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I throw my leg over the bike and fire up the engine. It’s not long before I’m on the open road, finally able to breathe after such a mentally exhausting day. The accounting I do for Saints Purgatory is a walk in the park compared to what I did in my previous life, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its problems.
Well-meaning brothers like Possum, for instance.
It’s not often I think about my career before receiving a text from my cousin, Grim, and when I do, I’m transported back in time.
“Do you need to get that?”
I inhale as I smile apologetically at Thomas Vanguard, the founder, CEO, and lead accountant at Vanguard Financial Group. Opening the top drawer of my desk, I reach in and flip the button to silence my cell. Notification after notification keeps pinging, interrupting this meeting.
“No, sorry,” I say. “Won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.” Thomas straightens in his chair. “Caleb, you could have a bright future here at Vanguard Financial. You’re one of the best accountants I’ve had the pleasure of working with. But lately…”
Even though his words trail off, I remain silent. The last time I tried to speak when I thought he was done talking, he bit my head off.
Thomas takes a deep breath. “Lately, it seems your focus is elsewhere.”
He’s right, of course. My focus is on the motorcycle I recently purchased. I’d much rather be out riding that than in a stuffy office thinking about numbers all damn day.
But I need my job. The gas and electric company insist I keep paying these things called bills.
Assholes.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate what I do for a living. It’s good money, and I’ve always had a head for math. But it’s the same, day in and day out, and I’m bored. Which is why my cousin’s offer couldn’t have come at a better time.
When he texted me last week about the motorcycle club he started with his best friends, I had so many questions. My first instinct was to call and demand answers, but John’s deaf so that wouldn’t work. Texting is fine, but he must be pretty busy because he doesn’t always respond right away.
“Caleb?”
I shake my head and focus on Thomas. “Yes?”
“Is everything okay? You seem more distracted today than you have recently.”
Standing from my chair, I shuffle papers into a pile. “I need to go home, Thomas. I, uh… family emergency.”
He stands and stares at me with skepticism in his eyes. “Family emergency?”
Suddenly struck with a giant dose of ‘my give a damn’s busted’, I don’t respond as I grab my cell from my desk drawer and walk out of the office. Thomas shouts at me to come back, but I ignore him.
Is this the smartest professional decision? Fuck no. But I couldn’t sit in that room a second longer.
Just as I reach the parking garage across the street, my phone powers back on, and notifications start coming through, one after the other. Once I get to my bike, I glance at the screen.
John: Have u given my offer any thought?
John: Caleb??
John: If ur not in just tell me
The tone of the texts shifts from wanting an answer to desperation.
John: Hope ur in bc I need u
John: Answer me dammit!!!! Need you now
John: Make ur excuses and get outta there!
John: I’ll be at ur condo… get there ASAP
