“I feel like I’m on probation and any wrong move might cost me my job,” I answer, not explaining any further. “What if they fire me and that affects everyone in the branch? They moved to another state without hesitation. I can’t fail them.”

“You can’t be carrying the weight of the world over your shoulders. It’s their choice.”

“Still, I need to know they’re going to be okay,” I conclude. “And about your family. I expect you to do the right thing, please.”

Forty-Eight

Claire

The week went by slowly, the weekend was painfully silent. Miller tried to distract me by taking me to the mountains on Saturday. We spent Sunday at the farm with my family. My brother invited us to the bar that night.

“It’s going to be okay,” Miller repeated the same phrase all weekend.

“Shelby is only quiet when she’s planning something big. I’m her partner, I should know what’s happening, but she’s not even taking my calls.”

“How about Jonathan?”

“He’s out of town,” I answered. “According to Danielle’s sources, he’s spending time with his boyfriend. That’s code for, ‘my mother’s driving me insane and I don’t want to deal with her.’”

“Do you think he can keep the company afloat when his mother keeps backseat driving?”

I drank my glass of wine, glanced at him, and said, “See why I’m worried? You’re not part of the company and even you get it.”

“Gyles called me,” he said, and I held my breath. “He received a call from Shelby, but he didn’t take it. We might lose the account.”

“How will that affect your company?”

“We’re solid, Claire. I wanted the account because it seemed like a challenge and I needed it because I wanted to work with you.”

I kissed his cheek. “Can you hire my people if they…”

“Let’s discuss that if we have to cross that bridge, okay?”

“Fuck, you’re supposed to make her smile. She’s worse than when we got here,” Thomas said as he approached our table.

“I’m about to take her back home,” Miller said, setting a hundred-dollar bill on the table. “She’ll be screaming in happiness in less than twenty minutes.”

“Dude, don’t talk like that about my little sister.”

Miller

It’s been a long week and it’s just Tuesday.

I’ve been putting out fires from left to right. This upcoming weekend, I plan on taking Claire away to San Diego. Work is just as stressful for her as it is for me.

Miller: What do you want me to cook tonight?

Claire: Surprise me, I have frosting for dessert.

I grin, staring at the phone but the smile fades as Devon enters my office with a couple of files.

“Here are the new contracts we spoke about yesterday. Have you heard from Gyles?”