I click open his next e-mail, and whatever has softened hardens again, a thick shell reforming around my heart.
Greetings Ms. Miller,
In light of Shelley’s news and her impending absence, we need to discuss how to proceed. It only makes sense for me to take on the lead role, since I have been overseeing work in Heartwood for many years.
I don’t miss the slight dig, him throwing it back in my face that I’ve been gone for so long. Like I no longer have a claim to my hometown. I keep reading. There’s no fucking way he’s taking this job from me. I deserve it. I’ve worked hard for this, I’ve accomplished way more than he ever has. The job is mine.
If you’d like to talk about it more, I’m open to hearing your thoughts.
Bullshit,I think,but okay.
We can meet up this weekend to figure it out, and get a jump on planning. Say, tomorrow night at my place?
Regards,
Hudson Landry
My blood simmers beneath my skin, making every inch of me prickle and burn with rage. There’s no way he wants to meet so we can discuss this. He wants to meet on his turf so he has the upper hand. I can smell the set up from here. He’s trying to be strategic.
I remember why I need this job so badly in the first place. The impending failure of my company, how exponentially more uncomfortable family dinners will be if that happens.
Claire is here for another week until Mom and Dad leave on their extended road trip across the country. I have to endure another six family dinners. Five, if I agree to take this meeting with Hudson.
I rapid fire type out an e-mail response. It’s probably snarkier than it needs to be, but I don’t care. The contract is signed, now I’m going to get what I came for.
Mr. Landry,
Thank you for reaching out. I would love to have a conversation about who would be the best fit for the project lead role in Shelley’s absence. Contrary to what you might think, the rules of shotgun do not apply to this job. It’s not yours because you “called dibs.”
Best,
Wren Miller
I hit send without proofreading it, or second-guessing, or feeling like I should add an exclamation mark where it doesn’t require one to make it seem more polite. Normally I’m not so direct with my associates, but this is Hudson Landry. As soon as I hear theswooshof the e-mail flying off into the ether of the internet, I stand and pace around my room, nervously biting at a stubborn hangnail on my finger.
So much for getting rid of my jitters.
Surprisingly, my computer dings not five minutes later as Hudson’s e-mail response comes in. I stride over to my computer and click it open.
Ms. Miller,
Sounds great. I have included my address below, come hungry. Also, I attached some links to some quality work boots you may want to think about purchasing for the next time you come on site.
Below the e-mail, he has indeed attached the ugliest pair of steel-toe work boots I have ever seen. Absolutely the fuck not. I’m not wearing those. But then my eyes dart to where he’s signed off his e-mail.
Regards,
Hudson Landry
Mud: 1, Wren: 0
My heart flutters in my chest, another muscle memory response. It’s that stupid tally thing we used to do, as if this is some type of game to him. Like he doesn’t take this seriously in the slightest. Who am I kidding? I don’t know why I’m trying to pretend like I’m surprised by this. I don’t think Hudson has ever taken anything in his life seriously. That’s why we ended things.
I had drive, ambition, goals, and I have always wondered if Hudson was intimidated by me because he didn’t. He didn’t care about success or bettering his future. He was content to stay in the exact same place for the rest of his life, and maybe he ended things because he was afraid I would become more successful than him. Well, look at me now.
If he wants to play it this way, I can play right back. At least this dynamic of turning everything into a competition issomething I’m used to with Hudson. It’s all we used to do as kids growing up. Shotgun was like a full-contact sport.
I guess, at the end of the day, I finally beat him. I went away to university, worked my ass off, and now I’m a successful engineer. When I left, though, I never found anyone else who wanted to see how many marshmallows they could shove in their mouth, or who could handle playing a board game with me.
