At sixteen, I started tutoring on the side, helping elementary and middle school kids with math and reading for extra money, and had parents and teachers alike telling me Ihadto be a teacher.
By eighteen, I had chosen education as my major.
By twenty-four, I had my master’s in education. I was offered a fifth-grade teaching position in my small hometown and began settling into the life everyone had always imagined I’d have.
I liked it well enough.
But I never loved it. It didn’t feel like the one thing I wasmeant to be doing. More and more often, just thinking about doing it forever made me feel suffocated.
“You never gave yourself the freedom to be anything but what everyone told you you should be. This is the complete opposite, so it’s perfect. Who knows? You might love it, and if you do, that’s amazing. If you hate it and you realize you desperately miss working with kids, perfect: you’ve got a job waiting for you. But we all know that you went into teaching because it was the obvious, safe choice.”
“No, it wasn’t,” I lie.
“June, I’ve known you since kindergarten. You can’t give me stupid lies like that and expect me not to question them.” My face pinches as I pick out a pair of socks, slipping on a pair with cute little ruffles at the top. Sneakers should be okay—I only have dressier shoes for going out, not for work—but Sutton wore sneakers on Friday, which reassures me. “All that to say, I hopeyou have a great time, but I hope you give this a real shot. I know it’s scary, but trying something new is good for you.”
I almost bring up how she’s always worked at the family bar she grew up in, but I rein myself in. That’s an unnecessary low blow, stemming from my own insecurities. Instead, I move to my jewelry box, searching for earrings that might fit a corporate environment.
“I appreciate you, and I told you guys I would try to be braver. But I can only handle so many new things at one time,” I say.
“I know,” she says as I pull out a pair of earrings with a pearl stud and a dangling gold bow. Cute, but discreet, I think. “And I’m so proud of you, really. You’re going to have the best first day ever.” I let out a little laugh and shake my head.
“I haven’t even met my new boss yet. I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
“It’s your lucky girl summer, right?” I roll my eyes, regretting agreeing to their scheme. “Part of being lucky is recognizing luck for what it is and accepting what the universe brings you.”
“Since when are you the queen of manifesting?”
“Since I’ve been friends with you, allowing you to force your woo-woo stuff down all of our throats.” I let out a laugh, shaking my head as she continues. “Now, go, get to work and have the best day ever, okay? Call me after work?”
“Okay, Lainey. Thanks for talking me off a ledge,” I say. My chest does feel a bit lighter after chatting with her.
“Anytime. Love you!”
“Love you more,” I say, then click off and finish getting ready.
SIX
“Cute earrings!” Sutton says when she meets me in Daytrip's entryway.
“Thanks! I wasn’t sure of the dress code, so I hope—” She waves a hand, cutting me off and shaking her head.
“There is none. The staff wears uniforms, but you won’t be customer-facing. As long as you look presentable in case you meet or speak to someone, you’re good.” I glance at her outfit—a cute top, jeans, and sneakers like mine—and let out a relieved breath. “You’ll get the handbook today, but what you have on is perfect,” she says, moving into the lobby and through the hidden door of the business suite.
“Like you saw Friday, back here is where the staff break room and the offices are.” She gestures toward a large desk tucked into a corner before an office, and I nod, taking in the brightly lit space again. The fluorescent lights are just as blinding. The entire place is still clinical and cold, especially compared to the rest of the building. “That’s the project manager's office. You can put your things down on your desk, and then I’ll introduce you to him.” She rolls her eyes, and my stomach tightens. “He’s a giant grump, but don’t let him get to you.” I lift an eyebrow, unsureof how to take that. “But you’re used to dealing with Grant and Miles, so I know you can handle it.”
Unease settles in my gut, but I keep a smile plastered on my face as I move to the black chair behind the desk and set my bag down.
“I’m gonna go warn him we’re coming in. His door is always closed because he likes to keep to himself, so I want to make sure he’s not on a call. You just wait here.” Sutton moves his door, knocking and not waiting for anyone to welcome her in before moving to the doorknob. “Graham cracker,” she calls in a teasing tone as she opens the door and dips her head into the office. A deep groan leaves the room, irritation twined into the sound. Sutton lets out an entertained laugh.
“I told you to stop calling me that,” the man grumbles low. The voice tickles something in my mind, the vaguest hint of familiarity that I can’t quite pinpoint, but it’s gone just as soon as it comes.
“Stop being a stick up your ass douche, and I will.” Another unhappy sound filters out as I bite my lip, both entertained and increasingly nervous. Sutton looks over her shoulder. “Once I’m gone, you need to keep up the effort of trying to get him to become less of a robot,” she tells me. I lift an eyebrow. “He’s boring and grumpy and has no friends.”
“Jesus, Sutton,” my alleged new boss grumbles. “When do you go back to Rowan again?”
“Whenever I want, so be nice to me, or I’ll be here every day for the foreseeable future.” The man doesn’t speak again, and a pleased smile spreads on Sutton’s face at his silence. “Exactly. Now, can I introduce you to your new assistant?” He must nod, because he doesn’t speak; instead, Sutton steps to the side, holding the door open for me, tipping her head to the side in a gesture for me to come over. I take in a deep breath and wipe mysuddenly sweaty hands down my skirt before moving closer as Sutton steps inside the office.
“Graham, June Taylor. June, this is Graham Hawthorne,” I step in the door behind her and plaster the most pleasant smile I can muster across my now incredibly panicked face.Please no,I think.Please, please no. This is supposed to be myluckysummer, and this would very muchnotbe lucky.But any semblance of hope I was clinging to is long gone when I spot the man sitting behind the desk before me.
