“I’m sensing a but.”
“What’s your major again?” I ask, feeling like a total ass for not asking sooner.
“General business.”
As soon as she says the words, an idea takes shape. “Got any plans on what you want to do after school?”
“Honestly?” she asks, and I nod. “I have no clue. I picked business simply for the security it offered.”
“You know I co-own a construction company, right?”
“Yeah.” She nods. “I’m not sure a hard hat’s my style though.”
“Funny girl.” I chuck her under her chin. “Ben and I have been talking about bringing in an office manager. The job’s yours if you want it.”
“Really?” She narrows her eyes.
“Swear to God. We planned on posting a job listing next month.”
“Nepotism’s not really my thing, but I’ll gladly interview for the position.”
“Stubborn,” I murmur, but I see where she’s coming from, too. Especially from the bits and pieces she’s told me about her parents. “But valid. I’ll get with Ben and find a date for you to interview. Sound good? I’ll make sure to sit out so that it’s as impartial as possible.”
“Thank you. That sounds… wonderful.”
“You say that now, but when you see the mountain of paperwork waiting for you—”
“If I get the job.”
“When you get the job, because he’d be a fool not to hire you, you might run for the hills. Our office is kind of a trainwreck.”
“You’re in luck.” She smiles up at me. “Trainwrecks are my specialty.”
I believe it, too, because she damn sure put my life on the right track.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
ORION
“As amazing as this weekend was,” Frankie says, stretching her seat belt across her chest and clicking the buckle into place, “I’m excited to see Maverick. I’ve never been away from him this long.” The corners of her eyes crinkle as she laughs and kicks her feet up onto the dash. “I’ve never been away from him ever.”
I throw the truck into gear and steer us toward the main road. “He missed you, too.”
She scoffs. “Please, your mom and dad probably kept him so busy and full of sugar that I didn’t even cross his mind.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” I agree, tossing a quick smirk her way before returning my focus to the road. “You know, other than multiple texts and calls from him each day.”
“If you say so.” She rolls her head across the back of the seat to look out the window.
“Bluebird, you’re his best friend. His whole world, really.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “He basically thinks you hung the moon.”
I chuckle at her grumpiness, while also making a note to include Mav in our next getaway. My girl definitely has separation anxiety, though I can’t really blame her. I miss the kid, too.
“That may be so, but you are his moon.”
Reaching across the console, Frankie rests her hand on my thigh, curling her fingers into the threadbare denim of my jeans. “You always know the right thing to say.”
“Trust me, I don’t. I’m sure I’ll piss you off plenty, but as long as we always make up, I’m good.”
Because that’s what a relationship is, right? Give and take. I know there were definitely times my mom and dad fought, but they always took the time to talk about what was bothering them. They never took cheap shots—or if they did, us kids never saw it. They instilled in me how important communication is, in all aspects of life.
I guess I never appreciated it until Frankie. But now, I’m thankful. The example my parents set and the lessons they taught me doesn’t mean mine and Frankie’s relationship won’t have waves, it just means I’ll be strong enough to keep our heads above the water while we swim to the shore.
The rest of the drive passes in relative quiet, but it’s a comfortable kind of quiet, the kind that exists between two people completely at peace with one another.
By the time we make it to my parents’ house, the sun is starting to set and my stomach’s rumbling.
“Hungry?” Frankie asks as I park behind my sister’s car.
“Starved.” I cut the engine and pat my belly. “I wonder what Mom made.”
“Whatever it is, you know it’ll be good.”
“Damn straight.” I get down from the truck, walking around to help Frankie down. “All I know is I lucked out with two women who can cook.”
She swats at my chest and hops down from the cab herself. “If you think I’m making every meal we eat, you are sorely mistaken.”
I sling an arm around her waist and tug her into my side. “As long as I have you, Bluebird, we could live off of takeout for all I care.”
Frankie smiles up at me, with so much love shining in her eyes, I stumble and miss a step. “I love you, Orion.”
“Love you, too.” I swing open the door and press a hand to her lower back, guiding her over the threshold. “But let’s go see our boy.”