism, ultimately expects him to join the family company.
In other words, he’s not making it easy on Nathan.
All the connections Nathan has with the financial sector have been with the sons and daughters of his dad’s friends.
That younger generation is more open to tech security as a priority.
I nod. “We’ll make do with you on video calls, emails, texts.”
“Great.”
“I’d like to bring Sutton on in a larger role,” I say.
“If she accepts my offer, we’d have her here in person a couple of days a week as an office manager with the potential to grow into a client manager for new-client setup and outreach to existing clients.
She’s fast and accurate researching new clients and industries. A real asset to the team.”
“You want her to move here?” Owen asks. “Can we afford that? Cost-of-living raise plus a greater role means more money.”
“And benefits,” Nathan says. “She wouldn’t be a contractor anymore.”
“Since we didn’t lose that client to a conflict of interest, and with Nathan’s new client and a few cost-saving measures, I think she’ll pay for herself in six months.”
“What cost-saving measures?” Nathan asks.
“I’m working on locking in the rent here in exchange for a longer lease, and bumping our rates for new clients.”
“Finance clients can afford it,” Nathan says. “But it’s no guarantee I can bring them in.”
“Half those guys are friends of your dad’s,” Owen says. “They’re an easy reach, and I don’t know why you were so against approaching them in the first place.”
“Because I wanted to stand on my own two feet like you,” Nathan says. “Now that we’re more established, it makes sense to branch out.”
“If it doesn’t work out with Sutton’s additional cost, I’ll take a pay cut,” I say.
Owen and Nathan stare at me like I’m crazy.
“Why would you do that?” Nathan asks.
“That’s how much I believe in Sutton’s value to the company.” And I promised Cal I’d do my best to bring her here with a job offer. That was our deal. Cal didn’t renege on his part of the deal, and I won’t either. Even if things are weird between us right now. Or more like nonexistent.
Owen slaps the table. “Why not? Let’s take a risk. It’s only money. We’ll make more.”
“That’s the spirit,” I say.
Nathan lifts his to-go coffee cup. “What’s the point of owning your own business if you’re not willing to take risks? Bring Sutton on.”
Cal
I wrap up with my client, feeling good about bringing in someone new.
Perry wants to set up a corporation for a dog-grooming business.
Corporate setup is in my wheelhouse, unlike my other cases so far—a property dispute over garbage-can placement, a landlord-tenant situation gone bad, and a ferret owner accused of not abiding by the local leash law. I’m liking the variety in my new job.
I shake Perry’s hand. “Best of luck. I’ll be in touch for next steps.”
She smiles, her brightly colored orange hair making her look like the sun. “Great! Bye, Cal. Thanks for helping me through the legalese.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
She lets herself out the door. My phone rings, and I check the screen. Sutton. Adrenaline races through me. Something must be wrong. We text a lot more than we talk on the phone. Is Dad having one of his depressive episodes? Sometimes he can’t get out of bed and misses work.
I answer. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s fine,” she says. “I’m fine. Dad’s fine.”
I let out a breath. “Okay, what’s up?”
“I don’t know what to do.”
I sit on the end of my desk. “Okay,” I say slowly, giving her time to share. I swear if her crap boyfriend did something, I’ll be on the next flight out to kick his ass.
“Mackenzie made me a great job offer to go from assistant to office manager with the potential to grow into a client-facing role. And I’d get stock!”
My jaw drops. I didn’t think Mackenzie would follow through with the job offer since I didn’t see the whole fake-dating thing through.
How could I when she can’t stand the idea of being with someone like me?
Those were her exact words. Someone like him.
Obviously she thinks I’m not good enough for her, exactly like her mom said from the start.
But then that same night she looked at me with so much warmth I thought she wanted to be with me. I never would’ve kissed her again if I thought she was done with me. This is so confusing. I wish I could stop thinking about her.
“Cal?”
“Yeah, uh, congratulations on your job. That’s great.”
“Thanks. It’s a nice bump in pay, and I love working with her and Nathan and Owen. Your boss and coworkers can make all the difference in a work environment. I’m not sure I’d ever find a better work situation.”
“Uh-huh.” I wait patiently for her to spit out the problem, though I already know. She’d have to leave her loser boyfriend behind.
She goes on detailing the responsibilities as per the offer Mackenzie sent her.
“The problem is, she says it’s a hybrid position. I’d need to be in-office twice a week and can be remote the rest of the week.”
“That’s pretty common nowadays. Clover Park is a nice town.
I’m here, and you already know Mackenzie, Nathan, and Owen.
Ask Mackenzie to introduce you to her mom, Hailey.
She’s a master networker in town. She’ll introduce you to so many people it’ll make your head spin.
In a good way. You’ll feel comfortable in no time. ”
There’s a pause. I tell myself to be cool about what I know is coming next.
She lowers her voice. “I’ve been waiting for John to propose. If I move away, he definitely won’t.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You could stay there for years and he might never propose. Are you going to put your life on hold for a hypothetical proposal?”
“I don’t have to take the job. I’m perfectly fine being a virtual assistant. And Dad—”
“You said Dad’s fine.”
“He is, but you know how he gets.”
It strikes me how unfair it’s been for Sutton living at home.
After Mom died, Sutton dedicated herself to taking care of Dad in his grief, but she was grieving too.
She and Mom were close. I was in college at the time so wasn’t there to help day to day; then I played ball, followed by law school.
I had my own life while Sutton’s life stayed on hold.
“Dad’s a grown man,” I say.
“But he’ll be all alone.”
“He can join a club or something, or finally seek help. Maybe having you there makes it too easy for him to do nothing. Maybe it’s best for him if you move on with your life.”
Dad refuses to try antidepressants. Mom’s death was basically the end of his life. I’ve lost a lot too, but I’m not depressed. I built a life for myself.
Sutton speaks softly. “I don’t know, Cal. I think he needs me.”
I take a deep breath. “Sure, status quo is always an option. Or you could get in on the ground floor of a company with the potential to grow. Maybe take a few community college classes.”
“College is expensive,” she says as she always does.
It’s been fifteen years since Mom died, and I don’t want Sutton to permanently put her life on hold taking care of Dad and hoping her boyfriend proposes one day.
I want her to have options. She’s brilliant.
She could do so much more with her life.
“That’s what scholarships and financial aid are for.”
“I don’t know. This move seems too risky.”
“If it’s a mistake, you can always go home again. Right?”
“John and I have been together for eight years now. That’s a long time. We were high school sweethearts like Mom and Dad.”
But you’re not like Mom and Dad because John cheats on you.