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Charley clenched her jaw. Jennifer was still at the office at 8:30pm, and that man expected Charley to be there too.
No matter how often Charley got after Jennifer about the inappropriateness of emojis in business texts, she still used them. But she was a fabulous assistant, so Charley let it slide. In addition, Jennifer had been with the firm longer than Charley had, working for Daddy before her. It made Charley laugh that a woman in her late fifties had taken to smart phones like a teenager.
Adam(8:42pm): I’ve run into a snag with the Griffin file. Need a consult when you get back.
Adam was an excellent accountant. He’d graduated top of his Master of Accounting class at Carolina as well. She was lucky to have him. If he was having a problem, then it was a doozy.
Jennifer(8:59pm): Mr. James again. He ranted about the deadline. Like you don’t know.
Oh, Charley knew alright. The IRS wanted Mr. James to pay huge fines for unpaid back-taxes. He demanded that she get him out of the mess, a messhe’dcreated. His first payment was due in a week, and Charley hadn’t finished the rebuttal with the tax attorney. Thank god the attorney wasn’t Wes.
Nadine(9:46 pm): Still prepping for the Reynolds audit. He wants you there for the sit down with the IRS on 6/20. I told him you would be.
Nadine was an up and comer with Charley’s firm. She’d only been with her for six months, yet Charley could tell she was a keeper. Her dedication was astounding, staying at her desk so late. She was waiting for the results of her CPA exam, but Charley was convinced she’d passed. She was as sharp as they came. Even so, Charley would still have to go over her work, to make sure Nadine hadn’t missed anything.
Livvie(10:15 pm): **pulling out hair** I feel just like she does…
The text included a picture of a screaming baby. Shelby was giving Livvie a fit. She cried for hours every day. The doctor called it colic, but Livvie called it something decidedly more colorful. Something Charley wouldn’t say in polite society. Still, that cherubic baby face had Charley’s heart and made her wish for a baby of her own. Not that she had time for that, but the clock was ticking on more than just her work deadlines.
Jennifer(10:30pm): Mr. James left a voicemail on the office line. Says if he doesn’t hear from you first thing in the morning, he’ll take his business elsewhere. Like he has time for that before the deadline. Such a.
Mr. James was indeed a baby, but Jennifer shouldn’t say it—or rather, imply it with an emoji.
Jennifer(10:31pm): I mean, really. Like you have nothing better to do than worry about him.
Jennifer(10:32pm): He’s such a douchebag!
Charley rubbed her forehead, fighting the tension that was pulling her brows together. She skimmed the texts from the morning. More about client needs, but fortunately Jennifer had ended her rant.
“Anything wrong?” Dog asked.
Glancing up, Charley found him staring at her. “Yes and no. Nothing life threatening.”
Dog quirked a half-smile.
“I have a work deadline. That’s why I needed to get going. My client is afraid I might miss it because I’m not in the office right now working on it.” She rolled her eyes. “Like his is the only deadline I have. Likehe’sthe only client I have.”
“What do you do?”
She touched the last text from Jennifer, opening the dialogue screen. “I own an accounting firm. I do people’s taxes. Individuals and small-to medium-sized businesses.”
Dog grunted. “Guess somebody has to do that.”
The comment brought a grin to Charley’s face. “By your tone, I’m thinking you’re glad that somebody isn’t you.”
He grunted again but said nothing.
Charley’s grin slipped a little, thinking about all that awaited her return home. “Sometimes I wish it wasn’t me either.”
“Then why do it? Life’s too short to do shit you don’t want to do.”
His grim reaper tattoo stared at her from where he sat. She thought of her mother who died way too young. She thought of her father and his dying wish.
She released an audible sigh. “My life isn’t that simple.”
“Don’t know about that, but I do know life can suck. The only way to lessen the suckiness is to do the things you want to and not the things you don’t.”
That comment elicited a full-on smile from Charley, and she looked deeply into those beautiful brown eyes when she said, “I’m glad you have that freedom, Dog. I really am.”
