AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The meeting continues and I try my best to ignore their disapproving smiles and their snide, sneaky remarks. It’s been six years and they still don’t respect me like they respected my dad.
I’ll never be him, and now, he’s not even here as my support system. And that knowledge will always haunt me.
* * *
“I need those files on my desk in ten minutes,” I say to my secretary as I pass by his desk.
He nods and his eyes follow me all the way into my office. Once inside, I collapse into my chair and groan. I’m exhausted. I haven’t been home in two days and I haven’t eaten in twelve hours. But I’m on the verge of a breakthrough, and that’s honestly all that matters.
We’re this close to winning a major contract—distractions are the last thing I need. I’m forced to hold that thought, however, when my phone rings. I inwardly sigh before picking it up.
“Hello, distraction.”
“What do you mean by distraction?” my mom questions, confused.
“Nothing. How’s your day going?” I quickly ask.
“Fine. I went shopping with Mellissa.”
“Where?”
“Vegas. We had a wonderful time. I got some amazing wedding supplies,” she replies.
It never ceases to amaze me how my mom can talk about taking a private jet and zooming off to another state like it’s nothing. My family’s wealthy, of course, but it’s something that’s never at the forefront of my mind. Probably because I work too hard and have zero time to enjoy the wealth I’m amassing for us. My mother’s always telling me that I work my ass off only to not have the time to really enjoy life. It was hard before, now I really feel the weight of it all on my shoulders. The last thing on my mind is enjoying life when everything can shatter if I’m not focused.
“I’m sure you did,” I tell her. “Listen, Mom, I got to go. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“All you ever do is work. Have you even had anything to eat today?”
I briefly consider lying. Problem is, it’s not really in my nature.
“I had a donut around seven a.m.,” I inform her.
She gasps.
“That’s sacrilegious.”
I smile. “Don’t be so dramatic, Mother.”
“It’s a good thing you’re coming home in two weeks. I need to get you well-fed. Maybe even find you a wife while I’m at it.”
“Woah, woah, woah, I agreed to come home as long as you didn’t try any matchmaking ploys.”
“Oh, I said that? That’s too bad. Fine, I won’t try any matchmaking ploys,” she promises.
“You also can’t get Mellissa to do it in your stead,” I say drily.
“Chicken nugget,” she grumbles.
I chuckle. My mom doesn’t like to swear outright, and you can get in a lot of trouble if you swear in front of her. I thought words like “chicken nugget” and “pizza sauce” were normal swear words for most of my childhood. Middle school was interesting, to say the least.
“I’ll talk to you later, okay?” I ask, ready to hang up.
“Wait, I haven’t even told you the best part yet,” she states.
I wait five seconds for her to speak until it’s clear that she wants to drag it out for suspense.
“Come on, Mom, spit it out,” I say impatiently.
