Dinner ended up being really nice. Mr. Crawford ordered for me and Grace kept me occupied with medical talk. We parted with her pulling me in for a friendly hug, something I wasn’t used to, but I actually didn’t want to resist. If I’m being honest, it felt kind of nice. I was now seated in Mr. Crawford’s vehicle, and I waited for him to start the car to take me home. Regardless of where I sat with him, I at least had an opportunity with Grace as she gave me her info so I could shadow.
We had sat in silence for a few minutes. He was working on something on his phone, and I didn’t want to interrupt him. I couldn’t read his posture or energy, but I suspected that he wasn’t too pleased about my new post graduate announcement. After tonight, he would have to be pretty dense to have not realized it was what I wanted to do.
With a sigh, he set his phone down and looked over at me. “Why didn’t you tell me about medical school, Avery?”
I turned to look at the dashboard and tried to rack my brain for anything that might sound convincing. But what liars don’t tell you about telling lies? The upkeep is absolutely draining. Leaving out information is one thing. Trying to live a lie is a complete other.
With a sigh, I started wringing my hands in my lap. “I didn’t think you’d hire me and,” I took a few more breaths as my eyes threatened to tear up, “I really need this job.”
The muscles in his jaw flexed. “All of the applicants need this job. That’s no excuse to hide information. Did you think I wouldn’t eventually find out?”
“I’m sorry. I had planned on telling you if I got into medical school. There’s still a chance that I won’t.”
He chuckled, but it sounded more incredulous than happy. “With how you talk about whatever it was you were, toxicology of what was it again?”
“Toxicology of fish in our polluted waterways. It was a study that I helped Dr. Lawrence with. We found escalated hormone levels over a few years, which was an interesting new prospective environmental baseline.” Help meaning, I prepared slides, a very tedious and lab rat kind of volunteer job, but the payout was that we all got to sit in on the meetings to discuss the research. I learned a lot.
His eyes were kind as he assessed me. “You’re very passionate. It was a joy to listen to you talk about it with Grace tonight. I really like that about you.”
“You do?” I looked over at him, hopeful.
“Yes. But I can’t have you keeping secrets. I think it’s obvious why I can’t.”
My head fell. I needed this interview to go well, and it obviously hadn’t. And all because I was trying hard not to lose it. I chewed on my lip, desperate to stave off my crashing emotions.
“I understand.” I swallowed audibly. “I do appreciate the opportunity, Mr. Crawford. And thank you for dinner.”
He only nodded and started the vehicle. The drive back to my house was quiet as he maneuvered the streets, the orange flashes of light dancing across my lap as we passed under streetlamps. It wasn’t long before we were in my driveway again, and he had exited the vehicle to walk me to the door. Once I unlocked the house, I made to move inside without looking back at him.
He cleared his throat noisily, “I’m going to be up front with you. This job is going to put you in the public eye in places that matter for me and my businesses. I need to know that you’re not going to do anything to undermine me, my authority, or to embarrass me. Part of what I’m trying to build up is based on my reputation. You, as an employee, can affect that in either a positive way or a negative way.”
I whipped around so fast that I almost slipped on the ice on our doorstep. “What? What are you saying?”
“I want to hire you, Avery. That’s what I’m saying.”
“But I thought- ”
“You thought wrong. However, I must repeat that I absolutely can’t have any more secrets. Only the truth from now on.”
I couldn’t even speak. My head was nodding so quickly that I was starting to develop a small ache at the front and top part of my skull. My breathing increased as I scanned his face for any sign that he was joking. When he remained stoic and serious, my body moved of its own accord and I jumped into his arms, clutching him against me.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I was laughing and half crying as I squeezed him. I was so excited that I hadn’t realized that his arms had wrapped around me, returning my impromptu hug.
His breath was warm as he spoke quietly in my ear, “I still would like to discuss a few things. Can you meet me for lunch tomorrow?”
I didn’t even care if I had something going on during lunch hour. “Yes! Of course!”
He nodded and set me down, pulling away slowly. “Very well. Lunch, then. I’ll send my driver to come pick you up at around 11:45. Any food allergies?”
“Nope!” I grinned at him like the idiot I felt like I was.
A chuckle bubbled out of him. “Good. Until tomorrow, then. Get some rest,” his eyes indicated the house dismissively with his hands thrust into the pockets of his overcoat.
“Yes, sir!” I turned and walked into the house, turning to face him as I closed the door. “If you weren’t going to be my boss, I could kiss you, you know.”
He only gave me a tight smile and nodded. “Goodnight, Avery.”
“Goodnight, sir.”
ELIJAH
As soon as I was back on the road, I dialed Patricia.
Her voice was groggy when she answered, as if she had been sleeping and I woke her, “Why are you calling me? I clocked out four hours ago.”
“She’s hired.” My grip tightened on the steering wheel.
“What?”
I coughed and cleared my throat. “Avery. You were right, I’m hiring her.”
“Oh.”
The line was silent, and I watched the road as I cut through the darkness. I thought she may have hung up, but I glanced at the screen and saw that she was still on the line.
“Pat?”
“I’m here. Sorry. I’m just a little surprised.”
I scoffed. “Why is that?”
“You never listen to me.” If the air between us on a telephone call could be awkward, it was.
“Well, maybe after this I’ll find a reason to try harder to.” I could sense her smile. Not one of spite, but relief.
“Right. Night, Boss.”
“Goodnight.”
I ended the call and hit the button to my garage before pulling into the open space. The house was quiet when I walked in. If Ophelia had still been around, it wouldn’t have changed much. Her presence was made apparent through the décor, but not through sound or action. After the split, I gave Chloe full reign to come and redecorate. Even if Avery assumed the role I needed her for, she wouldn’t be fulfilling those aspects.
I climbed the stairs to my suite and entered the entry to my room, taking a left into the bedroom. It had been a long day, and I honestly wanted to just hit the gym and exercise my stress away. Patricia had told me that I was becoming too obsessed with it, and I had really drawn the line when I offered her the balanced protein rich lunch that I had asked my cook, Clyde, to come up with. I recalled the day she sat in my office and opened the container to a colorful meal. Low sodium, low saturated fats, flavored with only herbs and spices, she had spat it out and called it bland before ordering take-out. She had bullied me into paying for it since she fussed that she was ‘too old’ to be in a place where she couldn’t enjoy the mediocre parts of her life. I paid for it, but I had been glad to. She had been a rock more than I should have utilized of her. I dreaded the idea of her retiring in ten years.