should’ve called them today. Hell, I’ve only known you a couple months and after that kickass deal, even I’m proud of you.”
Now I give him a genuine smile. “Thanks, but it won’t be enough.”
“A fifty-thousand dollar client isn’t enough? Damn, what do you have to do? Become Pope?”
M y stomach loosens and tightens in that weird way again. “Probably. You see, my brother is this medical genius who is with the Peace Corps at the moment, and my sister is this super mom who has a perfectly clean house, well-behaved children and a husband who makes millions—oh, who also treats her like a queen. So, landing a big time client for the job I’ve been at for…well, not long enough, just won’t cut it.”
He scoots closer, and I wonder if he realized it. “What will be enough?”
I lift my shoulders a little, opening my mouth at a loss. I’m not sure to be honest. But I know the plan, so I go with that. “Well, I’ll need to be at my job longer. Make it into a career. But not just any career, I need something that…” I pause remembering tha t Nate is the boss’s son. Maybe I need to keep my trap shut.
He watches me struggle over my sentence and he holds his hand up. “How about for right now, we’re friends, not co-workers. Say whatever the hell you want.”
“Like that ever stops things from biting me in the ass.”
He scoots even closer. Or am I scooting closer? I don’t even know anymore, but we’re almost touching. “Friends, Brooke.”
I breathe out and tuck a loose hair behind my ear. “Okay, I need to have something that pays well, or better than what you guys are payin g me now. And I know that’s stupid, because I think I get paid plenty…but it won’t be enough for them. I know it.” I shrug and hope I didn’t just screw up that part of my job because it’s really important that I don’t. “So, I plan on working my ass off for this wedding business so I can work my way up. If I don’t lose any more microphones.”
He shakes his head like it’s ridiculous for me to still be worried.
“So, there’s that, but I also have to be in a nice stable relationship with a guy who’s got a Ph.D or who’s going into law, or something incredibly successful. And of course, hot as hell who will give them beautiful grandbabies.”
He doesn’t laugh like I expect him to. I was sort of joking, but that is who I’ve mapped out. Even have a date with Mr. Law Student this week. Nate scratches the back of his neck and lets his eyes drift up to mine and stay there.
“Is that why you have your levels? To please you ? Or to please your parents ?”
Oh, I see what he’s getting at. Nice try, buddy. My dating system is still just fine, thank you.
I sit up straight and look him dead on. “Both.”
We have an uncomfortable staring contest, but I’m not backing down. Eventually he drops the serious face and goes for his signature lazy smirk. “Well, I guess I understand it now… a little bit.”
“Understand what?”
He nods to my hip where my phone sits. “Your need to plan and organize. Sounds like it’s a lot to live up to.”
“I’m trying.”
He leans back against the windshield, tucking his arms behind his head. My eyes automatically wander down his dress shirt and his slacks, then skate back up to his rough chin. After a moment I blink and turn my gaze to the city lights because not once during that once over did I care about that button being open. In fact, I kinda wish I’d seen them all open and his dress shirt was hanging off his sides so I could see his undershirt.
Damn, I need sleep.
“Just remember…” he says, jolting me out of my head, “not everything you plan for is worth getting. Sometimes you think it’s what you want, but then you realize it’s just… not for you.”
Now it’s my turn to ask.
“What do you mean?”
Chapter T welve
Nate
What do I mean?
“I mean that sometimes life goes to total shit, and telling yourself it just
Now I give him a genuine smile. “Thanks, but it won’t be enough.”
“A fifty-thousand dollar client isn’t enough? Damn, what do you have to do? Become Pope?”
M y stomach loosens and tightens in that weird way again. “Probably. You see, my brother is this medical genius who is with the Peace Corps at the moment, and my sister is this super mom who has a perfectly clean house, well-behaved children and a husband who makes millions—oh, who also treats her like a queen. So, landing a big time client for the job I’ve been at for…well, not long enough, just won’t cut it.”
He scoots closer, and I wonder if he realized it. “What will be enough?”
I lift my shoulders a little, opening my mouth at a loss. I’m not sure to be honest. But I know the plan, so I go with that. “Well, I’ll need to be at my job longer. Make it into a career. But not just any career, I need something that…” I pause remembering tha t Nate is the boss’s son. Maybe I need to keep my trap shut.
He watches me struggle over my sentence and he holds his hand up. “How about for right now, we’re friends, not co-workers. Say whatever the hell you want.”
“Like that ever stops things from biting me in the ass.”
He scoots even closer. Or am I scooting closer? I don’t even know anymore, but we’re almost touching. “Friends, Brooke.”
I breathe out and tuck a loose hair behind my ear. “Okay, I need to have something that pays well, or better than what you guys are payin g me now. And I know that’s stupid, because I think I get paid plenty…but it won’t be enough for them. I know it.” I shrug and hope I didn’t just screw up that part of my job because it’s really important that I don’t. “So, I plan on working my ass off for this wedding business so I can work my way up. If I don’t lose any more microphones.”
He shakes his head like it’s ridiculous for me to still be worried.
“So, there’s that, but I also have to be in a nice stable relationship with a guy who’s got a Ph.D or who’s going into law, or something incredibly successful. And of course, hot as hell who will give them beautiful grandbabies.”
He doesn’t laugh like I expect him to. I was sort of joking, but that is who I’ve mapped out. Even have a date with Mr. Law Student this week. Nate scratches the back of his neck and lets his eyes drift up to mine and stay there.
“Is that why you have your levels? To please you ? Or to please your parents ?”
Oh, I see what he’s getting at. Nice try, buddy. My dating system is still just fine, thank you.
I sit up straight and look him dead on. “Both.”
We have an uncomfortable staring contest, but I’m not backing down. Eventually he drops the serious face and goes for his signature lazy smirk. “Well, I guess I understand it now… a little bit.”
“Understand what?”
He nods to my hip where my phone sits. “Your need to plan and organize. Sounds like it’s a lot to live up to.”
“I’m trying.”
He leans back against the windshield, tucking his arms behind his head. My eyes automatically wander down his dress shirt and his slacks, then skate back up to his rough chin. After a moment I blink and turn my gaze to the city lights because not once during that once over did I care about that button being open. In fact, I kinda wish I’d seen them all open and his dress shirt was hanging off his sides so I could see his undershirt.
Damn, I need sleep.
“Just remember…” he says, jolting me out of my head, “not everything you plan for is worth getting. Sometimes you think it’s what you want, but then you realize it’s just… not for you.”
Now it’s my turn to ask.
“What do you mean?”
Chapter T welve
Nate
What do I mean?
“I mean that sometimes life goes to total shit, and telling yourself it just
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