Page 60 of Fair Play
I shake my head. “Not really. I have an academic counselor who’s pointed out all the different things I can do with a business degree, but every time I look at jobs online… I don’t know. It’s all just drudgery.”
“You haven’t found your passion yet.”
“I guess not. Bodi says I should get my MBA, and give myself time to figure out exactly what I want, but I don’t know… spend more money for another degree I don’t know what to do with?”
She chuckles. “You’re twenty-two. You’re not supposed to have your life figured out yet. This is the time to try different things, explore, and learn. Some things will be awful and you’ll know it fairly quickly. So you jump ship and move on to something else. I know it’s a little more complicated than that when you have bills to pay, but right now, you’re living with your brother and expenses are minimal. Take advantage of that.”
“I was hoping to move out after graduation,” I admit. “Get a job and be a grown-up, but…”
“But?” She waits patiently.
“I’m not afraid to work hard, I just don’t want to do something I hate.”
“Do you hate working here?”
“What?” My eyes round. “Not at all. I love working here! I wish I could be here instead of at school all week!”
“Then let’s try something,” she says thoughtfully. “How would you like to be an assistant manager?”
My mouth falls open. “Really? I mean, that sounds interesting, but I need the weekend shifts to make money…”
“Of course. You’d be the low man on the totem pole, so you’d either open on mornings that are slow or close on nights that are slow. Or take an afternoon shift when I need to go run errands. It would help me and give Callie the occasional day off.” Callie is the current manager of the restaurant.
“I don’t know if I know enough about things to be an assistant,” I say slowly, “but I’m willing to learn.”
She smiles. “That’s all I need to know. And we’re going to start right now.” She pushes a thick notebook over at me. “You can help me put together next month’s schedule.”
“That sounds like way more fun than writing a paper.”
“Oh, you’re going to do your paper too. But let’s see how you do with the schedule and we’ll go from there. What do you think?”
“I think you’re awesome.”
She grins. “Talk to me again after you see all requests for days off.”
Chapter 22
Rome
The appointmentwith the orthopedic surgeon was a good news/bad news kind of thing. Good news that I won’t need surgery. Bad news that I’ll be out the rest of the regular season. I could be back for the playoffs but I won’t know for sure until I start rehabbing, and that can’t begin for several weeks. First, I have to heal. Then more X-rays and shit before they’ll clear me to even work out. Short-term, I can’t even do upper body stuff, so the next two weeks are going to be a struggle.
Except for the part where I get to spend time with Billie.
And we have three more days before Bodi gets back.
She had class this morning and then is working what she called a mid-shift until around seven. I told her I’d handle dinner and now I’m torn between ordering something good and coming up with the energy to actually cook. I’m not terrible in the kitchen, but standing is painful at the moment so I opt for ordering. I also picked up a nice bottle of wine on my way home from the doctor.
If we’re officially going to date, then I’m going to put some effort into it. Something I didn’t do during either of my marriages. It can’t just be expensive presents and sex, though if last night was any indication, there’s going to be a lot of sex. The truth is, I can’t afford expensive presents, and my number one goal right now is to pay off my ex so I can be free and clear. After that I want to pay off the cabin in New York.
At that point, if I’m forced to retire, I’ll have a place to live and no debt. My credit cards and SUV are paid off, so all that’s left is the extraordinary amount of alimony I’m paying because I was too proud and stubborn to fight her, and the cabin’s relatively small mortgage. That’s why I’m living in this two-bedroom townhouse with Bodi. I’ve been able to send extra mortgage payments since I moved in, which has made a dent, and there are only seven payments left to Denise.
I’m trying to decide what to order for dinner when there’s a brisk knock on the door and I nearly groan when I hear my mother’s voice outside.
“Rome? Are you home? It’s Mom—I have a surprise for you!”
Thisis one of the reasons she drives me nuts.
I thought I set some boundaries, asking her to call before dropping by, especially now that I have a roommate. But she never listens.
