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I hate hearing the desperation in my voice but it is what it is. I’m back at the counter at Hooger’s begging for a job, on behalf of the new life I’m creating inside me. I can see the shock in Darlene’s eyes, and I can tell I’m not going to get the answer I came in here looking for. I slump in my seat.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie pie,” Darlene says in her sugary accent. “Mo’s not here right now, but I already know what he’d say. We don’t have anything right now. After you quit, we filled your position and we’re a full house.”
I smile with tears in my eyes.
“No, that’s okay. It’s what I figured.” I hop down from the seat, gathering my bag in my hand. “Thanks anyways, Darlene.”
She flashes me a sympathetic look and I slink out of the diner, feeling the need to cry. I walk back into the glaring sun of the midday sky and slowly begin walking. The sun bakes down on me, and sweat droplets form on the back of my neck. I stop for a moment, to drink from the bottle of water I have in my bag. But then, when I turn the corner, I see our town library. It’s free, right? Plus, I have nothing to do and nowhere to be, so I decide to go in.
But when I reach the front door, my heart leaps with hope because there’s an ad taped to the door. The bright yellow piece of paper says they’re looking for library assistants. My heart flutters with hope and excitement.
I open the door and bask in the instant cool A/C that hits my body like bricks. Immediately, I feel better. But I don’t want to come on too strong, so first, I make my way to the pregnancy section and quickly scan the books to find any book that will help me better understand what I’m getting myself into. I pick up a tome titled What To Expect When You’re Expecting and another one, The Art of Pregnancy. These sound good.
The lady behind the desk notices me coming to the desk and looks at me curiously. I sit the books on the counter and try to smile confidently.
“I noticed your sign out front about needing library assistants,” I begin. The lady doesn’t look welcoming.
“Yes?”
I clear my throat.
“The help wanted ad? Is there an application?”
Her smile is sugary sweet.
“I’m sorry,” she says, not looking sorry at all. “But they finished interviews yesterday, and they’re about to make an offer to another woman. I should take that sign down. My apologies.”
I don’t see how this day could get any worse but I’m not ruling anything out just yet. Swallowing hard, I merely smile and ask to check out the books. Then, I gather my bag and leave the library, beginning my trek to the trailer once more. By the time I get back, I’m literally drenched in sweat. Of course, the only means of respite we have comes from a small desk fan which I crank up to its highest setting after setting my bag down.
I plop down on the couch beside the fan to cool down when I feel the hard bulge of the tracfone in my pocket. Pulling it out, I gulp as I stare at the screen, knowing exactly what I have to do now. It’s inevitable at this point, and I’m surprised my fingers know exactly which numbers to press to call Cameron. I guess I have his phone number memorized, and I gulp once again. My stomach drops and my heart starts to beat as if it’s going to blast out of my chest. The phone rings only once before he answers.
But the billionaire doesn’t say hello.
“I’ll be right over,” Cameron says flatly before hanging up.
I pull the phone away from my face and look at the dark screen, dumbfounded. That was fast. How did he even know it was me? How does he know where I am?
But now, all there is to do is wait.
10
Cameron
* * *
The second my phone rang, I knew it was Jess. It could only be her. My heart rate began to quicken. This week had been absolute hell waiting and hoping she’d somehow find a way to talk to me. Even more, I hoped desperately that she’d tell me about the baby.
But that’s the thing. I want her to come to me. Our arrangement was forced on her by her dad, and I don’t want that anymore. I want Jessalyn to come to me of her own free will because she misses me. Even more, I want her to love me, although I know that the emotion is unlikely.
I grab my phone and Jess’s iPhone in a rush before shooting out the door. My movements are fast because I want to get to her fast. I zoom through town and to the trailer park before pulling up at her plot. I can see her head turn to look at me through the open window, eyes wide, when she hears the crunch of gravel underneath my tires and the sight of her makes my heart leap, even though she’s pissed me off.
