Page 5 of Whisper Sweet Nothings
I pushed myself out of the car, then reached in the back seat for an umbrella and opened it. I held it over my head as I made my way around to the front of my Mustang.
A large blue truck driving far too fast down this back road flew past me, and the tires crossed a puddle in the dip in the asphalt and doused me in brown, filthy water.
My mouth hung open with surprise as I gaped down at my cream suit that was now filthy.
A lump formed in my throat, and I blinked a couple of times.
I will not cry.
My father was a mechanic and I knew my way around a motor, so I popped the hood of my dated car. I inspected the engine, and nothing looked out of place. At the end of the day, this car was older than dirt, and it most likely just needed a jump.
I couldn’t do that on my own without another vehicle, and as I turned to look down the long road, I didn’t see anyone in sight.
Time for plan B.
I reached up and adjusted the bow I wore in my hair; a bow was my reminder to keep moving forward. However, the fact that I was covered in soot water made it highly unlikely that the bow would do much for me now.
Jaden would love to see this. My ex-husband was a spiteful man. He loved nothing more than to see me fail. I blew out a breath as my heels clanked against the unstable pavement beneath my feet.
And I walked.
The rain pounded against my umbrella as I glanced out at the mountains and trees and just kept on moving.
I’d be ridiculously late, but at least I’d show up.
Finally, I saw some buildings up ahead.
I’d just arrived in town last night, and I hadn’t been here since I was a kid, but I was fairly certain I was approaching downtown Rosewood River.
I checked the time on my phone just as my heel caught on a pothole, and I went tumbling to the ground, my umbrella flying from my hand, along with my purse.
This day just keeps getting better.
I rubbed my knee, groaning when I saw the big hole in my favorite dress pants, and I stood before retrieving my purse and my now-broken umbrella.
I sniffed multiple times, desperate to keep the tears away as I brushed my scraped hands together.
A few heads turned to look at me as I walked down the sidewalk. I tipped my chin up and ignored the fact that I clearly looked like a walking disaster. I was no longer sure why I was even pursuing this job, but at the end of the day, I wasn’t a quitter. And as a parent, wouldn’t you want to know that the person caring for your child wouldn’t throw in the towel every time they hit an obstacle?
Checking the numbers on the buildings, I finally spotted Chadwick Brokerage.
I blew out a breath, closed my umbrella (which was no longer offering any protection anyway), and pulled the door open.
The woman behind the desk looked up, and her eyes widened as she took me in.
“May I help you?” she asked.
I tucked my soaking-wet hair behind my ears and forced a smile. “Yes. I’m Winnie Smith. I have an appointment with Mr. Chadwick.”
“I believe the position is already filled.” She winced as if she felt bad telling me. But of course it was filled. He probably had several applicants and didn’t want to waste his time waiting on someone who was very late for her appointment.
I sighed. “I know I’m late. My car broke down. My phone had no service. I guess I’m not surprised that he’s already filled the position.”
I could feel my bottom lip start to tremble, and her gaze softened. “Give me a minute.”
She pushed up from her desk before disappearing in the direction where voices were coming from the hallway. Several people walked past me, holding coffee cups in their hands as they glanced my way. No one said anything, and I couldn’t even feel any embarrassment or shame. I just felt numb at this point.
After they’d passed, I took the opportunity to adjust the bow holding up the front part of my hair before grabbing some tissue from my purse and dabbing at my face.
