Page 105 of Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire
“I don’t know. You’re just acting weird. You seem so serious. Wait—are you selling the company, David?”
He shook his head, smiling. “No, it’s nothing like that. Your mom and I are fine, the company’s fine. This is about you.”
“Oh.” I sat back a little farther in my seat.
“You’ve never seemed particularly excited about your work at Mixitall,” he said. “I’ve always known you were trying your best, but honestly, honey, you kind of suck at it.”
Mom nodded in earnest agreement. “You really do, Scarlett. And now that you’re financially set thanks to your grandmother’s will and the generous monthly stipend she’s giving you until it takes effect…”
“Are you… firing me?”
“No,” David said adamantly. “You’re notfiredbut consider this your official invitation to move on to a job—and a life—that’s better suited to you.”
Hewasfiring me.
My heart raced with the strangest combination of surprise, dejection, and elation.
My jaw hung open. “But I thought… I always thought you’d be devastated if I left. You talked about how important it was to have a ‘family’ business.”
“It is important sweetheart,” Mom said, “but your happiness ismoreimportant.”
Reaching across the table, she drew my hands into hers. “Clearly you want to go back to Rhode Island and be with Gray. No offense babe, but why is it that you think everything will fall apart if you do whatyouwant to do?”
The question gave me a little jolt. When I thought about it, itwasrather conceited to believe I was so important no one could possibly get along without me or take my place.
“I’d miss you so much,” I said.
“We’ll miss you, too, but there are airplanes and phones. And we’ll have someone to visit on the East Coast. David and I have even talked about moving to Cape Cod when we retire. That’s not far from Rhode Island at all.”
“The thing is, kiddo, this is yourlife,” David said. “And I can tell you, the years go by pretty fast. All we want is for you to be happy. I don’t think living here and doing the books for Mixitall is making you happy. Is it?”
I shook my head, finally admitting the truth to myself as well as to my parents.
Looking a little sheepish, David asked, “Do you think your roommate Julianna—theaccountingmajor—might be happy at our company?”
My heart rate quickened. “Yes! And she’s miserable in her waitressing job, but there haven’t been many openings in accounting around here. Oh my gosh, this is thebest.I’m going to text her right now.”
I sent a text to Julianna who replied immediately with a mind-blown emoji followed by several hearts and some confetti.
I looked up at David and my mom. “I think you’ve got yourself a new bookkeeper.”
We raised our respective water glasses and clinked them together just as our waiter arrived at the table.
“Hello folks. Looks like we’re celebrating today. What’s the occasion?”
I beamed at him. “I just got fired.”
He angled one ear toward me as if to hear me better. “Hired?”
“No.Fired.And it’s been a long time coming.” I laughed. David and Mom joined me.
The confused waiter pasted on an uncertain smile. “And you’re happy?”
“Ecstatic, actually,” I told him. “What’s your best bottle of wine?”
He whipped out a wine list and offered it to me, tapping the name of an expensive Chardonnay.
“That would be this one. It’s a little pricey. The one below it is pretty good, too, if that’s more in keeping with your budget.”
