Page 13 of Rude Boss' Secret Baby
She shrugged. “Sure. That’s fine.”
My heart broke with the disappointment laced within the tone of my little girl’s voice. But I didn’t have a choice. I quickly called Suri and asked if she could come over and babysit for the interview, and she was more than happy to oblige. I guessed having a best friend that worked from home did have its perks. I only hoped that I could nail this job interview so I could finally start paying Suri again for the time she spent with my daughter.
After heating some pizza for myself and Aurora, I inhaled a slice before I bounded back up the stairs. While brushing my teeth, I heard Suri enter downstairs, and Aurora started squealing with delight. The sound made me smile, but I hoped to be the one who made her that happy again someday. I was tired of disappointing my daughter every time I opened my mouth.
I rushed through my shower and blow-dried my hair for once. Then, once I had finished, I piled it on top of my head and secured it with one of the many sets of chopsticks I had gotten from Aurora over the past few years. I threw on the best work outfit I had to make sure I gave the best impression. After slipping into a matching navy-blue set of heels, I slid on some powerhouse red lipstick to make my face pop.
“Well, well, well, don’t you look ready to tackle the day,” Suri said.
I turned to face her as she stood in the doorway of my bedroom. “I can’t thank you enough for coming on such short notice. I got the email last night, but with everything that—”
She held up her hand. “You and I are going to talk about last night over some wine after Rori goes to bed tonight. But, right now? You need to keep your head in the game.”
I sighed. “I know, I know.”
“Do you know what company you’re interviewing with?”
I paused. “No.”
“So, you don’t know anything about what they do or what they sell or what they provide for people?”
I already felt myself becoming deflated. “No.”
Suri walked over to me and gripped my shoulders. “Then, I suggest you go give your daughter a great big kiss, then take your time getting to this interview. GlassDoor is your friend, and it’ll look good on you to have at least a modicum of information on the company at your disposal.”
I puffed out my cheeks with a sigh. “Okay. Yes. That sounds like a good plan.”
“And don’t forget what you’ve overcome. Don’t forget what you’ve been through. You’re a strong, powerful, independent woman. You can do this.”
I nodded. “Yes. I can do this. I can do anything if I can raise a daughter on my own, put a roof over her head, and still be home in time to help her with homework.”
She smiled brightly. “Hell yeah, you are.”
I sighed. “Thank you so much for this.”
She hugged me tightly. “No thanks needed. Now, let’s get you out of here. You’re going to need all the time alone that you can get to do some research.”
After hugging my best friend one last time, I scooped up my purse and made my way downstairs. I found Aurora cleaning up her plate and cup from the table before she turned to me and smiled.
And the words that came from her lips melted my heart. “You look awesome.”
I walked over to her and dipped down. “You think so?”
She nodded. “I wanna dress like you someday.”
I blinked back tears. “You can be whatever you want and wear whatever you please. You know that, right?”
She nodded. “Mhm.”
I cupped her cheeks. “You can be an astronaut or a part-time temp worker, and you know I’d still be proud of you, right?”
She smiled. “Mhm.”
“And you know that no matter what, I’m always going to love you. Always. You know that, right?”
She kissed the tip of my nose. “Don’t forget about Sorry!, okay?”
I snickered. “I could never forget a date with my most-favoritest person in the whole widest world.”
