Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Graham didn’t answer.
This took the wind out of Lucy’s sails, but she did her best to stay focused on what was waiting for her back in Northampton.
The diner, all her new friends, Noah…and Megan.
She was still a little unsure about her role in the girl’s life, or if she would even have one, but she wouldn’t worry about that until she got back to town and had a chance to speak to Noah.
Either way, there was plenty for her to be excited about, and she wanted to keep all those things in mind as she exited the freeway and headed straight for the diner.
It had been open for a couple of hours by then, but Lucy wasn’t scheduled to be there that morning anyway, so she didn’t have to call Danny to let him know she’d be late.
This was a huge relief because she wasn’t ready to tell anyone that she rushed back to the City to help her ex-husband, who didn’t actually need her help at all.
She parked down the block because there weren’t any curb spots right outside the diner. Lucy took this as a good sign, hoping it meant there were a lot of customers that morning. She was about to turn off the engine when her speakers blared with the harsh, high-pitched sound of her ringtone.
Graham was calling her back.
Lucy sighed. Much of her enthusiasm had faded, and she didn’t feel like talking to her old boss at all, but she answered the call anyway. She needed to get this over with. So, she unplugged her phone from the speakers and brought it to her ear as she turned off the car.
“Hey, Graham.” She unbuckled but sat back in the driver’s seat, wanting to be as comfortable as possible for what was ahead.
“Hello, Lucy! Sorry I missed your call earlier. I was in a meeting.”
“That’s all right. No big deal.”
“Well, you’ve got me now, so what’s up?”
She paused, trying to remember what she had planned to say when she first called, but those thoughts were gone. Now she was at a loss for words, and her mouth felt very dry when she tried to speak again.
“I…uh.” She coughed a few times and took a sip of water. “Sorry. I’m just not sure where to start.”
“Oh?” Graham’s tone shifted. “This sounds serious. Should I be worried?”
She laughed, but ignored the question. “Uh, how’s the training going with the new replacement?”
“It’s going all right,” he said slowly, as if he knew this was not what she had called to talk about.
“He’s a fast learner, which is nice, but he can’t help but tell us how things were done differently at his old job.
I get the feeling he thinks he knows better than the rest of us, but at the end of the day, he shows up on time and does the work, so I don’t have any complaints. ”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it! Who knows? Maybe some of his ideas are worth listening to. If he worked somewhere that was successful, that is.”
“Eh, I don’t know. He wasn’t involved in the clothing industry at all. Besides, I don’t see the point in changing things since you’ll be back soon, and we can return to how things always were.”
She winced, realizing she just needed to rip the Band-Aid off and get this over with. “Listen, Graham, I’m not coming back as your assistant. I’m leaving the job for good.”
She wasn’t sure what she expected him to say, but she held her breath anyway and tried to prepare for the worst. If he was going to yell or throw a fit, she would let him get it out.
Leaving the job like this would make things difficult for her boss, and she had sympathy for him.
She liked Graham, and she took no pleasure in making his life harder than it needed to be.
“I’m disappointed,” he said. “But I’m not surprised.”
“You’re not?”
“No, I’m not.” He sighed. “I saw this coming, even if I was trying to pretend I didn’t.
Honestly, I knew when you first asked me for an extended vacation that you probably wouldn’t be coming back.
Why would you? You’ve always been destined for much better things than being my administrative assistant.
I knew the second you got a taste of what else life could offer you, I’d never hear from you again.
If anything, I should be apologizing to you for holding you back for so long. ”
“No, Graham, don’t say that!” She clicked her tongue. “I don’t feel like you’ve been holding me back at all! I’m so grateful that you took a chance on me years ago and gave me a job we both know I wasn’t qualified for at the time.”
He laughed. “You probably could’ve had a little bit more experience, yeah…”
“But that’s what I mean,” she continued.
“You did me a favor by hiring me, and then you became the best boss I could’ve asked for.
I was genuinely happy working for you until recently, and the only reason that’s changed is because so many other things in my life have changed.
It has nothing to do with you personally. I want you to know that.”
“I appreciate you saying that. Even though I’m sad to lose you, I want you to know I’m happy you’re moving on. If you ever need a reference, I’ll gladly write the most glowing one I can. If you ever decide you miss working here, I’ll always have a place for you.”
She smiled and blinked away a few nostalgic tears. “Thanks, Graham. That means a lot.”
“Of course. Now, I guess the only thing left to do is put together your exit plan. I would happily offer you a two-week grace period, or longer if you wanted it, but something tells me you would rather wrap things up now rather than come back, even for a short time.”
“Is that okay?” She scrunched her face. “Because I could try to come back for a few days if you need me, but?—”
“No, that’s fine,” he said. “We’ve got the new guy, and something tells me he’ll be thrilled to hear that the position is now more permanent. I’ll have someone pack up the items on your desk and tuck them away in a safe place. You can pick them up whenever you’re back in town.”
“Thanks, Graham.”
“Thank you,” he said. “And I wish you all the best in whatever you decide to do next with your life.”
She smiled. “Thanks. It’s exciting but also terrifying.”
“Don’t be scared. You’re brilliant and hardworking; I know you’ll achieve great things, Lucy. Great, great things.”