Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 128260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
I stared, processing her words. I’d said yes to working for Courtney’s company after viewing her site and the work her team did. It’d looked… classy to me, I guess, after the raunchier nature of the studios my mom had worked for. But I’d never really thought about the overall message she’d been trying to convey. I felt a small sense of relief at the realization of exactly how much integrity she had, and that her company was the only one I’d ever worked for. But that didn’t change that I was no longer interested in doing the job.
She was watching me, a small smile on her face. “What I’m trying to say,” she finally said on a laugh, “is that I’m a fan of love.” She rifled through some papers on her desk, choosing one from the pile. “Now, Carson, from what I recall, we made a change to your contract that amended it to be six months instead of two years. You remember initialing that change, right?” She looked pointedly at me.
“Uh, yeah, I do?”
Courtney lowered her chin and looked up at me through her dark lashes.
“Yeah, I do,” I said more confidently.
“Good. Then according to my calendar”—she flipped her desktop calendar back a couple pages—“your contract ran out last week. Good luck in your next endeavor, Carson Stinger. It’s been real.”
I stood up and rubbed my palms on my jean-clad thighs. This was not how I’d expected this meeting to go and I was so damn relieved and grateful. “Courtney, I don’t know how to—”
“Take care of yourself, Carson,” she said, not rising from her seat. “And take your cashier’s check. If you don’t, I’ll tear it up.”
Right. I picked up the check and stuck it in my pocket. “Courtney. Thank you. You take care of yourself too.”
“Oh, I intend to.” She smiled.
I nodded and moved slowly to her door. I looked back once as I put my hand on the doorknob but she’d already picked up her phone to make a call.
PART 2
CHAPTER 15
Grace
Two months later, August
I pulled up in front of my childhood home and smiled as I stared out at it. I was tired from having made the eight-hour drive from DC to Ohio, but seeing the house gave me a burst of energy. Home. I already knew exactly where my dad was sitting inside that brick Cape Cod—in front of the TV in his slipcovered ratty, brown recliner, the one he would never give up no matter how much my sisters and I begged him to upgrade. One year, when my sister Audrey was eleven and taking sewing classes, she sewed a slipcover for it with little yellow daisies all over it. My dad looked like he was going to blow a gasket when he saw it, but then he glanced at my sister who was clearly about ready to burst with pride over the perfect fit she had accomplished, and he sat down in it and said, “Well, Audrey Bug, I didn’t know anything could make this chair more comfortable, but I think you’ve done it.” Then he made a big show of adjusting himself just right and laying his head back with a satisfied smile. Yeah, my dad was a good guy.
“Dad?” I yelled, unlocking the door and walking inside.
“Is that my Gracie?” He called, right before he came out of the living room with a smile. He kissed me on the cheek. “Law school must be agreeing with you. You look great.”
“Thanks, Dad. It is,” I said with a smile.
“How was the drive?”
“Not bad. I listened to an audiobook so it went by quickly.”
“Audiobooks, GPS…” He scoffed. “Pretty soon people will have no reason to learn to read a book or a map. I’m telling you.”
I rolled my eyes. “You should try it, old timer. You might change your mind.”
He laughed and took my small suitcase and brought it into the living room, where we sat down. Fall classes started in a week, and I had driven home to visit my dad and sisters between summer classes ending and the new semester beginning. I only had a couple days, but I missed them. I missed home.
“Jules and Audrey aren’t here?” I asked.
“No, they’ll be home soon. They both get out of class at five.”
I nodded. My sisters were both in college at Wright State where Audrey was studying to be a teacher, and Julia, a nurse. I was proud of both of them. They did well in school and worked during the summer to help with their tuition.
I stood. “I’m gonna get some iced tea. Can I get you something?”
“Yeah, grab me a beer. Thanks.”
I went in the small kitchen and grabbed a can of Budweiser out of the refrigerator, the same beer my dad had been drinking for as long as I could remember. I poured myself a glass of iced tea and returned to the living room, handing my dad his can.