It’s not so much working for him, as taking over the entire company, but she doesn’t need the nitty gritty details. I don’t like talking about my dad’s company. He owns a construction giant that’s notorious for taking bad deals, cutting corners, and putting people in harm’s way. And with all that, they still manage to keep their name bright and shiny and expensive while they line their designer pockets.
It’s a fucking disgrace, but you’d never guess from the outside. One of their foremen got his legs crushed and they ensured that he wouldn’t get worker’s comp so that their name wouldn’t be sullied, and they wouldn’t get fined. They can afford it, but theopticswould be bad.
The fucking optics.It still makes me seethe when I think about what they did to Kurt.
“Is it something you want to do?” Stella’s voice is gentle, like she doesn’t want to scare me off.
“I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that.”
“Has anyone ever gotten a straight answer out of you? Because I get the sense that no one’s ever done that either.” She’s chastising me, but her eyes are laughing. Her prying is soft. It’s sincere enough to make me actually want to open up to her.
“It doesn’t matter. Some things are set in stone.”
“Well, like the saying goes, rivers cut through rock, not with power, but persistence.”
“What are you, a fortune cookie?”
“Yes, I see you spilling your guts to a cute, perky blonde in the near future.” I roll my eyes, rubbing my face, the stubble I’ve let grow longer than normal scratching my palm.
“No.”
“No, you won’t tell me? It’s rude to defy the universe.”
“I mean no, I don’t want to work for him.”
She pauses for a beat. “Why not?”
“Jesus, woman. Are you going to stop asking questions or do you need my social insurance number too?”
“Nah, identity theft isn’t my thing. If you don’t want to work there, whatdoyou want to do? Keep touring with the band?” I hesitate. It’s the right answer to give. The easy answer. When I look at her, however, there’s no expectation in her eyes. Just curiosity and an illegal amount of patience.
“No,” I say quietly. “I don’t know what’s next for me.”
“I understand that. Most people go to university, and I skipped it. Decided to see where the wind takes me instead. You get a lot of condemnation for it, not doing what people expect of you. But I find it makes me so much more fulfilled than the relief of their approval.”
I gape at her.
“You sure you’re only nineteen and not eighty-seven? ‘Cause that was some old-person wisdom.”
“What can I say? I’m wise beyond my years,” she giggles.
She sips her beer before setting it down, twirling the ends of her hair between her fingers. It looks so soft, it makes me want to reach out and run my hands through it.
“Do your folks have any expectations of you? Any siblings to live up to?” I’m tired of talking about me, and it’s made me realize how little I know about her.
“Nope! Just me.”
“And your parents?”
She hesitates, weighing her words. “I know they’ve always wanted me to be happy, live life to the fullest. And that’s what I’m doing. I think they’re proud.”
“They sound really nice,” I say, analyzing the brief expression that crosses her face.
“Yeah.” She smiles thinly at me before looking out the window behind her. “This snow is never going to let up, is it? It’s going to beDay After Tomorrowout there soon!”
“Well, the whole city is shut down, so at least you don’t need to worry about getting anywhere.”
“True, but this is your apartment, your space. I’ve already overstayed my welcome.” She shifts in her seat, drawing my attention to her perfect ass.
