by E. L. Todd
He rolled his eyes. “I knew finding a job would be hard, but damn, I can’t even get an interview.”
“Sounds about right,” I said with a laugh. “At least you can work for your dad if all else fails.”
He shrugged. “I think I kissed that goodbye when I dropped out of college.”
“He wouldn’t let you work there?”
“Well, he wouldn’t let me run it without a degree. He would probably make me push paper around or something.”
“Oh…”
The front door opened downstairs. “Baby, I’m home.”
“Dad’s here,” Roland said. “Good, because I’m starving. Mom is making cheese enchiladas tonight.”
“Sweet.”
“Boys!” Aunt Scarlet called. “Dinner is on the table.”
Roland rubbed his hands together greedily. “Let’s get this party started.”
We headed downstairs and sat at the table.
Uncle Sean looked at me with surprise in his eyes. “Hey, Slade. Didn’t know you were here.”
“Hey, Uncle Sean.” I fist-bumped him across the table.
He didn’t ask why I was there. “Dinner looks great, baby.”
She sat beside him. “I know Mexican is your favorite.”
“Everything you make is my favorite.” He kissed her on the cheek then picked up his fork.
Roland looked at me then rolled his eyes.
I tried not to laugh.
Uncle Sean talked about work and Aunt Scarlet listened. Neither one of them mentioned Skye or Cayson. It was the white elephant in the room.
“So, what brings you here?” Uncle Sean asked. “Got sick of your mom’s cooking?”
I shrugged. “I just wanted to get away from my parents.”
“I can imagine,” Aunt Scarlet said. “It must be a tough transition going from having the freedom of your own place to living with your parents again.”
Why couldn’t my parents be cool like Roland’s? “Yeah…”
“It sucks,” Roland said blatantly. “The only good thing about it is Mom cleans and cooks for me.”
“You should be grateful.” Uncle Sean gave him a knowing look across the table.
“Did you not hear what I said?” Roland snapped.
“And you’re lucky we let you live here,” Uncle Sean said.
“Yeah…because you wouldn’t buy me a penthouse…” Roland stabbed his food with a fork.
“Maybe you should have finished college,” Uncle Sean noted. “Don’t expect to be rewarded without working for it.”
Roland dramatically rolled his eyes.
Since I quit working for my dad, I had no income at all. I needed something. “Uncle Sean, can I have a job?” I said bluntly.
Aunt Scarlet and Uncle Sean stared at me like I was crazy.
“Why?” Roland asked.
Uncle Sean waited for me to answer the question.
“Dad is being annoying,” I said. “He’s making me be a janitor. It was okay at first but I’ve been doing it for months and I’m getting sick of it. So I quit.”
Aunt Scarlet ate quietly and didn’t react.
Uncle Sean didn’t say anything either.
“So…can I have a job?” I asked. “I could file papers or something.”
He took a few more bites before he wiped his mouth with a napkin. “No. I’m sorry.”
“What?” I blurted. “Why?”
He shrugged. “I’m not going to get involved in this fight with your father.”
“Get involved?” I asked. “You aren’t. I quit working there. I’m done with that.”
He drank his beer then returned it to the table. “Well, you could—”
“Sean.” Aunt Scarlet silenced him with a single word.
He looked at her then turned back to me. “No. I’m sorry.”
“Why?” I demanded. “You give everyone else jobs.”
He kept his cool. “That’s my final answer, Slade.”
I sighed, knowing it was stupid to argue with him.
After an awkward silence, Roland started talking about a book he read. Apparently, Uncle Sean had read it too because they started discussing it. I ate my food in silence, feeling annoyed. I was being cut off at every turn. What was I missing? Everyone said I was being ungrateful. Was I?
***
A knock sounded on my door. “Slade?” It was Uncle Sean.
I was watching TV on my bed, enjoying the silence. Dad and Mom hadn’t called me to ask where I was. Aunt Scarlet probably called my dad and told him. At least she did the dirty work for me. “Yeah?”
He opened the door. “Busy?”
“Just watching Cops.”
He chuckled. “A classic.”
“What’s up?” I asked, turning off the TV.
“Let’s go get a beer.”
I had a feeling he wanted to have one of his famous talks. “Will we take your car?” Uncle Sean had the most expensive car ever made. It was sleek with unbeatable style. And it went fast, really fast.
He smirked. “Sure.”
“Can I drive?” I knew I was pushing my luck.
He gave me a look that clearly said, “In your dreams.”
“Fine. Let me get my shoes on.”
***
“Shit, this goes fast!” I gripped the handle while he accelerated.
“It’s got great traction too. Watch this.” He made a sharp turn and accelerated at the same time.
“Yippie!” I raised my hands in the air while I slid in the seat.
He laughed then drove straight again.
“Do you speed all the way to work?”
He gave me a knowing look. “Don’t tell my wife.”
I laughed. “I’ll keep your secret.”
“Open the glove compartment,” he said while he nodded to it.
When I opened it, a pile of speeding tickets fell out. I turned to him with wide eyes.
He gave me a smug look. “Scarlet would freak.”
“Your car insurance must be a fortune!”
He laughed. “It’s not cheap.”
I shoved everything back inside then leaned back. “I’d hide those in a better place if I were you.”
He shrugged. “Scarlet will find out eventually. I don’t see the point in hiding it.”
“Please tell me how that goes.”
He laughed. “I’ll be in the dog house for a week.”
“A week isn’t bad.”
Sean shook his head. “A week is torture. She gives me this look…” He shivered. “It’s the worst.”
“Trinity gives me that look too.” I laughed when I remembered it.
Sean parked in front of the bar. “Everything going good with her?”
“We had a fight earlier but we’re okay.”
He eyed my face. “Is she the one who slapped you?”
I subconsciously rubbed it. “Nope. All my mom.”
He laughed. “Scarlet told me she used to play softball in college. She was the pitcher.”
“Makes perfect sense to me.”
We walked inside then ordered our drinks. Sean clanked his against mine. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” I downed half of it before I set it down. “Alright, give me one of your famous talks.”
He chuckled lightly. “I didn’t realize they were famous.”
“I’ve heard all about them from Roland and Skye…”
He rolled his eyes. “They aren’t as bad as they make them sound.”
“I don’t know…”
“Well, I guess you can tell me when I’m done.”
I sighed and looked at him.
He turned serious. “Your dad is the most laid back guy I know. He’s generous, kind, and has a lot of compassion. But he’s also hard like steel. He doesn’t put up with crap. It’s probably why he and your mother get along so well.”
“You mean fight so well,” I jabbed.
He ignored the comment. “Your dad wouldn’t be treating you like this with
out a reason. I think you should trust him and follow it through.”
“No, he’s being a jerk. You’re letting your daughter become the CEO of your company straight out of college. She’s not cleaning windows and waiting on people. My dad should treat me like that.”
He pondered his next words carefully. “First of all, your father and I are nothing alike. Secondly, you and Skye are nothing alike.”
“I’ll say…”
“She worked hard in college to prove herself to me, and she worked for Manhattan Grub at the same time to make her point. Even if she weren’t my daughter, she’d be the perfect person to take it over. She earned the position. So, now I’m going to ask you something, but you don’t need to answer. Do you honestly think you’ve proven to your father you’re ready for the responsibility of running a shop?”
I drank my beer and watched the bartender wait on people. When I remembered my time in college, it was full of booze, chicks, parties, and hanging out with my friends. I chose a major I found interesting but didn’t really try. Everything I had was paid for. My tuition was free, and I never planned on paying my parents back for the investment. I’d never had a job in my life, and I expected everything to be given to me. The second it wasn’t, I complained.
Sean stared at me then sipped his beer again. “Your dad and Scarlet grew up poor. They had to pay for everything themselves, and my wife has always hated the fact I come from money. Believe me, we’ve had a lot of fights over it. As a result, she told me our kids wouldn’t be spoiled. We gave them what they needed, but expected them to work for other things. Your father raised you the same way. He just wants you to understand the value of a dollar. He also needs you to know how hard the real world is. Most people don’t have the opportunities you do. It’s a life lesson he needs you to have.
“Being a father myself, I understand what it’s like to deny your kids what they really want. Every time your father turns you down and forces you to do something you despise, it hurts him. He may not show it, but I can promise you he hates it. Cut him some slack and learn the lesson he’s trying to teach you.”
I downed my beer and sighed in annoyance.
He watched me for a moment before he returned his gaze to the TV. A game was on, and he focused his eyes on it.
I stared at the counter, hating the fact everyone was right.
And I was wrong.
***
I walked inside the shop and saw my dad at the counter. He was filling out paperwork with his gaze downturned. He didn’t look up.
I sighed then clocked in. Then I grabbed my cleaning supplies and headed toward the windows.
Dad noticed me then looked up. He eyed me for a moment then looked at the bucket in my hands. When his eyes moved back to my face, they were full of approval. “Ready to work?”
“Yes, sir.”
He smiled. “Glad to have you back, Son.”
Chapter Ten
Skye
The last conversation I had with Cayson cut me to the bone. His final words burned my skin and made me feel sick. He’d never yelled at me like that before. His eyes contained his hate. When he thought I cheated on him, he was calm and accepting. He was hurt, but not livid.
But now he was pissed off.
I didn’t blame him for feeling that way. I wasn’t sure how he found out the truth, but having that dropped on him couldn’t have been good. Our fight left me paralyzed. Now we were never getting back together because I hurt him so much. It made me want to lay in bed and do nothing ever again.
Trinity came into my apartment, watching me cautiously. “Are you okay?”
I lay in bed and faced the opposite wall. “No.”
She sat at the edge of the bed and rubbed my back. “I’m here, girl.”
I sat up then pulled my hair from my face. “He hates me. Now he really hates me.”
Sadness came into her eyes. She averted her gaze and stared at the floor. “I’m sorry.”
The conversation replayed in my mind indefinitely. And every time, it hurt even more. I hadn’t thought about how he found out or why he knew. But then the realization hit me. Trinity was the only person who knew about my plan. “You told him…”
She didn’t look at me. She didn’t deny it either.
“Why?” My voice cracked with emotion. “Why? You promised me you wouldn’t say anything.”
“I know…I just hated seeing you so upset. I wanted to get you back together. Cayson was depressed and so were you. I thought I was doing the right thing.” Her voice was quiet.
“Well, now he hates me. So much for that.”
She closed her eyes and sighed.
“You’re a horrible friend. Get out of my apartment.”
She turned to me and her eyes bubbled with tears. “Skye, I was just—”
“Get out!” I glared at her with all the hate I could muster. “I trusted you and you stabbed me in the back.”
“I was just trying to help!”
“Well, you did a great job,” I said sarcastically. “Now leave.” I lay back down and didn’t look at her.
She stayed still. “You know, I’ve been the one taking care of you. I’ve been by your side the whole time. I was the one who helped you with the stupid plan anyway. I get you’re upset right now, but you have no right to talk to me like that.” She left the bed and headed to the front door. “Call me when you’re ready to apologize.”
***
A week went by and I grew restless. Cayson hadn’t called me, not that I expected him to. Seeing him and losing him again was too much to take. I wish I had said something better when he confronted me. I wish I said something to make him forgive me, to make him stay.
Instead, I just stood there and stared at the ground while tears streaked down my face. I should have fought for him. I should have apologized as many times as it took.
I held my phone in my hand for a long time, debating whether I should call him. I knew our conversation would end badly but I needed to talk to him. If there was any chance I could redeem myself and make him give me another chance, I had to take it.
I took a deep breath then heard the phone ring.
My heart was in my throat, and blood pounded in my ears.
Every second that passed made me realize he wouldn’t answer.
Why would he? I hurt him so much.
The phone stopped ringing but it didn’t go to voicemail. But he didn’t speak either.
“Cayson?” I pulled my knees to my chest while the covers surrounded me. I stared out my expansive windows and looked at the city, feeling small and insignificant.
“I’m here.” His voice was toneless.
“Hi…”
He didn’t reply.
I didn’t call him to waste time. I had something to say and I needed to say it. “I wish I could take back what I did. I wish you never went to Stanford. I hate myself for hurting you and I always will. I understand if you hate me, and I understand why you don’t want me anymore, but I want you to know that it was the hardest thing I ever had to do—and I did it for you.”
He breathed into the phone but didn’t speak.
“I know how much I hurt you. I know because I was in pain too—”
“Not comparable.”
I knew he would be harsh so I tried to get through it. “I’ll do anything—anything—to make this up to you.”
He sighed into the phone but didn’t speak.
“Because I love you and want you for the rest of my life. I’ll move to California to be with you. That’s something I’m more than willing to do. Whatever you need, I’ll give it to you. What I did was stupid, and I understand your anger, but if there’s any chance we can make this work…please try.”
“I don’t want you to move to California.”
My heart fell. “Cayson, please…” Tears started to bubble under my eyes.
“I moved to New York.”
I dropped the phone because I was so shocked. I searched for it in the sheets befo
re I brought it back to my ear. My breathing was heavy and I couldn’t control it. His words went straight into my heart and helped me breathe again. “What?”
“I have an apartment in Manhattan.”
“But…what about Stanford?”
His voice was still emotionless. “I dropped out.”
“But why?” As selfish as it sounded, I hoped it was because of me. After our last fight, I didn’t think we’d be able to work it out. But if he moved all the way to Manhattan, that must mean we were going to be okay.
Cayson was quiet for a long time. “I’m still so angry with you for what you did. Every time I think about it, I want to throw my fist through a wall. Having to rewrite the past is nearly impossible. I can’t forget how much you hurt me. I can’t forget all those sleepless nights. Every time I look at you, it just reminds me of what you did…”
The tears continued to fall.
“But…”
I loved that word. I loved it.
“In time…I think we can try again.”
I smiled through my tears.
“When I’m ready, not when you are.”
“Okay,” I said eagerly.
He sighed into the phone. “If you were anyone else…”
“I know, Cayson.”
He fell into silence. His breathing was the only indicator he was there.
Even though he wasn’t speaking, I clung to our time together on the phone. I pretended he was sleeping next to me, his arms tight around me. I let my mind wander and believe it was really happening.
“I’ll let you go…”
My fantasy was shattered. I wanted to keep talking to him but I knew I couldn’t push him. We weren’t back together, but we had a chance to make it work. And that was all I could ask for.
Chapter Eleven
Conrad
Beatrice was a lot more comfortable around me after she told me she was a virgin. When we kissed, she didn’t close off from me. When I touched her, she knew I didn’t want anything more than what she was giving me. For the first time, she was truly herself around me.
I studied in the library while I waited for her to get off work. Now that she was mine, I didn’t play it cool around her. I went out of my way to see her every second of the day. When I wasn’t with her, I missed her. And when I wasn’t with her, I thought about her.