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She didn’t correct him. Why bother at this point? “I think I lost him a long time ago,” she said.
That wasn’t a lie either. “I’m sure it feels that way. But I’m glad you are starting over here with us. You’ve always had our support, Hadley. I just wish you told us more of what was going on in your life.”
“Why?” she said. “I’m an adult and can figure it out on my own just fine.”
She’d been doing that most of her life. Her parents letting her live here for free was still supporting her and more than a lot of people got in life.
She had her own space even if it was tiny. She had a job and some money and was able to cover her bills, and if it kept up like this, chip away at her debt.
“I know. How is the job hunt coming?”
“It’s slow,” she said. “I’m looking, but for now it’s fine. I’m making a lot in tips. Obviously I’m not making the same as I did before I moved here, but when you look at my net bills and bring home, I’m ahead. When things pick up on the island in a few weeks the tips will be more I’m sure. It’s all good. Once I find something full time, I hope to be able to continue to do this.”
Her father nodded. “And your cake business? Are you going to continue with that too?”
“Yes. Lots of things on the horizon for me. And Duke asked me about some advertising and social media. He knows I did that before. I put together a bunch of things to go over with him. He might have me doing them too.”
“I hope he pays you more than what your hourly wage is for a server,” her father said.
“We haven’t gotten that far,” she said.
She hadn’t even thought of it. No, that was a tiny lie. She had thought of it but didn’t want to ask. She hadn’t even gotten her first paycheck yet. Not that it’d be a ton, as the bulk of her money would be in tips anyway.
“Make sure your voice is heard,” her father said.
“I’m trying.” But it was so hard too.
Eddie often took her silence as acceptance rather than agreement because she’d try to avoid conflict. Then the next thing she’d know, she was screaming bloody murder in a haunted house with Eddie and his buddies who were all laughing at her. She didn’t even tell him she had nightmares for weeks after.
“If you don’t have any plans later, your mother would like you to come to dinner.”
“I can do that,” she said. “I think I was going to walk the beach. I’ll drive down to the public beach and just relax.”
“You haven’t relaxed once since you’ve been here,” her father said.
“No,” she said. She felt like she could at the moment. Some of her anxiety was gone about her uncertain future.
If it was replaced with anxiety over a building attraction for her new boss, well...she was keeping that to herself.
10
The Next Move
“What are you doing here this morning?” Kelsey asked Duke when he walked into her office on Tuesday morning.
“I wanted to go over some reports with you if you’ve got time,” he said.
“I can make it for you,” Kelsey said. “You know that, but you usually give me some notice you are coming in.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I’ve been busy dealing with stuff and got up early this morning.”
He couldn’t sleep which wasn’t like him. Normally his head hit the pillow and he didn’t wake up until his alarm went off the next day.
But he’d lain in bed thinking of everything going on and the next move to make.
Not just with work but with Hadley too.
There was something about her that tugged at his heartstrings as no one else had before.
