AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER ELEVEN
PAYTON
––––––––
“Hey, Mom,” I say after pushing the speaker button on my phone.
“Hey, sweetie, how’s the new job?” Mom asks.
“Hey, Payton!” Dad calls out in the background.
That will be all I get from him. He’s not a phone guy.
“Hey, Dad,” I reply, then sit on the chair, kicking off my heels.
Tonight, I went out for drinks with Cody and Roxy. It was fun, but I’m exhausted after my first week and there’s still one more day to go.
“Great. I’ve met lots of nice new people.” Not Karen. “And the brand I’m working on is amazing.”
“Let me guess,” Mom says.
“Go for it.” I grin.
She will have no idea.
“Apple. No wait, please tell me it’s a candy company,” she says hopefully.
One of the perks of working in marketing is the samples. I don’t have any aspirations of a Verity & Co. Collection dress appearing on my desk any time soon.
Maybe a keychain if I’m lucky.
“Nope. No free candy, sorry.” I laugh.
“Alright, hit me with it.”
When I tell her, she starts swooning over all the amazing things they have.
“Once, when you were young, I bought myself one of their handbags. Your father was furious. He couldn’t understand how a bag could cost that much. Either could I, but I had to have one,” she tells me.
I mix an electrolyte drink to counter the hydration loss from the three margaritas I had tonight and walk over to the sofa. It’s my magic trick to waking up with less of a headache the next day.
“I don’t remember it,” I say.
“Because I was too scared to use it. Every time your father saw it, he scowled at me, and the few times I did, I was so anxious it would get damaged.” Mom laughs. “I have it packed away somewhere.”
“What a waste, Mom,” I cry. “It’s vintage V&C now.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” I groan. “And he’s such a penny pincher. I mean, you’re both lawyers. You can afford it.”
