Page 59 of Start A War (Saint View Psychos)

I had definitely not meant for it to come out sounding slightly jealous. Vincent hadn’t shown Josie any sort of interest other than professional. Even if he had, that wasn’t my business.

I owed her an apology. What I’d said was completely out of line. “Josie, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. But you really can’t fire Vincent. He’s very good at his job. What happened this morning was a personal matter. He was simply standing up for me.”

But her features had frosted over, her shoulders and spine ramrod straight in her anger. “I’ve made my decision, thank you.”

Anger on Vincent’s behalf rose inside me. “Vincent’s fast thinking might have saved that boy’s life today. He was the one who noticed the reaction first. And he stood up for one of your employees, deescalating a potentially dangerous situation that could have easily spilled over into the daycare itself if he hadn’t been there to keep Caleb out. But you’re going to repay him by firing him?” Guilt mixed with the anger. I wasn’t letting Vincent go down for standing up for me. “Josie, if you fire Vincent, you might as well just fire me too. I was there for both incidents. Both were as much my fault as his. If not more in the case of Caleb. That’s entirely on me.”

I knew Josie wouldn’t fire me. She didn’t have enough staff to keep the place running if she lost both me and Vincent.

“I think that’s for the best. You’ve been a good employee, Bethany-Melissa. But Caleb has already called and stated that he’ll be spreading the word about what sort of person you are. Our children’s fathers very likely run in the same circles as him. In light of what has happened today, I do think that terminating both yours and Vincent’s employment is necessary.”

I gaped at her. “You’re seriously firing me?”

I’d never been fired from a job in my life. I was a model employee, always early in the mornings, always stayed back to help close, even though I didn’t get paid for it. I was a rule-follower at heart. I did as I was told.

But of course, Caleb had tried to spin this morning’s scene into something that portrayed him in a good light. Like the classic narcissist he was. Of course it was my fault. It always was. My hate for him doubled, then tripled, multiplying in on itself until it was almost all-consuming.

Josie took a few steps backward, like she could see the rage building. “If you have anything left at the center, I’ll have it sent to you. I’d prefer if you didn’t return.”

I had to hold myself in place while the woman walked away, her kitten heels clicking on the linoleum floor.

A few deep breaths later, I was finally composed enough to walk again. My phone buzzed with an incoming text, and I pulled it out. It was from an unknown number.

Is Kellan okay?

Another came in right behind it.

It’s Vincent.

And then another a moment later.

Vincent Atwood. From Lilybugs Daycare.

I almost laughed. Like I was expecting messages from so many Vincents that I would need both his surname and place of employment to identify him. The poor guy was about to get railroaded by Josie, and he didn’t even know it. I couldn’t let him go in unprepared.

Bliss:Kellan is fine. His parents arrived, and the doctor is with him. Josie is on the warpath, though. You’re about to get fired.

Vincent:Oh. I see. That’s unfortunate.

Unfortunate indeed.

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