“Where do you see yourself in five years?” he asks, causing visions of Hope and me living with Jax in his castle in our own happily ever after to fill my brain. “Do you have any goals?”
Clearing my throat and the vision of me with Jax and Hope out of my head, I say, “Yes, I see myself with my own salon or managing one. I see myself and my daughter in a nice house I provide for us. I see a different childhood for her than the one I was raised with, and a much brighter future.”
“I see that for you too, girly,” Frankie says softly, sitting forward in his chair. “I’ll see you Monday.”
“Wait, what?” I ask.
“Take the weekend and get things sorted with your daughter, and I’ll see you Monday.”
“So I have the job?” I ask, just to clarify.
“Girly, you already knew you had the job. You just proved you’re worthy of working here.”
“Awesome,” I breathe, standing when he does.
“See you Monday, Ellie, and tell Lilly I said hi.”
“I will,” I promise with a smile, heading out of his office, feeling better than I have in a long time. When I reach the car, Lilly is standing with Hope on her hip, who’s wearing a purple tutu she didn’t have on earlier. She’s talking to Mellissa, the not-so-nice girl from the salon.
“Oh, there she is,” Lilly says as I get close enough for Hope to move from her grasp to mine. “How did it go, honey?”
“Really great, I start Monday.” I grin and then turn when I feel eyes drilling into me from my side, where Mellissa is standing. “Sorry, I’m Ellie,” I introduce myself.
“Mellissa,” she says then looks at Lilly. “Tell Jax I love him and to call or come over whenever he has a few minutes,” she says as something ugly crawls over my skin.
“Sure.” Lilly frowns.
“Thanks, Mrs. Mayson, and nice to meet you, Ella,” she says, turning on her heels and walking away before I have a chance to reply or correct her about my name.
“I’m hungry,” Hope says, and I look at my daughter and kiss her cheek, knowing she is the reason I’m doing what I’m doing and that I need to remember that.
“How about we stop for brunch?” Lilly asks, breaking into my thoughts.
“Sure,” I agree, and we hurry to get into the car.
*
“Perfect timing, looks like the guys just got here too,” Lilly says, looking in the rearview mirror. Turning my head, I look through the back window, seeing Cash is driving Jax’s truck and Jax is driving a white Range Rover. After we stopped for brunch, where I ate waffles, eggs, and a fruit salad, I vowed I would start my diet tomorrow. Then we went to the DMV and I got a new driver’s license before heading to the bank for a new card.
Getting out of the car, I open the backdoor. As soon as I do, Hope is out and running towards Jax, yelling, “Ax!” at the top of her lungs. She stops midway and spins in circles, showing him the purple tutu his mom bought for her while I was in the salon. She got it from a woman named Liz’s store, called Temptations.
Smiling, he picks her up, saying something that makes her laugh before setting her back on the ground and walking toward me. Suddenly, yelling, “Catch, babe!” tossing something to me.
Catching a set of keys I hold them out in front of me, frowning. He already gave me the house key this morning, so I have no idea what these are for. “What’s this?” I ask, holding the keys out toward him.
“I got you a car.” He smiles bigger, jerking his head over his shoulder towards the white Range Rover parked behind his mom’s car.
“You got me a car?” I repeat just for confirmation as anger and something ugly turns in my stomach.
“I know you’re gonna need some wheels to get around, so—”
“You did not buy me a car,” I murmur, looking from the car to him then back again.
“I did.” He grins.
“Yay, Mama! You got a car!” Hope cries, dancing around me.