Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“I’ve worked so hard to help you grow the staff and hang onto employees longer, and you march right out there today and fire a quality employee for no reason. How do you think that’s going to affect morale once everyone else hears about it?
“Nothing could have made it more clear that you don’t respect the work I’ve done for you. I never should’ve come to work here, because we all know why I was hired, and it wasn’t for my HR experience.”
“That’s not fair, Ana,” I interject.
“Fair? You’re really going to talk to me about what’s fair?” Her laugh is bitter as she heads for the door. “I’m done. I’m leaving.”
And she goes.
CHAPTER 51
ANA
Abruptly quitting your job in the morning makes for a long, miserable day.
Marissa’s at work, so I don’t want to bother her. Stella has her own problems, and doesn’t need to hear my nonsense. Callie’s probably working, but even if she isn’t, I don’t want to dampen her bliss with my tale of woe—or maybe I don’t want to compare her happy relationship to my ill-advised affair with two unreasonable, emotionally-stunted tyrants.
I’m so angry at them I can’t see straight.
If they had behaved this way with me months ago, it wouldn’t have surprised me, but I got to know them so much better—or at least, I thought I did. Maybe I’ve been wearing rose-colored glasses, or I’ve been in a sex haze.
Maybe they never stopped being the men they were when all those other employees were quitting left and right.
I’m angry at myself for ever expecting anything different from them.
After I clean everything in the townhouse until it’s gleaming, I try to read, even though I know I won’t be able to focus. You know it’s a bad day when I can’t get lost in a reverse harem with ten men. Right now, that feels like ten men too many, and I’m kind of mad at romance books in general for making me think grumpy men were desirable.
By mid-afternoon, I’m desperate for a diversion and decide to call Stella anyway, just to find out how she’s doing. I won’t talk about myself, and I’m sure hearing cute stories about Jessie at dance class will cheer me up.
I purposely left my phone in my bag, and when I retrieve it, I find two missed calls each from Derek and Jansen. There are text messages too, but I ignore them and click Stella’s picture.
As soon as she answers my call, I know something’s wrong.
“Stella? Are you crying?”
“Ana? Now isn’t a good time to talk.” Her voice is shaky, and I go into panic mode.
“I won’t keep you long, but please tell me what’s wrong.”
She sniffles a couple of times before speaking again. “Things have kind of fallen apart here. Mom’s kicked me out.”
“What? When did this happen?”
“Just today. I’m right in the middle of it. That’s why I need to go.”
“Wait! What are you going to do? Where are you and Jessie going to go?”
The tears she’d been holding back overtake her, and through them, she cries, “I don’t know.”
Even though nothing today has felt like it in the least, once again, the universe is working in my favor. I doubt Stella had any intention of calling Marissa and me for help, so I’m very grateful that I happened to call her. And thanks to the fact that I no longer have a job, my schedule is clear.
“I can come and get you! You two can come and stay with us.”
“Oh! Are you sure? I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”
“Friends aren’t inconveniences, Stella. Ever. I can be there in about four hours. Will you be okay until then?”
“We’ll be okay. We’ll probably leave and wait for you somewhere else. I’ll text you the location.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you very soon!” I hate that this is happening to my friend, but I’m excited to see her and Jessie; it’s been too long.
As I throw together an overnight bag, my phone rings repeatedly. I check it each time, in case it’s Stella, but it’s Derek and Jansen. I don’t want to block them, but each ring makes me worry that something’s gone even more wrong for my friend.
The next time it rings, I take the call. “Derek? I don’t want to talk right now, but I need my phone for an emergency, so please stop calling.”
“An emergency? What’s going on?”
“My friend Stella is having a crisis. I’m going to go get her. Assuming you’re calling to apologize, we can talk when I’m back in town.”
“A crisis? What’s wrong? Stella’s the one with the young daughter, right?”
I’d forgotten I’d told them about Stella, and I’m surprised he remembers. “Yeah, I don’t know what’s going on, but her mother’s kicked them out of her house, so I’m going to bring them to live here.”