Page 39 of Here's to Tomorrow

11

Hudson

I may not know a lot about graphic design, but I do know that the deal the kid just gave me on the website is a damn good one.

“Well, what did he say?” Tucker asks. The blond-haired bastard is sitting—quite relaxed, I might add—in the chair across from my desk with his feet propped up. I push them off in order to take backsomesort of authority.

Since they’ve been at Jacked Up as long as I have, I called him and Gaige into my office this morning to talk with them about my meeting with Rae. They were both on board one hundred percent.

“Eight hundred bucks,” I tell him, taking up the same pose Tucker was just in. “That’s with a new website, printed business cards, and a new logo. I’m meeting with him at noon to go over some details.”

“Hot damn!” Gaige yells. “That’s a good deal. I know Horton paid at least a grand for that shitty-ass website we have now.”

I nod. “I know. I can’t believe we managed to get hooked up with this guy. We owe Rae big time.”

Gaige and Tucker exchange a look.

“I think we’ll letyoupay up on that,” Tucker says, winking at me.

“Whatever. How’d it go Saturday, Gaige?” I say, switching gears because I know if I don’t, they won’t drop the Rae thing at all.

“Good.” Gaige oversees the short four-hour shift Saturday mornings. “How was your date Friday?”

Of course it didn’t work.

“You fuckers,” I moan, looking down at my folded hands, refusing to make eye contact. “It was good—no, it wasgreat. I like her a lot. We’re…uh…we kind of have a date Wednesday.”

“Really?” Gaige asks in disbelief.

I nod and can feel Tucker’s gaze on me.

“You need to go for it,” he says, his voice a whisper.

“What about Joey?” I volley back, looking back up at him.

“I’m pretty sure your kid isn’t the one who’s going to be dating her,” Gaige replies.

“You know what I mean,” I push out through gritted teeth.

“We do. Like you said: what about Joey? I’m sure the kid isn’t going to care. If anything, she’s gonna embrace it. I know it. Trust me on this. It’s not going to be bad,” Tucker reasons. “I know you have to be careful with your daughter, I get that, but I think it’s the right move to make.”

I hope he’s right because I do really like Rae, and I know she likes me too. I can see it every time our gazes lock. It’s just…it’s beensolong since I’ve had a crush on someone, since I’ve dated anyone, and I’m nervous to pursue this.

It’s not just because of Joey, though Tucker is right; Idohave to be careful with her. She’s only seven and can get easily attached, which is what terrifies me the most because I don’t want to break my kid’s heart if things go south—something that is totally possible.

It’s more than that. What if I’m not good enough? What if Joey isn’t good enough? What if the whole single father thing is a big-ass no for Rae? Do I want to put myself out there and try? Because, if I’m being completely honest, that scares me more than anything else.

“Stop it. I know what you’re thinking and I get why you’re afraid. You don’t really have the life of most twenty-four-year-olds. I get that, but don’t write everything off so fast. Have your date Wednesday then decide where to go from there. Youhaveto at least try. Don’t put that negativity in your head.”

I look hard at Tucker. He’s right. I can’t be sure until I at least put myself out there. “You’re right.”

He shrugs smugly. “I know.”

“Get the hell out of my office and go work or something.”

“Dude, stop playing at being a boss,” Gaige says. “It doesn’t work with us.”

He’s right too, but I’m not admitting they were both right in a five-minute span. They’d never let that shit go either. I swear, my two best friends are a bunch of immature asshole sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

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