Page 104 of Terms + Conditions
“JOSH!” JUSTIN BARLOW’S VOICE rings through the phone. “How was your holiday?”
“It was…eventful.”
How else could I describe the events that had transpired?
I find Elizabeth and Lara, preparing dinner in the kitchen while Michaela sits on the counter with a glass of wine. They giggled at whatever my sister said before I walked in. I kiss Elizabeth’s cheek and swat her ass, earning my own giggle as I walk by. Stepping through the pantry to the dining room, I close the double doors for more privacy. I haven’t told Elizabeth about this yet. I wanted to find out if this was even a possibility before getting anyone else’s hopes up.
“Do I even want to know?” Justin asks.
“Probably not. What about you? Did you get a chance to get out to Washington to see your mom?”
“Unfortunately, no, things have been…eventful.”
“Seems to be the trend lately,” I say. “Do I want to know?”
“Probably not,” he says, and we both chuckle.
I check in on Justin a few times a year. He went to Chadwick and was part of Theta Pi until it was dismantled. Justin Barlowused to go by Justin Henderson but changed his name in late 2016 after he transferred schools.
Justin Henderson is the reason I was put into an arranged marriage. Justin Henderson is the boy who was beaten so severely by a sophomore during initiation in the fall of 2015 that he had to be taken to the hospital. He doesn’t know I was there that night. He doesn’t remember most of it and he doesn’t remember I’m the one who took him to the hospital. After the hazing incident, he tried to return to Chadwick, but it was too hard—mentally and socially—so he moved back to Washington State for a while to let the dust settle. He’s originally from Washington and lived there until his parents divorced when he was barely a year old. He stayed there with his mom for a while, but she struggled to care for him and eventually sent him to live in Florida with his dad.
A few years ago, he moved back East, landing a job in Charleston.
“You still interested in a job in Charleston?” Justin asks.
“You have something?”
“Well, not my company, but I’ve been hearing rumors that one of the hospitals is gonna be looking for a marketing director soon.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope, guess the VP is retiring, so the director spot is about to open up.”
“Holy shit.” I brace myself on the back of the dining chair. This almost seems too good to be true.
“You want me to throw your name in the pot? My source tells me there aren’t many options right now, so I think you have a pretty good chance. Not to mention, you’re not a far transfer.”
“I’m actually in Jupiter now.”
“Even better! Send me your resumé again, and I’ll get it over to ‘em. Can’t promise you’ll hear anything right away since tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, but—”
“No, yeah, I get it. I appreciate it, man. You have no idea.”
Before we hang up, Justin suggests catching up over lunch in the next week. Dropping my phone to the table, I can’t hold back a smile.
“Holy shit.” The words tumble out again.
“Who was that?” Elizabeth asks, slipping through the double doors.
“You remember Justin? Well, I asked him a few weeks ago if he knew of any jobs in the area.”
With a lift at the corner of her mouth, she drapes her arms over my shoulders, locking her fingers behind my neck.
“I didn’t want to tell you in case things went…south, but he just called with an opportunity.” I plant my hands on her hips, pulling her flush against me.
“Josh, are you sure you want this? To move. We can go back home. We can—”
Gripping her hips, I lift her onto the table and tilt her chin up to stare into the eyes of my beautiful brown-eyed girl. “I want you.” I kiss her, and she smiles against me. “Home is wherever you are, Sugar. Whether that’s here or Winchester or Antarctica, I don’t care. As long as I’m with you, I’m home.”
