Page 13 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
That slapped Moira back. Taylor wouldn’t even give her the professional courtesy of two weeks to transition everything. Well, so be it.
When Moira ended the call, she noted it had only taken two minutes and thirty-eight seconds to change her life. But she felt free. And lighter.
Turning off her cell phone, she wentback inside. Matt and Natalie were waiting for her, anxious looks on their faces.
“I quit,” she told them, “and Taylor is such a bitch she won’t even let me stay around for two weeks to help transition a new person.”
“She probably already has someone in mind,” Matt said, frowning. “Well, at least you’re done with her. You don’t want to work with someone like that. How much vacation do you have?”
“Six weeks,” she told them. “Plenty of time to find a new job.” And the payout would float her financially so she wouldn’t have to dip into her savings. Something to be grateful for.
“I’m proud of you for not staying in a miserable position any longer.” Natalie gave her a hug. “You’re going to find an even better job in no time.”
“Damn skippy I will.”
Caroline, Jane, and her mom came over, followed by her cousins, Meredith and Jill.
“Looks like there’s a celebration, and we’re missing out,” her mom said, ruffling Danny’s hair when he ran over to join them.
“I’ve had it with my boss,” she said, reaching for her whiskey again, “so I just gave my notice, which she accepted. I’m going to find a new job with aniceboss.”
“Good for you,” her mother said, putting her arm around her. “I didn’t like how that Taylor woman has been treating you. If I were her mother, I would have sent her to time out. Matt, pour me a little of that whiskey so I can toast Moira’s decision.”
There was a chorus of agreement from her family. Moira already felt better. She always did when she was with them. When Andy returned with Lucy, she’d have toshare her news with him. He was always reminding her life was too short to stay in a bad situation, something Kim’s death had taught them all.
“And do you know what?” she said, lifting her glass. “I’m going to take a spa day in Aspen and then spend some time in Dare Valley. Natalie, do you think I could use one of your cars? Caroline, you’ll have to drive back without me. Mom, can I stay with you?”
“Of course you can, honey,” her mother said in delight. “You deserve some time off in between jobs. Once you’ve rested, you can look for a new job. Maybe you’ll find something in Dare Valley.”
Her siblings all looked at her—they were well aware of their mom’s hope that all her chickens would come home to roost.
“Who knows?” she said to be agreeable to her mother. The last thing she wanted was to take a pay cut or a title dip, something she’d expect from the smaller job pool in Dare Valley. “There might be something.”
Either way, Moira was going to find the best damn job out there.
CHAPTER FOUR
Lucy lurched up in bed when a harsh pounding broke through her consciousness.
Was someone coming for her?
Her gaze flew to the door. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. Congo? Her vision was blurry, which only pumped more adrenaline through her system. Then she recognized her old pine dresser, topped with a photo of her and her parents cross-country skiing. A younger George Clooney smiled wickedly at her from the poster her mother had left on her purple walls.
She was in Dare Valley. Recovering from the attack. Right. That was why her vision was wonky.
“Lucy!” her mother called from the other side of the door. “Time to rise and shine.”
The jarring wake-up call was another reason she couldn’t stay with her parents. Ellen O’Brien did not believe in sleeping. She said people died in bed, so best not spend too much time there. The door cracked open, causing her to jump.
Her mother popped her head through. “April’s here, dear, and would love to see you.”
Hadn’t she seen the woman just last night? “Be right out,” she answered with a fake smile.
When the door closed, Lucy flopped back down and settled deeper into the covers. She sucked in calming breaths. The alarm clock was the same one she’d had in high school, and it read 8:27 a.m. She supposed she should be grateful her mom had let her sleep so late. After the party, she’d pretty much passed out at nine o’clock. She’d awoken at three in the morning, but the best way to fight jet leg was to force your body to acclimate to the new time zone. So she’d stayed in bed, thinking way too much about her conversation with Andy, her future, and being home. Somewhere along the line, she’d fallen back asleep.
Lucy grabbed her shaggy white terrycloth robe and crawled out of bed. Shuffling her feet, she stretched as she made her way to the kitchen—her mother’s lair. Some women entertained in the parlor, but Ellen O’Brien conducted the orchestra of her life from the kitchen. Most of her childhood memories of her mother were set in this room.
“There you are!” her mother said, hustling across the room and hugging her tight. “I was telling April you got a free pass on sleeping in today because you had a long journey here, but tomorrow, it’s back to normal.”
