CHAPTER 29
When I couldn't find anything interesting on TV, I ended up knocking another book off my TBR. My phone rang as I started on chapter two.
“Hey, sweetie, how are you doing?” Martha asked.
“I’m good. I can’t wait until I graduate. I'm ready to get out of here,” I admitted.
“Well I have some good news for you.” The happiness in her voice sounded off, so I could tell it wasn't genuine.
“I have a friend who works at the hospital, and I was telling her about your biology degree. She told me they just lost someone in the lab, and they were looking for someone to replace them. When I mentioned you were close to graduating, she told me to ask you to call her when you get into town. I think I got you a job.”
“That's awesome, Martha. Thank you so much.”
“I told your dad you’d be coming to stay with us after you graduate.” She lowered her voice. “I told him you and Kill split ways. I explained it was mutual, and he didn’t do anything wrong or hurt you. So, no worries, he won’t be hunting Kill down when we get to Portland tomorrow.”
I mustered up a fake laugh, appreciating her effort at trying to cheer me up. “Thank you. I owe you.”
"Hush now; I just want you to be happy. Don’t worry; I told him he wasn’t allowed to grill you.”
This time my laugh was real. “You're awesome.”
“I know I am. I need to warn you that Kill called here the other night."
My stomach dropped, and I pushed my fingers into my eyes. "What did he want?"
"He wanted to know if I’d talked to you. I told him you were safe, and you would talk to him when you were ready."
"I don't know how to thank you." My throat was tight, and it physically hurt to talk.
"You don't need to thank me. He sounded miserable, though. When you're ready, you two need to talk, even if it's just for closure. Okay, no more lectures. I'll see you tomorrow sweetie. "
I shut down my Kindle and stared at my tattoo. I wasn't ready to think about Kill, so I let my mind wander over the job I now had lined up.
When I’d started school, biology had been the reasonable choice to pursue. I loved it and was fascinated with the subject. English had been mine simply to enjoy. At the time, I’d never thought I would do anything with my English degree and had been perfectly fine with that decision.
Everything changed when I’d written my story. When I’d immersed myself in the plot it had become undeniable where my true passion lay. I wanted to become an author or work with authors in some way, and the thought of not pursuing that dream had broken me.
Just thinking of disregarding my newfound passion sent me plummeting toward depression. Refusing to go down a dark path, I compromised with myself. I would take the job at the lab while researching a way to break into the publishing world. Then I could relocate wherever I needed to go in order to make my dream come true, as long as it wasn't back to Portland.
With a plan in place, I felt better. My thoughts of Kill were still quarantined, leaving me emotionally stable for the moment. My phone rang again, pulling me out of my planning.
“What did you forget?” I asked after seeing Ryan’s name. I assumed she needed me to bring her something. As much as I hated the thought of going to Ray’s, I would do it for her.
“Hey, Faith,” Ryan whispered.
“I can’t hear you. What’s up?”
“I'm outside. I don’t want to talk too loud, because I don’t want him to overhear me.”
My heart shot right into light speed. I wanted to deny who she was talking about, but I knew in my heart Kill was back in Portland. “Who?”
“They didn’t take the deal. They refused to sign, and they're all here at their table.”
I calculated how long it would take me to pack everything in my car, disregarding graduation completely.
“So, it was all for nothing. Why wouldn't they stay there and sign with someone else? They're good enough anyone would be lucky to have them,” I whispered. Red-hot anger poured through me. How dare he turn down his dream for me. Fear he would resent me sooner rather than later had me clutching my stomach.
“When they walked in, Jessie marched into Ray’s office and quit. She said something about needing to get her head clear. She ran out before Van could catch a glimpse of her. Kill asked me if I’d heard from you, but I told him I haven’t talked to you since you quit yesterday. I didn’t know if their not taking the deal would change your mind about lying to him about Jason or not. Honestly, I think he knows you were lying.”
