“Specific. Is there anything that needs Delia’s or my personal attention today?”
“No sir, there is not. Everything is copacetic, boss.”
“Thanks, Cal. I think we’re both going to take the day.”
“Delia McKenna is going to…take the day.” He snorts. “Hold on, sorry, just looking outside for flying pigs.”
“Um, sorry,” I say, stifling a laugh. “I maybe should have mentioned that you’re on speaker, with her.”
He coughs. “Oh. Uh, hiya, boss.”
I can’t help but laugh. “What he means is, he’s trying to convince me to play hooky. So far, he’s not winning.”
Cal laughs. “Boss, I’ve worked for you for ten years. In that time, you have never even been late, much less taken even half a day off. Even when—uh…” he hums as he changes tracks. “Even when you had a damn good reason to take a day off, you didn’t.”
He means when Dad died. I took no time off. None. Not even five minutes. Because as much as work reminded me of Dad, it was also a way to mourn him, and to get away from missing him, because I could throw myself into work. I’m still coping that way, honestly.
Thinking of Dad still takes my breath away, makes my heart squeeze painfully.
I clear my throat. “It’s just not my way, Cal.”
“Wasn’t his, either. But I think it’d be okay if you took half a day. Not my place to tell you what to do, certainly, but…you should. Be good for you. Things are good.” He pauses. “Wait, didn’t you have that meeting with Haimovitz today?”
“I did—we did. And we landed the account. It’s a go. Oak Glen is in the finishing stages—as soon as the last few units are dug and poured and framed, we break ground on the new project.”
“Hot damn, boss, that’s great news.” A shout is audible on his side of the line, muffled and distant. “I gotta go, but I think you should listen to Thai. Just my two cents. Call if you need anything.”
“I’ll think about it. Later, Cal.”
He hangs up…and immediately dials again. This time Constance answers. “Connie, how ya doing, doll?”
Doll?
She huffs, amused and annoyed in equal proportion. “Hello, Thai. What do you need?”
“Actually, I was calling to ask you that exact question.”
“What do I need? A month in the Bahamas and a foot massage.”
“Professionally, I mean.”
“Oh, well. It’s quiet around here, actually. You and Delia are out of the office, the phones are quiet, and I’m trying to make some kind of sense of Nick’s godawful paperwork for the Karsten account.”
“Who taught that guy to file, anyway?”
“A muppet, possibly. He could sell water to a fish but getting him to document anything is like pulling teeth.”
Thai laughs. “So there’s no particular reason that Delia and I would have to come back to the office today?”
“No, I’d say not.”
“That’s a great answer, Connie. We’ll still be reachable, but we’re taking the day.”
“You, as in you plural?”
He chuckles. “Yeah. See, I have a pet project. I’m trying to teach our fearless leader this new concept I’ve been working on—it’s calledfun.” He glances at me, grinning. “Before you respond, you’re on speaker, and she’s in the car with me.”
“Iknowhow to have fun, Thai,” I say, deadpan.
