Page 18 of As a Last Resort
I blinked.“Florida’s a pretty large state, sir.”
“Robby said you were from Rock Island.”
My throat started to tighten.“The general area, yes, sir.”
“Headed back home then.Good.It should take half the time if you already know the territory.Maybe it’ll give you an upper hand in getting what you need from the locals.”
I think my head was nodding up and down.
“Robby’s assistant will shoot Ivy all the travel details that have been rebooked in your name.There’s a car out front waiting for you to take you home, then to the airport.Better get moving if you want to make your flight.”
“Yes, sir.Of course.”
The clock on the wall read 8:06 a.m.Three minutes and my week had been shot to hell.
ME:My house.STAT.
I’m going to Florida.
IVY:with pugbug?
ME:Without PugBug.
IVY:wait y
ME:Appendicitis.Emergency surgery.
I’m going until he feels better.
Few days.
A week max.
IVY:ummmm 4 weeks says google
ME:Google could be wrong.
IVY:google is never wrong
ME:Yeah, well Google says it’s illegal to have oral sex in Florida.
IVY:y do u know that
ME:MY HOUSE.NOW.
I stood in my apartment, which was uncharacteristically quiet.Was I really going to hop on a plane and go home for a month?Amonth.
I hadn’t been home in over two years.Since I escaped for good seven years ago, I had only been back a handful of times.None went over particularly well.
But it hit me as I stood in the silence—I didn’t have a choice.I wanted this promotion.I deserved it.And the best way to show I was the right person for the job was to suck it up, jump on a plane, down three first-class tequilas, and enter the seventh layer of hell for thirty days.That’s all it was.
I had done everything in my power to get away for the sake of my sanity a very long time ago, and here I was, heading back.
A fist pounded at my door half a vodka tonic later (only clear liquor—it was still before noon, after all).Ivy barged in with a wardrobe of clothes with tags draped over her shoulder, two triple skinny vanilla lattes, extra hot, and a large brown paper bag.
“These will fit.Stick them in your suitcase.”
My shoulders sagged.“Can I stick you in my suitcase?”
