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When I arrived at work, Cheryl didn’t greet me as usual. Instead, she shifted her eyes in my direction, then looked away. It wasn’t very encouraging, as I already felt nervous asking her for extra hours.
“Cheryl, do you have a moment to speak before my shift begins?” I asked, approaching her as she keyed something into the cash register.
“If it’s about your hours, we had to make some adjustments,” she said while staring at the computer screen.
How did she know I wanted to talk about my hours? “What do you mean?”
“Lin’s been killing it on the floor, so when she asked for more hours, I gave them to her.”
“But I’ve been here longer than Lin,” I said, feeling my voice crack. I would not cry in front of Cheryl. “Don’t I at least get first dibs on more shifts?”
“That’s not how it works, Frances. I don’t owe you anything. Sorry,” she said and shrugged her shoulders, not sounding sorry at all.
Indignation crawled up my throat, scratching to get out, but I swallowed it down. “I need those hours,” I said.
“Well, sell more clothes and you’ll get them.” She still hadn’t looked at me since I walked up to her. From the stubborn set of her jaw, I could see that nothing I could say would change her mind. Panic replaced my anger and I felt on the brink of hyperventilating.
I turned and walked to the backroom. Dropping my head into my hands, I inhaled a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly through my nose, hoping to bring my emotions under control, but it was no use.
Dammit! That’s not how this was supposed to go.
I wasn’t upset that I’d lost the shifts to Lin. I wasn’t even upset that I sucked at this job. I was desperate and angry that every time I tried to open a new door, it slammed shut in my face. It was as though the universe conspired against me. What do I do now? I tried everything. I used up all my options. I tried every door.
Except for one.
That door I’d closed myself. But I had shut it for a reason. I couldn’t work for Colton again, not even for pretend this time. My feelings were too real and I knew I’d get hurt. He didn’t want to rekindle a romance with me. He just wanted someone to help him seal the Morgan deal. That was it.
Pull up your big girl socks, Frances, and get up.
If he could disconnect his feelings for business, well, so could I. I was tired of waiting for life to happen. What if my parents were wrong? I wanted to make things happen for me.
I would use this opportunity to ask for something I needed from Colton. Cheryl was right; I hated this job. But I’d loved the PA position. I would apply for another one at a different company, this time as Frances Netto. But I needed something from Colton first.
I hit Colton’s number on my phone before I could lose my nerve.
“Hello,” he answered.
“Hi, it’s me,” I said.
“Frances, is everything all right?”
“I’ll come with you to Morgan’s cabin,” I said.
He was silent on the other end. I wasn’t sure if he was celebrating or cursing.
“That’s great,” he said calmly, his voice giving nothing away. “What changed your mind?”
“Circumstances,” I said.
“I leave in an hour. Is that enough time for you to be ready?”
“Yes,” I answered. “But I need something from you.”
“What’s that?”
“A reference letter.”
Silence again. Then, “You plan on applying for another PA position?”
