Page 47 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
“Oh.”
The quiet happiness in that single syllable did something to my insides.
“It’s really comfy.”
“Good.”
She cleared her throat. “So. Now that I’m fully awake, tell me. How have you been?”
My lips twitched. “Okay.”
“No,” she said with a groan. “No okays and fines. How are you? How’s work? Is your assistant working out for you?”
“Well, I’m not sick, for one.”
“Yay, you.”
“Work is . . .” Boring. Exciting. It depended on which job she was asking about. “Teaching is the same. My consulting is doing well. I signed three people last week. A group of friends, actually.”
She did a little bounce on her seat. “Oh, wow. Congratulations, Gabe. How did they hear about you?”
“Referral from a client, who was referred to me by Felix. Do you remember him?”
“Of course. You should thank me for my excellent client service.”
“You exchanged a total of three messages.” I’d checked right after I changed my passcode.
“Which was enough to charm him into staying with you after you cancelled your meeting.”
I snorted. “Rescheduled.” She was right, though—I owed her for covering for me that day and taking care of me. Considering we hadn’t technically been friends then, she’d gone above and beyond.
“Details,” she said. “And your assistant? You haven’t scared him off yet, have you?”
“Her. Harry is alright. She has potential to be better, and luckily I have time to train her.”
“So you’re still set on continuing your PhD?”
“Yes.” It was my last chance to complete it—in Sterling, at least. I could already imagine what my schedule would be like next semester, and it didn’t look good.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Haven’t you already?”
“Ha ha. What will your PhD give you that your consultancy can’t?”
“Tenure,” I answered without hesitation. “The consultancy is profitable now, but that might not last. Having a doctorate means I’ll always have a career in the academe, and it also gives me another level of credibility.”
“Hmm. But do you enjoy it?”
I tapped a finger on the steering wheel. “I doubt anyone truly enjoys the process of getting a doctorate.”
“Not that. Teaching. Do youwantto teach?” Her gaze drilled into the side of my face.
My mouth curled down. “I want a stable career. My father transferred jobs multiple times in different tracks. He rarely had a steady income and there were months my mother cried over our unpaid bills. I don’t want that for myself.”
“I understand,” she said, and I knew she did because her family had experienced it too. “It’s scary, that uncertainty.”
I nodded.
