Page 100 of Sand in My Boots

How did it come about? How did she know about it?

The longer I consider it, the more irritated I get.

How could she do this? And why did she keep it a secret this past month?

I’m off the floor before I’m aware of what I’m doing. With the paper gripped tightly in my fingers, I stomp down the hallway to her office. The door’s slightly ajar, and her voice drifts through it. The consequences of what I’m doing don’t register until I’m in the room. She’s on a call with a new client.

My pulse skyrocketing, I stay off to the side of her screen, though Juli turns around to look at me. Her sweet smile fades when she takes me in. “Two minutes,” she mouths.

Do I leave and give her the two minutes she asks for?

Nope.

She swivels back to the screen, taking note I’m still in the room. When she speaks again, her voice shakes, the confidence she had moments ago all but gone. I should let her finish on her own, but I’m too worked up. I need answers, and I need them now.

The person on the screen is saying something in response to Juli’s comment, but I have no clue what. I’m stuck on the whole donor information.

After an eternity—way longer than two minutes—Juli says, “Great. I’ll get the form emailed to you later today and we’ll go from there. I can’t wait to bring your ideas to life.”

There’s a pleasantry from the other side before Juli’s, “Goodbye.” She hasn’t completely ended the call, but I stalk over to her desk.

“What is this?”

She glowers at me, and she has every right to be upset. “Cameron, what the hell? I told you I needed time for this call. Why are you so worked up?”

I shove the paper in her face. Not that she can read it so up close, but I need her to explain. “What. Is. This?” The words fly from my mouth, all but spitting out.

She rips it from my hand, her eyes scanning over it. The moment it clicks, her face pales. “Where did you find this?”

“No. I asked you first.”

Her eyes narrow. “You went through my papers?”

“I would never betray your trust.”

“Then how did you find it?”

“Does it matter how? I did. And now I want to know why. Why you handed over millions of dollars for a person you barely knew. How did you get involved?” I’m not sure the words make sense as they barrel out of my mouth. Needing something to do, I pace around the office, waiting for an explanation, one she’s not giving me. “Tell me, Juliana.”

“Sit.” I answer with a shake of my head as I pass by her. “Please. Let me explain.”

“I need to keep moving. Explain.”

I can’t make sense of anything right now, but I also need to give her a chance to explain.

“About five years ago when my grandfather died, we inherited some money, a ‘nest egg’ Dad called it.” Her voice is smaller than I’ve ever heard it, her expression timid. “I didn’t have plans for it, so I tucked it away in an account, hoping to let it sit and grow there. For retirement.”

“You gambled your retirement money on me?” I can’t wrap my head around that. Why she put out so much money for me.

That’s the part I keep getting stuck on.

Because it’s a lot of money. It was a lot to be given, but now knowing it came from her, it feels like it’s more than the several million it was.

“It’s more of an investment and less of a gamble. I took a chance on something my brother was excited about, something I knew he wouldn’t let fail.”

Maybe I’m confused, but the way she’s talking sounds like she thought she was investing in Whispering Tide, not fronting my share. “But you knew it was my share? So I could be a part?”

“Of course. I wasn’t giving my brother my money for him to invest.” Her eyes roll but halt when she notices I’ve stopped pacing. “I wanted you to have this opportunity, to work with your friends, to have something you love.” A faint smile appears on her lips. “I’d do it again if given the chance.”