Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 106092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
He pretends to pout, making him look much younger than twenty-eight—the same age as my brother. “Because Barb is tired of seeing me. It’s not my fault all my assistants suck.”
Kyle, though really good at his job, is often impatient with people, not allowing them any room for error. He’s been through six assistants this year and we’re barely into the summer.
“Gerry seems to like Hope. Maybe you could ask her and Elise to swap places for a bit.” I turn my eyes back to my computer, quickly responding to an email I’d been waiting on.
“Have you seen Hope? Gerry likes her for a lot more than her skills.”
I ignore his crude remark. Hope is young, blond, polished. She also came with a stellar résumé where she’d worked as an executive level assistant at one of our competitors. His insinuation she was hired for her looks rather than her skills is a testament to why he can’t keep an assistant.
“As stimulating as this conversation is, Kyle, I don’t have time for this.” I let out a heavy, annoyed sigh. “Get with Frannie to schedule a meeting. I can give you my full attention then.”
His face reddens and his jaw clenches. I’ve probably pissed him off, but he’s acting like a brat and I really do not have time for it.
“I’ll figure it out, boss man,” he grumbles, rising to his feet. “Hope you remembered your helmet.”
I frown as he stalks out of my office. Helmet? Grabbing the remote, I hit the button to turn the sound back on. Sure enough, they’re interviewing an old-school moonie.
“…I’m ancient enough to remember the asteroid of ’73,” the white-haired man says, revealing yellow teeth as he grins. “Gerty scared the BLEEP out of everyone. But not me. It’s going to take a lot more than a motherBLEEPing asteroid to take me out. My ex-wife tried a time or two with a motherBLEEPing pillow over my head when I slept and I’m still here!”
“Back to you, Ted,” the young woman says with a tight smile.
“He sure was colorful,” Ted huffs out, eyes wide. “Props to our sound techs for saving little listening ears from that language. Children watch our show too, Mr. Moonie.”
The cohost laughs at Ted and then they easily breeze into discussing sports. If the world really were going to end today, I would like to think the news would be a lot more serious.
I abandon my email once more and swivel around in my desk chair. The storm clouds are no longer visible and I wonder if I imagined them before.
It’s possible.
I’m restless and my mind is going in too many directions.
Like how are Knox and Dad doing these days? Are their lives wrapped up around the ranch, raising livestock to sell for whatever profit they can while desperately trying to forget about the gaping hole Mom left when she died? My chest aches whenever I think about my mother. She was the sunshine in our cloudy world. She was our everything.
My thoughts bounce from my family to the state of Texas itself. The financial market in most of that region has bottomed out as people who can afford to migrate out west to safer lands. The seismic activity that increased over the years drove anyone with any sense out. Miraculously, the state I chose to move to has become one of the most profitable because it’s one of the safest, especially San Francisco, despite being a coastal city. It’s as though the rich can afford to keep the angry planet’s grumblings at bay by sheer will and stacks of cash made off the less fortunate.
I’m certainly one of those wealthy men, snatching property out from beneath those who struggle to make ends meet, to turn a profit by then selling it for an incredible profit to celebrities, billionaires, and politicians who can afford to purchase geographical safety.
My heart thumps hard in my chest and I don’t know if it’s the stress of my life weighing down on me or the caffeine. The third coffee I had this morning was probably one too many on an empty stomach. I’m so buzzed from caffeine that I wouldn’t be surprised if I started hearing colors soon too.
“Up next,” Ted says, “we have a few adorable animal TikToks to share with you. Ever seen a bunny wear a tutu, Marla? Prepare for cuteness overload after our break.”
On that note, I turn off the TV.
Maybe the world already ended and I’m in hell.
It’s the only explanation for my shitty life.
Tyler
“I can’t cancel. It’s fourteen hundred bucks, Ty.”
My older brother, Aaron, isn’t exactly one to ask my permission, but then again, I’m not one to tell him how to do his job either. We’re both in uncharted waters here.
“There’s just a lot of notifications this morning about weird weather happenings,” I say lamely, holding up my phone as if to convince him. “It looks like it might storm as well.”