The Inn on Harmony Island (Sweet Tea and a Southern Gentleman #1)(5)

“Yes, ma’am,” I muttered, my southern drawl slipping again from my lips. My cheeks flushed as Patricia’s gaze flicked at me. I prayed she hadn’t heard and settled down on the chair across from her desk.

The sound of typing filled the air as Patricia finished her business. This wasn’t uncommon for her. She would always invite you into her office but then make you wait.

You were left wondering what the meeting was going to be about. And sweating buckets while the worst possibilities flooded your mind.

I sat there with my hands on my thighs, tapping my fingers. I glanced around with the strange hope that there might be something on the walls, her bookshelves, or her desk that could tell me why I was here.

Thankfully, the clicking of her keyboard stopped, and she turned to face me before my entire body went numb from anxiety.

“Shelby.”

“Y-yes?” I pinched my lips shut for a moment before I cleared my throat and repeated, “Yes.”

Patricia studied me. Her expression was unreadable. “How long have you been with me?”

I shrugged. “Two—er, three years.” Why was she asking this? I wasn’t due for a job evaluation anytime soon.

“Right.” Patricia tapped her fingers on her desk. “Unfortunately, I have to let you go.”

My entire body froze. “Um, what?”

She pinched her lips together and then relaxed them as she shrugged. “I just don’t think that this is working between us.”

I blinked as my brain tried to process what she was saying. “It’s not working?”

She nodded. “Yes. It’s time to call it quits.”

“Why?” tumbled out of my lips before I could stop it.

Patricia blinked as she pulled back a bit. As if my outburst startled her. “Let’s not make a scene.”

Anger. Frustration. Rage. Emotions were rising up inside of me, and I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted a hole in the ground to open up and swallow me. This wasn’t what I needed right now. Not after my phone call with Miles and my impending trip back down memory lane.

I needed this job. I needed to have something to come back to when I was in the hellhole that was my past.

Coming back to no job and unpaid bills was not going to ease anything I was going to face in the immediate future.

“It’s just time for you to move on. I hope you can respect my decision and leave with grace.” She reached out and grabbed her readers next to her computer and slipped them on. Then she turned back to the computer and began typing.

I sat there, trying to force myself to stand. Trying to force my muscles to move. I needed to thank her, walk out of the room, and pack up my desk with grace. But I was stuck in quicksand as the stress of what she said consumed me. The decision had already been made, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. It was the night I was rushed to the emergency room all over again.

The absence of a heartbeat as the nurse desperately tried to find it as she ran the wand across my stomach.

The pain.

The loneliness.

The sound of Patricia’s intercom ringing snapped me out of my thoughts as she leaned forward and said, “Michelle, call security. We may have an issue.”

I blinked a few times to pull myself from my stupor. Even though my ears were ringing, I forced myself to push my memories from my mind and focus. “No, it’s fine. I’m leaving,” I rasped as I stood and crossed the room.

Even though all of my southern upbringing told me to turn around and thank her, I ignored it. Instead, I pushed open the door and headed out into the lobby, where I felt Michelle’s stare on my back as I waited for the elevator.

I needed to get out of there. I needed to breathe.

When the doors slid open, I kept to the corner as I pressed the button and waited for the doors to close and silence to engulf me. I hunched forward, taking deep breaths as I tried to calm the pounding of my heart.

Once I was back on my level, I hurried over to my office and shut the door. I didn’t have much, so I just shoved my belongings into my purse. I logged out of my programs and then powered off my computer.

“You got fired?” Sara’s voice pierced through the silence.

I glanced up at her and then nodded and focused on clearing out my desk drawer.

“Why?”

I shrugged, hating that she was asking me these questions. My emotions were about to boil over, and the last thing I needed was for anyone at this company to see the pain I was in. “I don’t know.” I sighed as I paused and looked around. “And I don’t care. It’s about time I went out on my own, anyway. I’ve done enough to realize that I can do this for myself.”

I pursed my lips. “I mean, I probably won’t.” I shrugged. “But it’s nice to know that I have it to fall back on.” I pulled my purse strap up onto my shoulder and gave her a smile. “For now, I’m going to head to my hometown to finish up my grandmother’s estate, and then I’ll see where life takes me after that.”

Sara jutted out her bottom lip. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

I rounded my desk and stood a foot away from her. I gave her an encouraging smile even though I was dying inside. “I’ll be fine.” I patted her shoulder. “I’ll be great.” Then I lowered my gaze to catch hers. “Just make sure that you leave before she changes you. You deserve better.”