Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“My money from the divorce, you mean,” Jess said. “Paid to me for services rendered to this family, a payment much lower than what I’m worth. That money is sitting in a high-yield savings account, largely untouched. The money and property owned by my employer are mine to control and spend as I would like until I die. I purchased that car with those funds, and it was a drop from the well of what I have within my disposal. But please, try to monetarily swing your dick around a little more, Matt. I so greatly enjoy playing the ‘whose is bigger’ game, mostly because I like winning.”
The slight tic in his eye was the only facial expression that gave away his utter shock and disbelief. Soon his whole body screamed mistrust and disdain, though, and a condescending smile pulled at his thin, pale lips.
“Funny,” he said, leaning forward to place his now-empty glass on the coffee table before snagging a piece of shrimp. “A woman with no budgeting skills or prior experience is suddenly in charge of an employer’s fortune for the term of her life? This sounds like one of your fantasy books.”
“It does, that’s right,” Jess said, still relaxed, though his tone and mode of questioning were similar to what they’d been before. This was about her magical life. A life this insignificant prick hadn’t spent twenty years picking away at. She’d started fresh, as a woman who no longer gave any fucks, and it showed. “Just so we’re all clear, I have amazing budgeting skills. You can’t give a woman just enough to cover life expenses, demand she make it work despite fluctuating rates, reap the benefits of her frugal living, and tell her she has no budgeting skills. I did that for twenty years. I know plenty about budgeting.”
He ate a piece of shrimp and then grabbed another. “I’ve had about enough of your dramatics. I’m going to go see where dinner is. Camila cannot seem to figure out how to be a good host.”
Jess watched him go, irate and frustrated.
“You did that for twenty years,” Austin said, not able to help laughing in utter bewilderment. “Twenty years! How?”
“Right?” She sat forward and turned a bit to look at him, her face a little pale. He was relieved to see the haunted expression from earlier was gone. “In fairness, he wasn’t like this all the time. This is one of the worst moods I’ve seen him in. If it weren’t for you, I doubt he would’ve tried so hard. I think he was trying to put you off our relationship.”
“He definitely was, yes. He doesn’t want you to be happy without him, and he certainly doesn’t like another man making him feel small in his home. I think we’ve addled that poor bastard’s brain.”
“Poor bastard, my ass,” she breathed, snuggling back into Austin. “But yeah, he’s terrible. Isn’t he terrible? His opinions are somehow fact because that’s the reality he wants to believe. No one else matters. It’s…infuriating. And exhausting. I just hate it and want to go home. I hate being in his company.”
“Yet you had an amicable divorce, right?”
“Yeah.” She shrugged. “It was fine.” Her eyes went distant. “I agreed to the parameters. It sounded reasonable. Half the house, half the liquid funds, a portion of his retirement. He agreed to pay for Jimmy’s college.”
A portion of his retirement…
Probably a small portion if Matt was paying for college, which he’d undoubtedly hinged on a book full of stipulations. She’d also said liquid funds, and Matt clearly hadn’t let Jess have access to the books. There was no telling how large this man’s stock portfolio was, how much money she’d left on the table.
Anger welled up in Austin again, but this time it was easier to let it go. She’d walked away amicably out of survival instinct. She’d made sure Jimmy was looked after, she’d felt like she’d gotten enough, and she’d gotten out. No more stress, no more moods. None of the stuff she was going through this evening. She was safe now. The past didn’t matter.
“Well. Maybe someday you two can get along amicably again,” he said, rubbing her back.
“I’d be fine to never see him again. We’ll get along when Jimmy wants us to, and that’ll be the end of it. I hold a grudge.”
“Now you do, at any rate.”
She laughed and stood. “Exactly.” She glanced at the front door just in time for it to open and for Ulric’s head to pop in.
“Hey,” he said softly. “The Dick is in the kitchen yelling at the Jane. Well…talking sternly, at any rate, but she’s crying. We’re all spying, and Cyra is wondering if it’s okay for her to make him cry?”
Jess wilted, her lower lip hanging a little. She really felt for Camila. “No. We can’t treat this like a magical situation.”