“Hello Ms. Kinsey? This is Dee with AllTemps. We’ve had an opportunity come up and I immediately thought of you. It’s here in the city, mid level accounting at a large firm. They are very interested in you starting right away.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed. Heaviness settled in my gut. I had never given the agency my real credentials because I didn’t want a job in my field. It would have been the first place Jacob checked. And even if I were looking, there was no way in hell I was taking a job in the same city as Madden.
I wanted to get away, not move closer.
“I’m sorry but I’m traveling right now and can’t accept that job.” I started to push Call End when she hurried on.
“Oh well, just let me know where you are and I can arrange something there. This company has ties in a lot of the major cities too. And like I said, they are very interested in you Ms. Kinsey.”
This was Madden’s doing, I had no doubt. Who else could promise a job in any city on a moment’s notice? I glanced at the phone book map. Anger danced along my skin. He couldn’t leave it alone could he? He treated me like some business transaction on one hand, and yet he put money in my purse, arranged for a job?
Paid you off for services rendered.
“I didn’t give you my experience or education,” I said. “How does this company that wants me know I have the right credentials?” I tried to keep the accusation from my voice but I knew the answer.
“Oh...well...I ahhh...I thought we had that in your file. I’ll give it a look…” she stammered.
If I had any doubt, it was gone now. I clenched my teeth. Damn him. He wanted me out of his life and in the next breath, did something like this. I just wanted to get away from Boston so I could stop thinking about him.
I glanced at the phone book and my gaze settled on Florida, as far south as I could go. “Miami,” I blurted out. It was a long coastline between Boston and Miami.
“Very good,” she said much too enthusiastically. “Let me make some calls and I’ll get back to you. Thank you Ms. Kinsey.” She actually sounded a little relieved and I had to wonder what Madden had said to the woman. What he had threatened to do if she failed her task of placing me somewhere for employment.
I set the phone down and tossed the phone book onto the floor. He was infuriating. Thought he could just command people’s lives like some kind of puppet master. I knew him well enough to know that controlling everything was what he did. Never gave it a second thought. If he wanted someone to jump the only acceptable answer was how high.
I wasn’t jumping for Madden Cross for one more second.
I pulled the envelope from my purse and slipped a finger under the flap. Inside was exactly what he promised; a cashier’s check for thirty-five thousand dollars. I’d never seen so many zeros in my life.
Bile rose in my throat. If I cashed it, he would win. He’d get what he wanted. I didn’t want his money. That very first night at the resort I had decided that I wasn’t going to take it. Then he needed a fake fiancé and had tacked on more zeroes. I didn’t want that either.
Somewhere along the last few days I realized that I just wanted him. And I thought that was happening. Tears blurred my eyes. The ache in my chest spread. It was obviously one sided and not real.
And yet I couldn't bring myself to keep his money. Before I could talk myself out of it, I ripped the check in half and then in half again. I didn’t stop until a pile of confetti sat on the bed next to me.
Then I sank down and wrapped my arms around a pillow and cried for everything that I thought I found but had really lost.
Chapter Four
“So a few of us are going out Friday night. Want to come along? You’ll get to see a wilder side of Miami I promise. Maybe even meet someone.” Lindsay gave me a wink and took a sip of her drink.
We sat outside a small cafe a few blocks from our office building in Brickell and I was halfway through my Caprese salad. Beautiful people were everywhere, blurs of color and perfume and laughter. It had taken me a few days to get used to being around so much golden skin. People down here weren’t afraid to show it if they had it, and boy did they have it.
I glanced down at the turquoise scoop neck top and short flowery skirt I had on. Loud colors were the norm and I’d adjusted my wardrobe to fit in, thanks in part to a very generous signing bonus that had been waiting for me when I arrived.
I’d been at Sinclair Business Solutions for almost three weeks and had to admit that things were starting to finally fall into place, even though it still felt a bit surreal. The job had come with a trendy one bedroom in a hip new downtown development and more money than anyone starting out should get. I was a Junior Associate in the business development division, a job that would have taken me years to work my way up to.