“I’ve lived mostly in Virginia.”
“Never been. Well, we sat in traffic in Virginia on our way to Maine that one year, but I’ve never spent time there.” I nod as we wait in line at the food truck, not missing Virginia traffic, but the way my commute this morning went it seems I traded it in for some otherworldly hellscape that is a Florida commute. “So you knew Collin was your dad?”
“I’d only ever met him twice.” Her brows furrow and she nods her head.
“He didn’t seem the type to just abandon his kid.”
I sigh and fidget with my purse strap. “Men have a way of disappointing you like that.”
She nods back and sighs dramatically. “You’re right about that. So the funeral was the first time you met Zach?”
“Yes, I didn’t know my father had other children.”
“Woof, this story keeps getting more messed up.” Penny seems genuine. I don’t feel like she’s trying to pull information out of me for nefarious reasons. I get a sense that she knows I’m lonely and need someone to talk to; it’s a serious contrast to how I feel around Zach.
“You don’t have to tell me how messed up it is, I’m living it.”
“Well, I’m here if you need me. I know it can be hard to make friends in a new town,” Penny says, lightly touching my forearm. I give her a smile and I feel relieved that I have at least one person in this new town to count on. Possibly Aiden too. He’s been hard to read, but he’s been nothing but kind to me.
We order our food, and Penny suggests we take it back to the office with how hot it is today. I agree completely as we both sit at reception and eat. While we’re eating, a red-faced Zach storms past, giving me a dirty look before leaving the office completely.
“Sounds like someone just got put in his place,” Penny says with a smirk. I don’t reply, wanting to be able to mend whatever possible relationship there could be with Zach. That won’t happen if I’m already gossiping about him in the office.
Aiden walks up to reception. He doesn’t look fazed in the least as he rests his elbow on the table. “Jessa, when you’re done, will you come to my office?”
I go to pack up my food so I can speak to him right away, and he shakes his head. “No, finish your food, take your time. I’ll see you shortly,” he says, waving me off.
Penny and I both watch him leave, and she sighs once he’s safely in his office. “At least the person who matters the most in the office seems to like you.”
“What?”
Penny shakes her head and takes a bite of her burrito bowl. I try to eat, but I’m so anxious about speaking to Aiden that I wind up wrapping it up and putting it in the fridge for later. I steel my spine and straighten my dress before walking into his office.
3
DEAD PEOPLE CAN BE ANNOYING
Zach Kemper can fuck allthe way off. I never truly understood how the little prick was Collin’s son. I guess the fact that Collin had a secret child all these years changes how I feel about the man. But at the same time, I still consider Collin a mentor of sorts. I don’t think Zach liked how close his father and I became over the years. He certainly doesn’t like that he has a sister he didn’t know about or the fact that I just gave her a job.
But I also know it’s what Collin would have wanted, and truthfully, she is filling a position that we need. It’s not a pity filled job offer. I was impressed when I looked at her portfolio. She’s genuinely talented, unlike another Kemper offspring I know.
He came in here demanding that I fire her… well, to not hire her in the first place, despite the fact that she was given a significant portion of the company. Zach is just bitter because we’re not equal anymore. I own more of the company that holds his namesake. But the truth is, I was a massive part of making this company what it is today, while he just inherited it. I won’t deny that he’s a decent sales person, but a leader he is not.
He’s too busy seeing Jessa as a secret, as a flaw in the father he looked up to. I suppose I don’t blame him for having conflicting feelings about his dad. But to project that anger onto Jessa isn’t fair or right.
Jessa seems… sad, or broken in a way. I got the sense that the cottage, these shares, the job, are the lifeline she needs. I have a penchant for helping broken people, and I can’t help myself when I know some of her history. There’s a huge part of me that knows that this is what Collin would have wanted. He didn’t give her those shares and disrupt his family for nothing. If he were still here, he would have wanted Jessa to be taken care of, so in his stead, I will make sure that Zach doesn’t push her out and she has a place to work.
There’s a light knock on the door frame and I look up to see Jessa. She looks anxious as she fidgets and tugs down her sun dress.
“Come in.”
She takes her seat from earlier. Bouncing her knee as she looks around my office again. “Is this where you tell me it isn’t going to work out?”
“No.”
“Okay,” she says in a breathy tone.
I push over the papers to her with her employment contract. “Take your time to look over this, what your duties will be, and the salary. If you have any concerns, let me know. It’s a combination of marketing, design, and administrative duties.”
