Page 116 of Loving You

Which is exactly why I haven’t mentioned the breakup we have planned for this weekend. The whole point is for us to cut ties from each other so that Mr. Pepperton doesn’t do anything crazy.

But maybe since Cherry seems to be happy with Danny, even for now, Miles and I are worrying over nothing.

At the same time, Miles hasn't come in here to talk about it either, so perhaps this whole thing is still filling his thoughts.

I grab my phone and pull up my emails.

My agent sent me a text a week ago, to which I replied that I’d think about it.

Signing another contract with one of the hotel chains I work with. It’s good money, but the contract would be for two years. For some reason, that seems like a bigger commitment than I want to make right now.

I read her latest email, with more details and how they need an answer within the next two weeks.

I sigh and flip my phone face down.

My entire life feels like one big deadline. Be here, be there. Don’t settle in because you’ll be on another plane in just two days.

That's the life I wanted, right?

To turn my love of traveling into something that pays me.

To keep doing what I love for as long as I can.

“Excuse me.” The door to the office opens and a dark-haired boy whose face is young enough to put him in high school walks in.

“Hi.” I stand. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah, um, my uncle said you were hiring.”

“We are. How old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“Sixteen,” I repeat. Is it even legal to work at that age?

“I can work the same hours as any adult,” he says quickly to my hesitation. “You can look online.”

“Aren’t you still in school?”

“Yeah, but … it’s summer.”

I nod. “True, but don’t you want to be out having fun with your friends?”

He shakes his head. “I just moved here with my family, so I don’t have any yet.”

He looks away with that statement, so I don’t pry. It’s not my place.

“What’s your name?”

“Henry.”

“Do you know anything about cars?”

“Yeah. I used to work on them with my dad.”

“Okay. Are you planning to work when school starts?”

He nods. “Whenever I can.”

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