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Fuck me.
I take a deep breath and give in to the inevitable. She knows I can't say no when those eyes are on me.
"Kait, you can't do that. Do you hear me?"
"Come on, Dad. Give her a shot." She gives me another pleading look.
I sigh. "I'll interview her only because you've already said something to her, but let me tell you right now. I will not be hiring her." I cut her a serious look. "Do you understand me?"
She comes over and plants a kiss on my forehead and puts the plate of chocolate chip cookies down on my desk. "Yes, sir." She smiles at me before turning to head out the door. She knows she has me wrapped around her little finger.
She turns back to me one last time before leaving. "Dad. Give her a real shot. Please, Dad. You'll like her."
I shake my head, marveling at her antics as I turn back to the cookie plate and pick one up. I stifle a groan as I start to fill out the paperwork for Maya's interview tomorrow.
Okay, Maya... let's see if you have what it takes.
* * *
It's earlyin the morning but I can't sleep. I've been tossing and turning all night thinking about the things that are piling up at work that need to get done. I need to fill this position ASAP.
I roll over and look at the clock.
4:17 AM.
I get out of bed and put on some athletic shorts before making myself a cup of coffee and heading into my gym. I might as well get a workout in if I can't sleep.
The metallic tang of the gym has become my early morning companion. I walk over to the weights and grab a set of 30s. As I wrap my fingers around the cool steel, the weight of responsibility and worry are replaced by the physical weight in my hands. Each lift, each bead of sweat falling down my forehead becomes a rhythmic mantra, disconnecting me from the world of business deals and endless paperwork. It's just me, the weights, and the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears — a momentary reprieve.
As I'm lifting, I don't realize how much time has passed until my phone buzzes. It's a text from my ex.
Hey. I need to talk to you.
Great. Any text that starts that way from her is a guaranteed pain in my ass.
About?
I see the dots coming from her.
And then they stop.
I stare for a minute to see if they start again.
They don't.
Maybe she's over it, whateveritis.
I put my phone back down and as I do my phone starts ringing.
Wishful thinking.
"Yes?" I answer, expecting to be on the phone for a while with her. I can already feel my stress levels rising.
"Hunter, I heard Joe quit. Have you replaced him yet?"
This woman still somehow manages to worm her way into my business. I don't understand how she does it. We are divorced.
"No. I haven't. Working on it... why?"
