Page 143 of Sins of the Father

I hope Cindy offers Harper a job and she loves it.

Time to get up.

I throw on workout clothes and go into my gym. My thoughts range between Harper, my mom, and Maximillion. Matt enters my mind, but I push him to the side. I’m careful to work up a good sweat but not overdo it like I did the previous Sunday.

After my workout, I shower and make coffee. I open up my laptop and go to several job sites.

I see why Harper was overwhelmed. There are a ton of postings, and if you don’t even know what industry to look at, it’s a maze.

I narrow my search to finance and VP or higher positions. All of them make you apply through a recruiter.

First, you need a résumé.

I sigh then sip my coffee. I haven’t looked at jobs since I got out of college fifteen years ago. It didn’t feel good then, and it doesn’t now. Anxiety begins to creep up, but I take a deep breath.

You’ve done better than average on your investments, have years of vacation pay the company owes you, own your condo outright, and have millions of cash in the bank. Chill out.

The truth is, I could live a long time and not work. My childhood of poverty is what made me go into finance and learn about money and investing. Unless I was helping Quinn or my mom, I’ve splurged little for myself, minus my gym. Since working out keeps me sane, I allowed myself to buy whatever I wanted for it. My condo is fully updated and in a great location, but it isn’t over the top. I could get something bigger or more luxurious, but it wasn’t something I felt was necessary. One of the perks of my job is I get a reimbursement for my driver, so I don’t even pay for that.

Harper might want to live somewhere else in Chicago or have a bigger place. The last thing you need is to be out of work.

I concentrate on several positions I would be qualified for and send messages to several recruiters then shut my laptop.

The buzzer sounds.

I go to the intercom. “Hello.”

“It’s me,” Harper chirps.

I need to give her access and keys.

I release the latch and step outside my unit. She gets off the elevator, and I meet her halfway down the hall.

“Good morning.” She beams and wraps her arms around me.

“Good morning.” I kiss her, and she deepens it, creating a new fire in every piece of my being.

We only stop when a neighbor says, “Excuse me,” and needs us to move so he can walk past.

I lead her back into the condo, and we sit at the table with mugs of coffee. “How was your meeting?”

Her green eyes twinkle. “It was great.”

“And?”

“She offered me a job, and I asked her to give me a few days to think about it.”

I kiss her again. “That’s great! What is there to think about?”

“Well, she has a lot of work in Chicago over the next few months, but she also shoots all over the world. I could be gone for weeks or months at a time.”

My gut flips, but I try to appear supportive. I hate the thought of Harper being away for even a night. I can’t imagine weeks or months. “What are your thoughts about that?”

Harper takes a sip. “It sounds exciting, but isn’t the point of finding a job in Chicago so we can be together?”

That’s my girl.

Don’t be selfish and stand in her way. Take one for the team.

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