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Holy shit! That is fucking amazing!
“Now, I know I’m springing this on you,” he goes on, “but, man, you’re the best damn employee I’ve ever had, and that’s no exaggeration. You’re punctual, responsible, great with the customers, great with the other folks that work here. You do good work. Hell, Landon, you’re the only person other than my wife who I’ve ever trusted to do anything to this place in my stead. The three of us are the only ones with keys to the building, for God’s sake.”
Flattered but still shocked, I get out a super eloquent, “Dude!”
He chuckles. “Yeah,dude, you’ve been working your ass off here since you were eighteen, and I know I’ve rewarded you with raises and the hours you prefer, but I can do even better if you want this new spot. Slightly earlier hours, better pay, and better benefits. Far as responsibilities go, you’d definitely be seeing more of this office, but you could tend the bar as much as you’d like—or as little as you’d like! Up to you, as long as the paperwork gets done when it needs doing.”
I don’t know how long I’ve been nodding, but I’m doing it.
“Yeah?” he asks hopefully. “This sound like something you might like?”
I finally figure out real words. “Hell yeah! I like it for sure! It sounds—wow! Thank you so much!”
He looks like he wants to punch the air in celebration, but he says, “As happy as I am to hear that, I do want you to take a day or two to really think about it. I know you’ve handled some paperwork for me before, opened the bar a couple times, things like that, but the job would still be a change from what you’re used to. I want you to be sure it’s what you want.” He gives me a genuine smile. “And if itdoesn’tturn out to be what you want, that’ll be fine with me. Maybe assistant manager would be more your gig. Or maybe you just want to stay where you are.”
I’ll agree to a wait, but I fully believe I don’t need time to process this. I’m completely complimented and thrilled by this offer, and I feel like I can do the job well. Bill’s right: I almost know this place inside and out. Some of the clerical stuff would be new to me, but I can handle that.
It’s never occurred to me to see about a promotion, but now that it’s on the table, I have no doubt it’s a step I want to take.
I get up from my chair so I can go over and hold out a hand to Bill. “I’ll take a couple days, but I’m loving the whole thing. Seriously. Thank you so much.”
He grins and shakes my hand. “Very good—and of course, son. You’ve earned it.”
It doesn’t seem like this is the first time he’s called me that, but it still amps up my already-crazy cheer. I let out a laugh, and as I sit back down, I say, “I can’t wait to tell Liv!”
And I immediately regret it because Bill raises his eyebrows suggestively. “Liv, eh?”
He knows she and I are just friends, but every time I mention her, he gets all…well, yeah, suggestive. And knowing, like there’s anythingtoknow.
“Yeah, Liv,” I counter, lifting my chin. “She’s—”
“Yourfriend. Yes, I’ve heard.” He crosses his arms. “When do you plan to kick that up a notch, though?”
“Never.”
His eyebrows go up even higher. “Never,Landon? Ever?”
Okay, that sounds harsh even to me. “I-I just mean—” I shrug, “—you know, why would I? Why would I plan on that? Neither of us wants that.”
“You sure?”
I look at him quizzically. “How could I not be sure of what I want?”
He laughs. “It happens all the time. Lines get blurred. Wants and needs change.” Nowhelooks quizzical. “Have you really not noticed how your entire fucking ass lights up when you talk about her? Because I have.”
“My entire ass, huh?” I have to laugh, too.
“Yeah. It’s true, man.”
I start to insist that it isn’t, but then something flickers in my mind: a memory.
Not a memory of something I said to him…
…but a memory of how I felt with her the other day.
Sunday, when she hugged me for the first time.
I’d wanted that with her for a while, but I hadn’t thought much about exactly how nice it would be. And then there I was, weary from the unexpected park commotion and dirtied up from carrying a bleeding Rae, with Liv’s arms around me in a hug that actually wasn’tjustnice.
