Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
“You did? Good on you.”
“She thought it was all from Mom and Dad. They saved some for her college, but it wasn’t enough for her to finish, not the way shit costs nowadays. So when she’d message me and ask how much was left in the account or whatever, I’d just ask what she needed. I know she got by on a lot less than she could have used. Katie worked the whole time she was in school. Even with my help and what Mom and Dad had put back, she hustled. Answered phones, waited tables, did data entry and some bookkeeping and shit. I was so damn proud of her, a hard worker, always got her eye on the goal. Damn near broke her heart to have to quit and come back here.”
“That’s tough,” I say, not really knowing how to comment on this. He’s proud of her, but has he ever told her that? And he wants her to go back to LA as fast as she can? I have the uncomfortable feeling of being at cross purposes with my best friend and top lieutenant for the first time.
“Really is. I thought she’d do great out there. I guess there’s a shit ton of accountants out in LA and they got bigger degrees and connections. She says she’s gonna work on her CPA while she’s here, but I ain’t seen her do it. She’s wastin’ time makin’ meatloaf and corned beef and cabbage—okay, the corned beef and cabbage was fantastic, but I’d rather she do her CPA and get outta here.”
“Did you tell her that?” I ask.
“I told her she don’t gotta cook for me, we’re not roommates. She’s just using her old room till she’s back on her feet.”
“What do you suddenly have against Boston?” I ask, indignant.
“Nothing, man. I love Boston. You know that. But I want my baby sister out of here and away from the business. I’d never forgive myself if she got mixed up in the dangerous shit. She’s better off out in LA.”
“You can tell her that. If you think she doesn’t know why you blow her off and never go home when she’s there, explain it to her like you did just now. I know it’s awkward as shit, but do you want her thinkin’ you just don’t want her around? Because acting like you want her gone and not telling her why is shitty.”
He shrugs. “I guess. You know I don’t like to get all emotional.”
“I know you don’t, but this is your family, your blood. And you’re damn lucky to still have some left. Some of us don’t have that luxury. Don’t fuck it up.”
After lunch he goes to one of the warehouses to check on a delivery and I have a meeting at The Oyster. Once it’s done, I see a message from Katie on my phone. She needs to see me today and offers to meet me wherever I want.
In my office at the Oyster now. That okay? I ask. She gives a thumbs-down.
Where? I reply, wondering what this is all about.
She says she’ll meet me at the café across from the Pearl in an hour. I wrap up my business at the Oyster and head over there. I’m early but she’s waiting. I clock that it must be her day off because she’s in jeans and a sweatshirt, strawberry blonde hair in a messy ponytail. I sit across from her and wonder when all the tables in this goddamn city got shrunk down. Everywhere we go, our legs brush against each other. It doesn’t matter if she’s got on denim and I have on a light wool, I feel her like the heat of her skin is bare on mine. She’s drinking water and a waiter brings her a cup of tea with a coffee for me. I glance at her for a second and take a sip.
“That’s how you like it, right?” She says and she looks smug, not really asking. She knows I take two sugars no cream. I nod and thank her.
“What’s goin’ on?” I ask.
“I dind’t want to come to your office because I would’ve had to go home and change clothes. I can’t go in the Oyster looking like this.”
“Like what?” I say.
“Like I went to the bank and the laundromat and the grocery store today, not like I’m an accounting executive.”
“You can dress however you want. Nobody at my office is gonna say a word.”
“They’d want to. I’m still a new hire and I don’t want to seem like I don’t care.”
“You can wear a damn sequin dress if it makes you happy. Tell me what’s up, because it sounds like you’re meeting me on your day off.”
“It’s too important to wait and I didn’t want to tell you over the phone.”