Bad Seed

“I want to meet her,” Josh said. He slapped my shoulder in a very older-brotherly way, but my insides froze solid. The last thing I wanted was for Josh and Julie to meet.

“Not yet,” I said. “I don’t know how serious things are yet.”

“Well,” Josh said. “Whenever you’re ready.”

CHAPTER 11

JULIE

My nerves were fried by the time I fell into bed on Monday night. The Skype interview went well. My potential boss, Meghan, asked all the right questions, and I gave my best answers. When we said goodbye, I felt confident. As the day dragged on, that confidence faded to nothing. I was left in a puddle of anxiety with no way to calm myself.

The job wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t my dream job by any standards, but it was exactly what I needed right now. The ability to write from home, to maintain an online presence even while living in Ennis, was the best I could possibly hope for. I hated the idea that I might not get the job. As I laid in bed on Monday night, I told myself to relax.

“Whatever happens, happens,” I whispered as I roll

ed onto my side and squeezed my eyes shut.

Not two minutes later, my phone buzzed beside me. I frowned and grabbed it. Who would be texting me so late at night?

Michael’s name flashed across the screen, accompanied by an unread message notification. I smiled and opened the text.

“Hey you,” it said. “Just thinking about you. Hope your interview went well.”

Warmth fluttered through my chest. I grinned and laid my phone back down. It was too late to respond. I knew if I did, I’d never get to sleep.

Still, Michael stayed in my thoughts as I drifted off. He occupied all my dreams that night, making me wake up the next morning in a much lighter mood. I was still smiling when the sun rose. I still couldn’t believe he’d had this effect on me. I hadn’t been single for that long and here I was, hooking up with someone new. No, it was more than hooking up, wasn’t it? I got out of bed and tried to keep myself busy before I drove myself nuts.

The morning seemed to never end. Meghan said she’d call today, but she didn’t say when. I dreaded the idea of waiting by the phone all day. Instead, I jumped in the shower, made myself some breakfast, got dressed, and went for a walk. I was halfway to the town square when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

My stomach dropped when I saw Meghan’s number on the screen.

“Holy shit,” I said to myself. I shook my head roughly before I answered. “Hello? This is Julie Black.”

“Julie!” Meghan said with enthusiasm. “I’m so glad I caught you this morning.”

“Meghan,” I said. “It’s great to hear from you.”

“Well,” Meghan said. “I have good news. The job is yours if you still want it.”

“Of course!” I said, excitement dripping from my voice. “That’s amazing!”

“I loved talking to you yesterday,” Meghan said. “And the team all really enjoyed your samples. You’re the perfect writer for us, and I can’t wait to see the stories you come up with!”

“Thank you so much,” I said. “I really appreciate this opportunity.”

“It’s our pleasure,” Meghan said. “So, I’ll send over your first assignment later today. We’ll need it emailed to our editors by next Monday at the latest, okay?”

“Perfect,” I said without hesitation.

“Great,” Meghan said. “Talk later.”

“Thanks again!”

We hung up, and I felt lighter than air. Not only did I get the job, but by the end of the day, I’d have my first assignment. Words couldn’t describe how happy I was.

Changing course, I headed back to my house. I suddenly had no desire to take a walk around town or grab a cup of coffee at the café. I just wanted to get home and wait for my assignment to come through. My fingers were practically itching to start typing.

On the way back, I called Andrea to tell her the good news.