Page 52 of Cade

Chapter Twenty-Five

April

April was annoyed again. After Cade’s confession that he wanted things to be real between them, he’d backed away. She knew he was dealing with things with his father, but it felt personal, and she didn’t know where she stood again.

Then there was the work issue. She’d come back to work the next day after the conversation with the partners and everyone acted like nothing happened except she was getting contracts taken from her with no explanation.

This past weekend had been miserable as she tried to sort out what Cade was thinking and what was happening at work. It was Monday now, and she’d come up with nothing for answers. Mark was blatantly ignoring her today and Cade wasn’t as blatant about it, but he wasn’t really talking to her, either.

She needed a vacation from all the drama in her life. Everything before her date with Cade had been going okay, and now it was a mess. Sure, she wanted a new job before then, but the one she had wasn’t at risk then.

“April,” Mark said.

She jumped, fully immersed in her thoughts. She hadn’t noticed him walk up. “Sorry. You scared me.” She pressed a hand to heart to still the racing. “How can I help you?”

“If you can join me in my office, please?” He didn’t wait for her, just walked away.

“Okay then.” April stood and made her way across the office to his open door, closing it behind her. This was sure to be something that no one else should hear.

“Please have a seat.”

She did, but sighed. “No offense Mark, but if you have something to say, I’d really prefer that you just got to it.” Something had to give in her life and if this was it, then so be it.

“Yes, well. We have noticed that your work has been slipping lately and would like to sever our relationship with you and the firm.”

April couldn’t even pretend to be shocked. “What are you offering me?” she asked. Surely there was some type of severance at play here.

Mark slid her a document. She scanned through it. Less than three months’ salary for all the ears she’d put into this firm? Fine. She didn’t want to be here, anyway.

“Pen?” She held her hand out for him to give her one. “Just so I’m clear on this. You want everything to be effective immediately and are removing my non-complete clause?” April knew what it said, but she needed to make sure Mark did.

He winced. “This isn’t my decision, April. I did fight to have that non-compete moved and I hope that you are able to find another position. We both know that you won’t have the same time after the baby is born, anyway.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong here. Nothing. I don’t need your sympathy, Mark. What you’re pulling is illegal, but I don’t want to be here anymore either.”

She signed the paper and left it sitting on his desk before walking out. There was nothing left for her to say.

Choking back a bubble of laughter as she turned the corner to see her desk being packed, she struggled for calm. She snatched her phone off her desk and called for the car to come pick her up.

“Since you seem so capable, you can all carry those down for me.” She didn’t know where this show of strength was coming from, but she was going to ride high on it while she had it. She didn’t give a flip what was in those boxes anymore. Whatever was here would probably get thrown out, anyway.

April went for the elevator, holding it open for the two security guards that were carrying a box each. Thankfully, she’d not been one to decorate or bring a bunch of personal stuff in to the office.

Laughter rose again as she thought about all the work she’d been doing. It would take another sucker like her or several more people to get it done. That and she didn’t have a ton of notes on the biggest contract she was working on because she’d only just had a call with the client this morning.

They’d have a fun time sorting out her sticky notes on her desk that she’d used because sometimes even she had trouble figuring out what she wrote. That whole discovery call would have to be redone for them and most of her clients. They were going to be pissed.

Kayla and Evan would probably pull their business if not others, too. Loyalty from her friends would be great here because it would hit them where it hurt the most. She’d do the little bit of work she needed for Kayla for free anyway.

“Where are you parked?” one of the security guards asked.

“I have a car coming.” She walked out of the elevator to the front door, confident that if the car wasn’t there yet, then it was close.

Much to her joy, it was. The driver opened the trunk for her two boxes. April decided that today was the day she’d wait for the driver to open the door for her. It showed that she was more important than these two men thought she was. Not that their opinion mattered, but it still made her feel better.

Later, she’d come down from this anger and the world would once again let her know that she wasn’t in control. Right now, she was going to enjoy it.

“To home, Mrs. Hawkins?” the driver asked.

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