Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
“I love her.”
Her smile is genuine, which gives hope for some reason. She says, “We’re moving in different directions, across continents, and he needs to live with one of us. Although it will shatter my heart to pieces, he’s happiest with you, and his happiness is more important than my sadness of missing him.”
I breathe. For the first time in weeks, I feel my lungs pumping air freely through my system. “Do you mean that?”
She nods, the confidence in her eyes and the smile that sits firmly in place underneath have me believing her. She says, “School starts at the end of August. I’ve already done research, and there are no private schools in the surrounding eight counties. But you have time to enroll him in Peachtree Elementary before the start of the year.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I say, not minding the to-do list she’s giving me because it’s more than errands and tasks. She’s giving me our son to raise where there’s room to spread his wings and run without cars threatening to hit him.
After taking another sip, she sets her heels back down on the floor. “I need to go. Marcel has never had a hot dog, and I told him Beck and I can take him to the best stand in the city.”
“Minelli’s on Fourth?”
She laughs. “You know I don’t care for street meat because yuck, but for Beck and I guess for Marcel, I’ll be hot dogging it for dinner.”
“I like this side of you.”
“The one risking my gastrointestinal tract?”
“The one that believes she deserves happiness as well.”
She playfully points a finger in my face. “I still get him during breaks.”
“And anytime in between. You’ll always be his mother, Anna, and as such, you have a place to stay in Peachtree Pass. Or if it’s too boring for you out there in the middle of nowhere, there’s a Four Seasons Resort near Fredericksburg.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“I’ll bring him to see you.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal. Tell your attorney to contact mine, and we’ll get everything sorted legally.” Leaning in, she kisses my cheek. Not quick to leave, she whispers, “You deserve happiness as well.” Straightening her back, she takes her purse from the bar and tucks it under her arm. “She’s a very lucky woman.”
I knew the moment I saw Pris in that sundries shop that I was the lucky one. She starts walking but turns back to say, “Oh, you got the tab, right?”
“I got you covered.”
“Thanks.” There’s a lightness to her steps. Happiness that I haven’t seen in her in years. It looks good on her. But I’m glad it’s not because it’s me. I wish her and Marcel the best. “We always made a good team like that.”
I hold up my bourbon. With that conversation out of the way, I’m finally able to take a sip. “Drinking and eating, and me paying the check?”
“You’re the best, Tagger. Toodle-oo.” Details need to be worked out, but the obstacles have been cleared from my path. I can work from anywhere or retire from asset management. But I also have more money than I can spend in a lifetime, so why not spend it with the two people I care about most?
One down.
My best friend to go . . .
Three days later . . .
I’ve been secretly trying to wrap up some of my accounts. The others will shift to Keith for him to keep or reassign. Nothing too obvious until I’m ready to announce.
Coming to sit in front of me, no notepad or e-pad, pen, or phone in sight, Kendra says, “Deloitte has been processed and shifted to the accounting team. Baer needs signed paperwork that I had delivered earlier today. But Mastrioni said they are happy with the work you’re doing and look forward to continuing when they paid their invoice on Tuesday.”
“That’s great. I suspect there will be another hefty bonus for us at the end of the year.”
“But you won’t be here?”
“I’ll still be—fuck.” I release a heavy sigh, knowing I can’t hide it from her.
She gets up to close the door. When she returns, she asks, “So you are leaving?”
Sitting back, I steeple my fingers. “I’m not walking out the door tomorrow. But I plan on giving notice before the end of July. I’m hoping that’s enough time to wrap up what I can and reorganize the team for the clients.”
“It was the biscuits, wasn’t it?”
I chuckle. “The biscuits helped, but I was already in love.”
“Oh Tagger, that’s so romantic. You deserve this. You work hard, you’re a great father, but you also need a life. If that’s what she gives you, then I couldn’t be happier.”
“She makes me want to change my life. She makes me want to be a part of hers, to use my hands again, to work the land, and get back to my roots.” I’d already shared that Anna was moving to Paris, so she knows Beck will be with me.