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Demi was laughing now, and I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m not asking you to do any good deeds. At least not today. But you’re getting your master’s in education, and Ruby just graduated with her doctorate in psychology.”
“Ummm… those are not the same thing. You know that, right? She’s like… way smarter than me.”
“I am not. I’m older, and I’ve been in school longer than you,” I said, shaking my head.
“That isn’t what I was saying. Ruby is interested in working with kids—you know, like a therapist. I thought maybe you would have some insight since you’ve student-taught at the school district, and you know how all of that works. I’m just trying to think of options for her to work her magic with children.”
“Oh, okay. Got it. So, they don’t hire therapists at the school district.” She chuckled. “But they do hire counselors, which I think you are probably way overqualified for. There is also the path of an educational psychologist, which would be having your own practice. But they are so needed. Kids’ needs are just not being met these days. At the end of the day, there are children struggling all over the place who would benefit from your expertise.”
I thought it over. “Thank you. I’ll definitely research these options.”
“What age group would you like to work with?” she asked.
“I actually think I’d like to focus on middle school and high school kids. That’s when I feel like I struggled the most with all the pressures of life.”
“I think you’d be amazing at it. You’re so… cool. I think kids would find it easy to talk to you.” Demi beamed at me.
“Well, I knowIlike talking to you.” Peyton reached for my phone and typed in her phone number, and Demi laughed at her boldness. But it reminded me that Demi and I still had one another’s numbers, even though we hadn’t kept in touch when I’d left for school all those years ago. Our friendship had consisted of our time out on the horses when we were younger.
“Good. Now you’ve got my number, too,” Peyton said as she handed me my phone back. “And I just texted myself from your phone, so I’ve got yours, too. Basically, you’re stuck with us now.”
“I can live with that,” I said, clearing my throat and glancing down at the time. “All right. I need to get to the bar.”
“Hey, what night are you off this week?” Demi asked.
“Um, only Sundays when Doreen covers. I work the other six nights. I can take breaks, but I’m sort of running the place right now, and my dad does not have the most reliable people working there.”
“That’s ridiculous. You need more than one night off.” Peyton gasped like this was the most insane thing she’d ever heard. “Pick a night, and we’ll have a girls’ night out. I think we could all use one,” Peyton said, as she pushed to her feet and hugged me.
I wasn’t big on girls’ nights out. Hell, I didn’t even know what that meant. I’d never had one.
“Yes. And if you can’t completely leave the bar, you can get someone to cover, and we’ll come there so you can still keep an eye on things. But we can dance and drink and have a good time.”
I guess girls’ night didn’t sound so terrible.
“Okay. Sounds good. I’ll text you.”
Now it was Demi’s turn to hug me.
I didn’t know what I’d gotten myself into, but oddly enough, I didn’t mind it.
I was going to be here for a few months, so I may as well have a little fun.
If I even remembered how to do that.
nine
. . .
River
“Will Goldy is here,and he’s insisting on seeing you immediately,” Cassie said. “You have about ten minutes before your next client.”
“I thought we talked about this. They can’t just show up without an appointment.”
I leaned back in my chair and pinched the bridge of my nose. My receptionist, Cassie Windfield, was the daughter of Samantha Windfield, the woman who ran Magnolia Haven and had pulled some strings to get Grammie the room she had.
The best room in the place because of the views.
