“The job,” he said. “I’ll do it. You can tell my dad I’m in. I’ll be there Monday.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but the line had already gone dead. I blinked and pulled the phone away from my ear. Staring at it, I tried to process what just happened. I set the phone down and exhaled slowly. My first instinct was to be angry that he hung up on me again. This guy, who I’d never met in person, was already treating me like nothing more than a nuisance, but my anger quickly faded.
A smile began to form on my face as I walked down the hall toward Ray’s office. Sean’s words sank in more and more the faster I moved.
“It worked,” I said as I barged into Ray’s office. I didn’t realize I was breathing heavy until I was standing in front of Ray. My heart was racing and my face felt flushed with excitement.
“What worked?” he asked. “Did you find a model?”
“No,” I shook my head. “Better. Sean called.”
“Sean called?” Ray repeated. He stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language. “What do you mean he called? When? Now? What did he say?”
“He just called my office,” I explained. “And whatever you did, Ray, whatever you said to him… it worked. He agreed. He said he’ll do it.”
“He will?” Ray asked. He jumped to his feet and walked around his desk so we stood face to face.
“Yes,” I said. My voice was getting louder, but I didn’t care. I was too excited about what this could mean for the company. “He was an ass. Again. He hung up on me after about two seconds, but he said he’d do it!”
“What else did he say?” Ray asked.
“Just that he’d be here Monday,” I said.
“Monday.” Ray repeated with a nod. He seemed dazed. Like he was in a fog. “Well, we have work to do.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Sean
Paisley came into the living room wearing her swimsuit. She had a cover thrown over her shoulders and her duffle back in her hand. I watched as she set down her bag and checked that her towel, goggles, and a change of clothes were safely packed inside. When she was satisfied, she zipped it up and went to stand by the front door.
“You don’t have to go today,” I told her softly. “If you aren’t ready, you don’t have to go.”
“I want to go,” she said. I couldn’t see her face, but I could feel her eyes roll. This was a conversation we’d had three times already, but I needed to make sure. It seemed fast. Claire died just over a week ago.
“I know you do,” I said. “But, if you don’t think you can handle it yet…”
“I can,” she promised. “There’s only a few weeks of swim camp and I’ve already missed one. I don’t want to miss any more.”
“Alright,” I sighed. I knew I was fighting a losing battle. “At least let me take you.”
“I already told you,” she said. “Hayden’s mom is picking me up. It’s all worked out.”
“I know, I know,” I said. “I would just feel better if I knew you got there safely.”
“Hayden’s mom takes me everywhere,” she reminded me. “I’ve known her since I was five.”
I fought back a grin. Paisley’s serious tone always made me both nervous and amused. She was so sure of herself for someone so young. At eight years old, her age rarely showed, but there were times when I couldn’t help but notice how small she still was. To her, five was a million years ago. Having known Hayden and her mom for three years was like knowing them her entire life.
“I trust you,” I said. “Let me get your lunch ready.”
“Hurry,” she said. She turned around to face me with wide eyes. “They’ll be here any minute. I can’t be late.”
“I’ll hurry,” I promised. I went into the kitchen and quickly grabbed a loaf of bread and some peanut butter from the pantry. I made her sandwich and threw it in a brown paper bag. After adding a cup of applesauce and some potato chips, I walked back to the living room. Paisley took the bag without a word.
We stood there together, just staring out the window for five minutes. There was so much I still wanted to say to her, but I was beginning to appreciate the silence. Paisley was smart for her age. She already had an attitude that could give me a run for my money, and she spent most of her time living inside her own head. I never knew I could be intimidated by an eight-year-old until Paisley came to live with me.
“What time does camp end?” I asked suddenly. I just realized we hadn’t discussed how she was getting home.
“Four,” she said simply.
“Should I pick you up?” I asked.
Paisley frowned, but she didn’t tear her eyes away from the window.
“I mean, I don’t have to if you already have a ride home,” I added. “Whatever you want.”
“You can pick me up,” she said.
The sentence was a simple one, but it filled me warmth. For the first time in over a week, her words weren’t sassy or impatient. She thought about her answer and decided it was okay. It was a small thing, miniscule really, but it felt huge to me. It felt like we’d taken a step forward, however insignificant that step may be.
“Okay,” I smiled. “I’ll be there.”
“At four,” she reminded.
“At four,” I promised.
“They’re here!” she said. She grabbed her bag and threw the strap over her shoulder. With her lunch in one hand, she twisted the doorknob and ran out onto the porch.
“Hold on!” I said, hurrying after her. “I’ll walk you to the car.”
“You don’t need to,” she said.
“But I want to.”
“No.”
I stared at her for a second, considering whether I should push the issue. On one hand, I didn’t like the idea of letting her climb into a car with someone I’d never met. That didn’t seem like something a good parent would do. But, on the other hand, I really did not want to piss her off.
“I’ll just introduce myself to Hayden’s mom, okay?” I said. “It’ll be quick.”
“No,” she said again. She glared at me with as much anger as she could muster.
“Paisley…”
“I have to go.” She hurried toward the car and threw open the back door. I walked after her slowly. When she turned back and saw me coming, she rolled her eyes and pulled the car door shut. I sighed and turned my attention to the driver’s seat.
“Hi,” I said, lifting my arm to wave. Hayden’s mom rolled down the window and smiled. “I’m Sean Yates. I’m Paisley’s dad.”
“I’m Helen,” she smiled. “I think we met at the funeral.”
“Probably,” I nodded. “There were a lot of people there.”
“Claire was loved,” Helen said sadly.
“She was,” I said. I looked around awkwardly, wondering what else I should say. “Well, um, thanks for taking Paisley.”
“It’s no problem,” Helen said. “We always carpool.”
“Got it,” I said. I peered through to the back seat. “Have a good day.”