Page 94 of When You Had Me Adapting

CHAPTER 43: NEXT STEPS

JACE

Ithought about texting Lacey last night, but I wasn’t sure what I should say. I left so abruptly and I hate myself a little for it. At twenty-eight, I should be able to control myself a little better, but it’s been a long fucking time and that kiss was everything.

There is still so much up in the air with work and my plans. Maybe I shouldn’t have kissed her, but then I think back to the way she looked standing there. Her green eyes, that put the depths of the Amazon rainforest to shame, begged me to kiss her, and I don’t regret it one bit.

My phone rings and I swipe up on the unknown number.

“Hello,” I say.

“Hello, I’m calling to speak with Mr. Jacks Jackson,” an unfamiliar voice comes through the phone.

“This is he.”

“Hello, Mr. Jackson. My name is Roger Lucas. I hope you’re having a great Monday. Do you have a moment to talk?”

“Yes, sir. How can I help you?”

“Great. I’m the president of the Center for North American Wildlife Conservation and I was looking over your portfolio.” Hepauses and chuckles. “First of all, let me apologize for the delay in contacting you. We’ve had some recent internal changes and I was working on getting those resolved before I dove into hiring for this position.”

“That’s no problem. I’m glad you called.” Nervousness pulses through my veins and I try to calm myself.

“I must say when I saw it come across my desk I was a little surprised. I’ve been following your discovery of the Bixito Parrot quite closely. Finding it in the wild was an impressive feat.”

“Thank you. It was a lifelong dream of mine.”

“So, I hear. Well, I won’t keep you too long, but I would like to have you down to the center this week for an official interview. It would give me an opportunity to show you around and get to know you a little better.”

“That would be fantastic.”

“Great. How does Friday at three sound?”

“Perfect. I can be there.” I breathe a sigh of relief that I’ll be back in time for the interview.

“Wonderful. I’ll have my assistant send over the information and I’ll see you then.”

“I look forward to it, Mr. Lucas.”

He hangs up the phone and I exhale. This is what I want. I want to be able to do what I love and not have to worry about being too far away. I want a future with Lacey and a job like this would give me that.

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Jacks: I got the interview at the CFNAWC.

Tanner: Where

Enzo: The Center for North American Wildlife Conservation.

Tanner: Ohhhhh got it

Logan: Oh. BTW, I asked Poppy. Lacey likes purple dahlias.

Jacks: Thanks.

Tanner: So what does this mean

Jacks: It means I have an interview. He seemed impressed with my resume.

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