Page 44 of Fade (Fighting Fate)

I blinked at her, thoughts running through my head at breakneck speed. She said what? I was what? Was she serious? How did this happen?

“You’re welcome,” she said, flipping over onto her back and staring up at the ceiling with a satisfied smirk.

“Wait. What do you mean? Amber, I don’t want charity. I don’t want Alex to feel like he has to hire me because you begged him, or he thinks I’m a charity case, or he feels sorry for me.”

She rolled her eyes in my direction. “Alex is too much of a shrewd businessman to do charity cases, Amy. He’s hiring you because he knows you—meaning he knows you’re efficient and a hard worker, and he knows all the stuff you’ve done with your mom.”

She was talking about all the charity work and hobnobbing I’d had to do over the years. I saw it as pretty pointless at the time, but I was quickly realizing it had its benefits.

“Are you serious?” I asked, hearing the slight pleading tone in my voice. I didn’t want to let myself hope, but if I could get this job with Alex, it would completely save me. I could start to take control of my own life. “He really wants to hire me?”

She turned over to grin at me. “Yup.”

I was speechless. I honestly didn’t know what to say. Grateful didn’t even come close to what I was feeling.

“He wants you to come in first thing in the morning so he can start your training.”

“Oh my God, Amber. You have no idea how much I needed this.”

She gave me a sardonic look. “I wouldn’t be much of a best friend if I didn’t have an idea, Aims.”

I laughed, realizing just how much I needed that too. Launching myself at her, I squeezed her tight. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Just don’t go ripping him off or hitting on him and you’ll be fine,” she laughed.

I pulled back and gazed at her with wide eyes. “Oh my God. Is that what happened with his last PA?”

Amber’s expression turned deadly, and she nodded. “Bitch.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that. I may think your brothers are hot, but they’re like brothers to me too. And besides,” I added with a grin, “I have my very own piece of hotness.”

She opened her mouth to reply—some smart-assed comment I was sure—but was interrupted by the sound of my cell ringing. Sitting up, I frowned, wondering who it could be. I didn’t think Daniel would call me again.

Seeing ‘Mom’ flashing on the screen made my whole body still. Why was she trying to call me?

I felt Amber peering over my shoulder. “What the fuck?”

Licking my suddenly dry lips, I gave Amber a worried glance before answering the call. “Mother,” I said, disappointed my voice didn’t come out sounding as confident as I wanted it to.

“Amy,” she said. Of course, her voice sounded just as self-important as it always did. “How are you, dear?”

The fake pleasantness of her tone irritated me. “What can I do for you, Mother?”

I heard her sigh. “Look, I really don’t like all this disagreement between us. I was hoping we could try to work it out.”

I hated myself for it, but I couldn’t stop hope from flaring up inside me. Maybe my decision to move out had made them both realize I was my own person with my own goals and dreams.

“I’m listening . . .” I said cautiously.

Amber narrowed her eyes at me and subtly shook her head.

“Do you think you might be able to come home so we can discuss this face-to-face? I’d really like to see you.”

I held the cell away from my ear and glanced at the screen, a little shocked. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but thought maybe it was to check if I was really talking to my mom.

“You want me to come home?”

Amber started shaking her head vigorously, mouthing ‘NO.’

---