A sense of relief rushes through me. I’m still nervous about how this will all go, but just hearing her say that is reassuring.
“I just can’t do it, Jade.” I shake my head with a sigh. “I was miserable at college, taking classes for shit I didn’t care about. Knowing I was going to graduate this year and have to put the degree to use made me want to scream. I can’t do it… I don’t want to.” Jutting my chin out, I add, “And I’m an adult now. I don’t have to.”
Jade sniggers. “Calm down, killer.”
Glancing over at my sister, I go on. “This isn’t what I want for myself. The idea of working in some corporate office makes me want to gag. And maybe I’m being naïve, but shouldn’t you at least try to find a career that makes you happy?”
“I agree with you there, Grady,” Jade says. “You don’t have to convince me.”
“You do?”
She nods once. “Do you know what you want to do? If you’re not going back to college, you have to have a way to support yourself.”
“I’ve been talking with Hannah since I worked Stampede Days,” I tell her. “They’re working on opening up a full-time position for photography for their social media accounts and their website.”
Jade smiles. “That would be exciting and an incredible opportunity.”
“It’d probably take me a little bit to get on my feet,” I mutter, avoiding her gaze. “Do you think, maybe… Could I stay here a little while longer?”
My heart thumps, pounding and echoing off my ribs, waiting for her to laugh in my face or tell me no. She doesn’t do either of those things, though.
“Actually, that may work out,” she says, my eyes lifting to hers in surprise.
“Really? How?”
A flash of something—apprehension, possibly—crosses over her face a moment before it’s gone. “Yeah. Well, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” Her body language lets me in on what she’s about to tell me before she even opens her mouth.
“Uh, okay. That sounds ominous. What is it?”
She’s chewing on the corner of her lip like she’s nervous, then proceeds to reiterate everything Boone told me a few weeks ago when he was home. But she gives me much more detail than he did. Not wanting to get Boone in trouble, I act like it’s the first time I’m hearing this information. Emotion is thick in her voice, but similar to Boone, she seems okay with the decision. It seems very mutual.
When she’s finished, I’m left a little confused. “How does me staying here work out, then?”
The flash of nervousness is back, and she runs her fingers through her hair in a way she does when she’s anxious. “I haven’t told Boone this yet because he’s nearing the end of his season, and I don’t want to put any added stress on his shoulders, but I obviously have to go back to work if we’re getting a divorce.”
“Okay...” I’m still not following where I come in.
“You know the place I was working at before I had Suzy?”
I nod.
“Well, I’m still friends with my old boss, and I was talking to her a few weeks ago and they’ve got an opening and would be willing to take me back.” Jade’s anxious energy fizzles away as excitement takes its place. It makes me smile. “The only thing is, they’ve been bought out by a larger company based out of Salt Lake City.”
My eyes go wide, and my brows shoot straight up. “Are you moving to Utah?!”
“No,” she replies with a small laugh. “But they would have to send me there for about six to eight weeks for training, and that’s where you could come in.”
“I’m listening.”
“Boone comes home in a couple of weeks, and I think I can hold off until he’s back before I leave, but it would be a huge, huge help if you could help him with Suzy while I’m gone. He won’t have to work much, but he will have to train and stuff, so having someone here to watch Suzy while he’s gone would be nice. If you do end up getting the job, we can probably work something out with either our parents or Boone’s for times when you’re both gone.”
“I’ll do it,” I blurt out without even thinking.
Jade snorts. “Are you sure? You haven’t even thought about it. I don’t need an answer right away.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I don’t need to think about it. I need a place to stay, and you need help. It’s win-win.”
“Okay, well…thank you.” A smile spreads across Jade’s lips, and it makes me smile too. This feels right, like maybe I’m finally about to go down the path I was always meant to venture before I decided to go to college.
