“I was looking to hire Mandy, not someone who hasn’t finished college, has no real-world experience, and may or may not have been about to marry her boss,” Linda says tartly.
“Rumors,” Scarlett insists. “Isn’t that right, Mandy?”
I’m reeling. Salinger fired Scarlett? Salinger’s not marrying her? It doesn’t matter. He’s still an asshole, and I’m still out of a job.
I reach over and take back the paper with the job offer.
“You know, I think I actually would like to be your assistant, Linda.”
“Assistant? Good heavens.” Linda presses a hand to her chest. “No, Mandy, I need you to be a project manager. I need someone to be my right hand, keep all these morons in line. Why don’t you take a few days and start next Monday? Don’t worry about Jaxon,” she adds. “I believe he’s on a one-way flight to the Alaskan wilderness. His grandmother is very disappointed. I would expect you’ll be receiving several apology notes from the Pendleton family. I was told they were quite upset after the meeting this morning.”
“That sounds like the best news I’ve heard in a while,” I admit, signing the job offer. “Oh,” I add, “do you think I could hire an assistant?”
“You can put together an entire team. I think you’re going to need it.”
“A job offer,making more than I’ve ever made in my entire life,” I tell Jess.
My friend was waiting for me in the car, having declared that she wasn’t leaving me alone.
“Let me see the offer!” she demands.
I trade Jess the job offer for my Starbucks. “I can move to a nicer apartment. Sure, I’ll have to bring my sister—probably both of my sisters—but it’s so worth it! I can get a bathtub! I can finally save for retirement!”
“Are they hiring?”
“Yes! That’s the best part. We can work together.” I clap my hands. “And we’re going to need assistants.”
“Mwa-ha-ha-ha!” Jess rubs her hands together then swings the car out into traffic. “My own assistant.”
I sigh happily. “Everything’s so much brighter now, so much better. It’s sunny in Seattle, I have a job, and I’m going to get my dog. Jaxon’s going to Alaska, Salinger’s not marrying Scarlett—”
“He’s not?”
“Nope.” I smile and turn on the radio.
“You’re extremely pleased about that for someone who’s been calling for his head.” Jess grins at me from behind oversized sunglasses.
“Make no mistake, Salinger is still on my shit list, especially since he left me in jail. I’m never going to get clean. I’m traumatized from having to use that shared toilet.”
Jess makes a gagging sound.
“Poor Pepper’s going to need a bath when we get her out. I bet she’s so scared. I should have gone to her first! I’m a terrible dog mom. We have to stop at Olive Garden on the way home.”
“The Puppuccino isn’t enough?” Jess asks.
“I bet she didn’t eat anything all weekend.”
“Try to keep it together, Mandy. You’ll see Pepper in a second.”
But the lady at the front desk of Animal Control frowns when Jess shows her a picture of Pepper and explains that we’re here to pick her up.
“We already turned over custody of that dog,” the animal control worker informs me. “There was a judge’s order. A lawyer came and picked her up.”
“Oh no!” I wail. “Jaxon took Pepper!”
I cry all the way back to my parents’ house. “She’s not even going to get her Puppuccino.” I sob.
“Just have some tequila. I’m going to find out where the hell she is,” Jess promises me as she pulls up in front of my parents’ house. “We’re going to call Linda. We’re calling the National Guard.”
