Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 65862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
If she hadn’t inherited the trailer from my grandma, who died when I was still little, I think she would have been on the streets by now. She wasn't always a terrible mother. She had her moments. Though they may have been few and far between, she had them. She sure didn’t make it easy to love her.
I glance up as the chime over the coffee shop door twinkles. I watch a man in a suit walk in, which seems to be pretty common for this place, though it’s still pretty early. I still haven’t gotten used to how nice everyone dresses in this part of Charleston.
The guy in the suit glances over to me and I notice he’s got bright green eyes. It’s only for a moment, but I see him check me out and my cheeks heat. Then he turns, breaking eye contact with me as he walks over to the counter to order his coffee. My own eyes roam down his body, and then I turn away quickly as I realize I’m staring. What is wrong with me? I have a boyfriend. One I love and have been with for years. Guilt hits me hard.
It’s probably because it’s been forever since I’ve seen Fritz. He graduated a year before me and jumped right into his career. He’s really busy, which I understand, because he’s a Hamilton, after all. His family is well known all through Charleston, and he said it’s expected he’ll carry a heavy workload once school is finished. I’m hopeful now that I’ve taken a job at his art gallery that we’ll get to spend more time together.
I check my watch to be sure I’m not late, and sigh. I’ve still got about thirty minutes before I can walk across the street and start my new job. I take another sip of my coffee and try not to be so nervous as I look out on King Street.
It’s hard, though, when I’m going to work for an art gallery and I know nothing about art. My degree is in business, but it’s my understanding that my job will be managing the back end of things. I think it’s mostly clerical and shipping, but I tried to show some initiative and read up about the art world over the past few weeks. I only had one class my freshman year in college on art history. I think most of it left my brain the moment I got my credit. But I know this was a big step for Fritz, asking me to work for his company, and I don’t want to disappoint anyone. I want to do my best and make him proud of me.
I definitely won’t confess that art bores the life out of me, because this job will take me in the direction I want. I just hope I don’t make a fool of myself this first week and some of what I learned has managed to stick inside my head. It doesn’t normally take me long to pick up on things, and I want to prove myself. While my boyfriend might have handed me this job, I can do it above and beyond what everyone expects.
Fritz has had a guiding hand in my life over the past few years, and I’m so grateful to him for all he’s done. Almost from the moment I met him my sophomore year, he’s been the best thing that ever happened to me. At first we were friends, which was great because I didn’t have any. I was so focused on studying and my part-time job in the enrollment office at the university that I didn’t have time for anyone. But he came along and changed everything.
Our friendship slowly grew into something more, but over time we fell in love. I didn’t know from the start how well we would fit together, but I was wrong. I’d been so focused on school and I honestly didn’t think he’d ever see me as more than a friend. But one day things changed.
I opened up to him, and I’d never done that with anyone before. He understood what I wanted in life and helped me find a path. He even helped me change my major to something more realistic. I wanted to be a teacher, but he reminded me that I’d likely struggle to make ends meet. And the last thing I wanted was to end up like her. It was hard for me to give up on that dream of teaching, but I knew Fritz was right. I didn’t want to have to struggle my whole life. He also said all I needed was a degree in business and he’d be able to take care of me. That he could offer me a job with his company and we could work together. Everything he said was true, and I’ve been lucky to have him.