Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Uh-huh. Sure,” I say, stretching the words out as I give her a knowing look.
Heidi huffs dramatically, but I can see the smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I swear it’s not like that! But hey, at least one of us should be allowed to have a little fun, right?”
I shrug, my smile softening. “If you want to date Perry, you should. Don’t let my past relationship deter you.”
Heidi laughs, her earlier tension fading as she rolls her eyes. “I haven’t said yes yet.”
But even as she says it, I can see the glint of amusement in her eyes, and I know she’s considering it.
As for me, I’m still committed to my decision—no more falling for smooth-talking charmers like Jason. I’ve got my work, my goals, and my birds to focus on. Love can wait. Or maybe it’s better off not showing up at all.
I laugh, dragging the word out. “Riiiiight.”
Heidi rolls her eyes, grabbing her things with a huff of mock indignation. “I haven’t.”
“Uh-huh,” I tease, my grin widening as we leave the break room and head toward the aviary. The air outside hits me like a warm blanket, thick and humid, but the sky is bright and clear, a perfect shade of blue with barely a cloud in sight. “Let’s hope we avoid the afternoon showers today.”
“Fat chance,” Heidi says, glancing up at the sky with a skeptical squint. “You know it rains like clockwork at four p.m. every day.”
She’s right, of course. Like a daily ritual, the afternoon rain always sweeps through, cooling everything down for a few moments before the humidity comes back with a vengeance. The birds love it—happily flapping their wings in the downpour—but I can’t say the same for my hair. I run a hand through it, dreading the inevitable frizz. Not that it matters. It’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone these days.
As we stroll through the park, the lush greenery of the aviary stretches out before us, a beautiful oasis of tropical plants and the melodic sound of birds chirping in the trees. This is one of my most favorite places in the entire world. But today, there’s a subtle edge to my mood, a nagging sense of frustration that lingers just beneath the surface. Maybe it’s the constant rejection for the bird trainer position, or maybe it’s Jason still haunting my thoughts despite my resolve to move on.
My phone pings with a text, pulling me from my thoughts. I reach into my pocket and glance down at the screen, relieved when I see who it’s from—my mother.
Mom: Got you someone to watch over you.
I frown, quickly typing back, wondering what on earth she means.
Me: What? Who?
Her response is immediate, which makes my stomach drop even further.
Mom: Security.
“What the hell?” I mutter under my breath, stopping in my tracks.
“What is it?” Heidi asks, peering over my shoulder as I stare at the screen.
“My mom…” I hesitate, trying to make sense of the sudden, cryptic message. “She says she’s got me a bodyguard. Like, someone to watch over me.”
Heidi’s brows shoot up. “For what? Did Jason do something?”
“No,” I lie, my fingers hovering over the screen. A familiar mix of frustration and anxiety bubbles up inside me. My mom has always been a bit overprotective—especially after what happened with Jason—but this? This is next level shit.
“I mean, it’s kind of sweet, I guess?” Heidi says, though her voice is unsure. “Maybe she’s just worried about you after everything.”
I shake my head, my thoughts racing. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m not some damsel-in-distress.”
“I know, but you can’t really blame her after everything with your ex,” Heidi says, her tone softening. “You know how your mother gets.” Heidi’s been my best friend for years, and sometimes I swear her and my mother are closer than I am with my own mother.
However, she’s right. My mom never really liked Jason, and after everything blew up between us, her protective instincts obviously kicked into overdrive. But this—hiring security? I groan internally, already dreading whatever conversation I’m going to have with her later.
I glance around at the aviary, its peaceful beauty suddenly feeling a little less comforting with this unexpected complication looming over me.
My mother can be a bit... dramatic. I hate that about her sometimes, though I know it comes from a place of love. She panicked the second I mentioned Jason calling and texting me again. He hasn’t done anything threatening or dangerous—just his usual desperate attempts to "explain" how he’s not a lying, cheating jerk. But my mom? She jumped straight to DEFCON 1.
I roll my eyes at the thought. A bodyguard? Really?
I fire off a quick response, trying to reassure her.
“Mom, I can’t have a bodyguard following me around at work. I’ll be fine.”
I shove my phone into the back pocket of my jeans, feeling the weight of the conversation still hanging in the air. Just another thing to worry about.