“Mypriorities?” For the first time in a long time, I get mad at my boss. “Russel, I don’t need to reset anything. I’m a good worker. Yourbestworker, and we both know it.”
“I’m not saying you’re not, son. I’m saying you need to reset your priorities. That’s got nothing to do with the quality of your work.”
“I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong that I’m not aware of?”
“No.” He sits down and busies himself with the piles of paperwork on his tiny desk.
“Did I offend you with my ideas on expansion?”
He glares at me. Then he takes his glasses off and pinches the bridge of his nose. “No. Of course not.”
I think he’s lying. “You’ve got an amazing company, Russ, and I just… I love it here. I want to see it grow more. And I know you can’t take on one more thing, but I can. I can help you grow bigger. Make enough money so you can retire earlier. I’ve done all the research too on how to—”
“Conner. Stop.”
“Sir.”
“Go home.”
I think I’m going to puke. “Am I fired? Is this your way of firing me?”
Russel gets up and calmly walks around his desk. When he stands in front of me, I feel like I’m sixteen years old again, standing in this very spot,begging him for a job because my parents told me I needed to contribute to the bills because that’s what a man does.
“I’m not firing you, Conner. I’m trying to help you.” His hand feels like it weighs a hundred pounds on my shoulder. “You’ve been working yourself into the ground, son. It’s not okay.”
“I’m fine. I’m happy to do it. We’re short-staffed and I’m just doing my part.”
“You’re doing more than your part. And it’s okay to be short-staffed and not get it all done in a day. It’s okay to turn down jobs, too.”
No, it’s not.
“I just…” Tears burn my eyes, and I force them back down where they belong because grown men do not shed tears over glorified yardwork. “I just want to make you proud, sir.”
“Oh Conner.” Russ squeezes my shoulder, and I swear I’m going to puke all over his plaid shirt. I think I’ve somehow unraveled today. Between waking up at Taylor’s knowing I’ll never have a beautiful life with her, to this moment with her dad—the man who’s been more of a father to me than the one I stopped speaking to years ago—it’s like my life has silently blown up and I can’t scrape all the pieces off the ground.
Maybe Russ is right. I need to reset my priorities. Figure out my next steps in life because the path I’ve been on isn’t open anymore. Not with Taylor, and possibly not with Larson Landscaping. Hell, maybe not even with Bear Creek.
“Okay,” I say, defeated.
There’s no arguing with Russel Larson, anyway. The man is a force of nature no one can bend.
Except Taylor.
“For how long?” I ask, feeling small and stupid and humiliated.
“For however long it takes.” Russ gives me a small, pathetic smile and squeezes my shoulder one last time. “Go on now. Go home.”
“But what about—”
“I’ve got it handled.” Russ points to the door. “Now get.”
Chapter 5
Conner
I go home, shower, and fall face-first into my bed, hoping that when I wake up, this will all be a dream. Spoiler Alert: I feel even worse when I roll out of bed at ten o’clock at night.
My apartment is too quiet, and it makes my chest feel hollow.
