Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“A hundred!” we both said at once. Even though he was great at spelling, he’d been struggling a bit with the double-vowel words, and we’d been practicing with him each night.
“Yup!” He ran for his Avengers backpack and pulled out a white sheet that had six spelling words on it and showed it to us. It had a “Good Job” sticker on it and the number one hundred written in bright-blue marker.
I held up my hand. “High five, buddy!”
He hit my hand, then Colby’s.
“Tell you what.” Colby bent down to his eye level. “Why don’t I let Viera stay with Mrs. Harris for an hour, and I’ll pick you up from school and we can go to Scream!”
His eyes grew as big as saucers. “But that’s like super-giant ice cream cones ice cream!”
“And that’s a big giant one hundred,” Colby said. “So what do you think?”
“Yes, yes, yes, yes, I’m amazing!” He danced around us for a bit and then announced that he had to pee.
“Well, that was short lived,” I said. “You sure you don’t mind taking him?”
“Hey, I get ice cream too.” Colby laughed. “I’ve got this, just go to work, change the world one tax deduction at a time.”
“I really should wear a cape,” I teased.
“Pretty sure the kids already think you have one, Uncle Rip,” she said softly, bringing tears to my eyes, making it so I had to look away.
“Be safe, Rip.” Her smile was full of joy, trust. I wanted nothing more than to come home to this every day. Damn it, I needed to figure out a way to take a sabbatical so we could finally heal, take the time and do it together.
As a family.
“You too,” I choked out, and then I left, hating every step that took me further away from my future.
“I’m sorry,” I said for what felt like the eleventh time. “I’m just not interested, Sam. I know you do amazing work, but I’m happy. I have a family that needs me, and if I started working for you and sold my firm, I’d be so busy I wouldn’t get to see them.”
Heather’s smile was so fake I had to turn away so her father couldn’t read the look on my face. The fact that she’d set this up behind my back pissed me the hell off. It put me in a rough spot with one of the most influential men in our city, one who wouldn’t be beyond warning his friends away from giving me business in the future. And since Heather had never shared with him that she’d been the one to set up the meeting, not me, I looked like a flake for turning down his offer.
“I guess I just don’t understand.” He leaned back in the leather chair. “Heather said you were genuinely excited. What changed your mind?”
Heather gave me a blank look, because of course she did.
“Sir, with all due respect, I think we both had a miscommunication. I’m extremely thankful for the offer. And would love to take it if I had more time, but right now I have things that are more important. I have a family to care for, kids who need attention, and while I’m sure Heather had the best of intentions setting up this meeting, I’m happy where I’m at. This isn’t temporary.” I paused to let Sam speak, but he was just looking at me in stony silence. “This lifestyle I have now, it’s forever. My family needs me. And I need them.” At that he nodded. “I am sorry that Heather is stepping away, she’s been great.” And she had been, but I wasn’t sad to see her go.
Sam shot Heather a look that was less than pleased, and she looked down in her lap. “Son, I respect your decision, thanks for shooting straight, that’s good business. If you ever change your mind, know I’ll always have a spot for you, even if it means firing whatever idiot I need to hire next…”
Banks poked his head in. “Did someone say my name?”
Awesome. Perfect timing as usual.
To make matters worse, Banks was holding the mug that said, “I always swallow.”
Instead of getting offended, Sam slapped his thigh and laughed. “Where’d you get that horrible mug?”
“This guy?” Banks asked. “I collect them.”
Heather rolled her eyes as an idea popped into my head. “You know, Sam, Banks is one of the best accountants here, he’d be a great candidate if you’re interested.” Banks’s smile turned panicked, as if he wasn’t quite sure he could handle it when I knew he could. He was incredible. “Why don’t you offer him the job?”
It would give me Banks in small doses.
And I knew that he liked money, and this job would triple what he was currently being paid since he wasn’t a partner yet.