Juniper typed out in her notes, “I didn’t tell Kyst I passed up a promotion.”
She stared at the words and let her fingers trail through the long-haired tabby’s fur on her lap. Why? She frowned as she considered, she’d not even told him she’d been approached, offered the position and declined it. In her head, since she didn’t want it, it didn’t matter but why didn’t she talk to him about it?
Because he would have pushed you into it.
The thought slammed into her and her fingers stilled as the kitten in her lap purred loudly.
Kyst would note the pay increase and questioning her sanity.
The job was to become the supervisor of the admin support department for all of Perez Co. It would have been an extra twenty thousand a year, but it came with pressure, dealing with thirty staff members under her and having to directly interact with upper management. She liked the bubble of security she lived within the HR department. She liked being Maxine’s assistant and she liked the challenges it brought to the table without overwhelming her. She didn’t want to take the other job because she was content where she was and didn’t feel ready for anything more while the rest of her life was feeling messy.
This thought made her heart race. When did she start thinking of her life as messy? When Kyst first brought up beginning to build their family and they started going to appointment after appointment. Kyst was bringing home book after book he wanted them to read together. None of it was out of the ordinary for Kyst. He was a take charge man. Yet, as she sat there with the feeling, she realized how much it bugged her when he took charge of her.
Everything they did was run by him. Everywhere they went for vacations and holidays, always somewhere he decided because he knew her best and knew what she liked. He would choose restaurants because he knew she was going to love a specific dish they served. He’d peruse menus, resorts, grocery aisles even, all picking things out for her because he knew her best.
Yet, in all the years they were together, she never questioned it. He brought her coffee, tea, juices, all at times he thought she would want them, but he never actually asked her what she wanted. In all of it, she decided he was being considerate and sweet because he knew her so well but now her mind was drifting to their last anniversary.
He’d booked them at a very fancy restaurant because one of the law partners was going on about their pan seared scallops. He knew his Juni would love the seafood prepared the way the partner described it. He’d planned it all out for them. However, at the time, she mentioned a newer restaurant in their community she’d wanted to try, and he laughed and said there was no way she would like it there because they played the music way too loud and she wouldn’t be able to hear herself think. He’d made the executive decision on their date nht.
A few weeks later he’d brought her to the noisy restaurant and he’d been right. It was too loud, obnoxious and she couldn’t enjoy her meal because the bass was thumping in her chest. He’d not said I told you so, but she’d felt it for days after.
It was why she didn’t tell him about the job.
He would have pointed out all the ways she would succeed in the position, how much their lives with the extra income could improve and she would somehow find herself second guessing her decision to stay where she was. She would have been talked into taking the job. She probably would have done well at it, but it wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t tell him, because she didn’t want to do it and she knew he’d have convinced her to try.
She was staring at her phone, and it rang in her hand, and it made her jump. She laughed at herself and then laughed louder when she noted the name and immediately answered.
“Suki!”
“Hey babe. Where are you?”
“What do you mean where am I? Where are you?”
“I’m a block from your apartment.”
“Don’t go
“What?” there.”
“I left Kyst.”
“Girl, I’ve been gone three weeks. What the fuck?”
“He cheated on me.”
“He did not.”
“He did.”
“I’ll cut his balls off and feed them to my fish.”
“You don’t own fish.”
“I’m getting some just for this purpose.”
She giggled in spite of herself.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Suki seemed incredulous.
“Because you were supposed to be in the UK finding love. I didn’t want you to worry about me while finding your life partner.”
“Do you know what I found?” Suki laughed, “a grown man who can’t set boundaries with his ex. I booked a flight out last night and didn’t even tell him I was leaving. I landed early this morning, dropped my shit off and the first thing I thougt of was how much I need a Juni hug. Where can I get on
She named the cat café and grinned when Suki laughed. those?”
“I take it back. I won’t feed his balls to fish. I’m going to break into his apartment and leave animal dander between his pillowcase and pillow and inside all his throw pillows.”
“You are diabolical.”
“I am. I still want his balls. I’ll do both.” She hummed as she plugged in new coordinates for the cat café. “Good grief, you’re clear across town.”
“I’m where he can’t find me. He’s gone insane as has his mother.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll explain it all when you get here.” Juniper sighed loudly.
“See you in twenty.”
Juniper easily distracted herself while waiting for her friend to come and when she saw her face outside the window, waving ecstatically and calling her name, she could hear Kyst in her head.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.