Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“Ducky, let’s go eat,” Dallas said as if Ducky’s only job was to follow his instruction. Couldn’t Dallas see how tired he was of people running all over him? He cast a glance over his shoulder as his brother shrugged on his suit coat. Skye stood beside him, zipping her logoed StreamTrainer jacket.
“You pick the place,” Skye added as an incentive, flipping her ponytail out the back.
“Y’all go without me. I have all this to do.” Ducky swept a hand over the pile on his desk, indicating the mounds of work awaiting him.
“It’ll be here tomorrow,” Skye said, nodding her head toward the open office door.
He answered by reaching down to boot up his computer, hoping they got the message. Seconds later, Dallas’s hand landed on his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. His other hand brought a long envelope forward, putting it in Ducky’s line of vision where he couldn’t see anything else. “You don’t have to go with us tonight. I know you’re mad at me, but Skye and I agreed you needed this gift. We planned to give it to you at dinner before I messed it up by going around you like I did.”
Skye’s pretty penmanship scrolled the words Thank you, Ducky on the pale purple envelope.
He turned in his chair, taking the card while looking between the both of them. The irritation faded a tinge. He slid a finger under the flap, loosening the tight seal. A greeting card with a caricature of a girl in a hula skirt, a cow chewing at the grass of her skirt, slid out.
The card read Moo Chew Grass-ias.
“What’s this?”
Dallas tucked both his hands in his slacks pockets, rocking back on his heels. Clearly, proud of his gift. “You’ve worked nonstop since we started this in our tiny apartment, and you’ve never taken more than a single day off.”
A folded piece of paper fell to his lap from the card. It held an itinerary and two first-class plane tickets. “A trip to Hawaii?”
“Not just a trip. It’s a perfect vacation trip to Hawaii,” Skye interjected. “It’s gorgeous there. They have these villas right off the water. It can be quiet when you need the peace and has a fun night life. We included a two-week reservation in a private villa with two bedrooms. We want you to go. Take a break and get away. Rejuvenate.”
“We know all this attention you’re getting is taking its toll. Then I didn’t help matters,” Dallas said, throwing a hand back to his desk, indicating the exact place Ducky had had the rug pulled out from underneath him. “And you’ve earned it. Get away and let this happen. When you get back, this will have calmed down.”
“Hawaii must’ve cost a fortune,” Ducky said, looking up at Dallas. His brain misfired as he processed even more new information thrown at him today, not entirely sure how he felt about this new turn of events.
“Don’t look like that. We paid for it out of our pockets. This is from Greer, Skye, and me. Not the business,” Dallas said.
“I don’t know if it’s the right time,” Ducky hedged, deciding he’d think about the trip tomorrow after a good night’s sleep. Besides, which friend did he take? If he asked someone on his gaming team, then another player would get their feelings hurt. Yeah, maybe this was a bad idea. “I’ve got all this work to do plus Sara’s schedule has me starting at five in the morning. We’re doing Good Morning America,” Ducky explained, tossing the card and the itinerary on his desk.
“Delegate. You deserve the time off to relax, Ducky,” Skye encouraged, nodding to drive her point home. She slapped Dallas on the arm. “Let him think about it. Come on. I’m starving.” That was Skye’s code to Dallas to leave him alone and let him work through everything on his own.
The weight of Dallas’s hand came back to rest on his shoulder, he squeezed again in a brotherly way. “I know you’re outside your comfort zone. I only signed off because I also know you can handle it. I promise that campaign’s the best we’ve ever had. Go away, relax, then come back ready to hit the ground running.”
Dallas didn’t wait for an answer, he hooked an arm through Skye’s and they left with Sara again joining them just beyond their office door with her purse in hand. They must have planned dinner as a group event. He watched them until he couldn’t see them anymore then stared longer, recognizing the feeling of burnout and constant frustration that was so unlike him.
The quest for his misplaced cell phone came back to the forefront. Where did he leave the dang thing? The locker room? Ducky got to his feet and started in that direction.
Maybe a vacation wasn’t such a bad idea.