Spring It On Me

by Weston Parker

  He nodded. “I can do that.”

  “Thanks. I’ll let you know tomorrow when you come in. You are coming in, right?”

  He smiled. “I will be in.”

  I didn’t smile. I had nothing to smile about. “Great. I’ll make some calls. I need to get back.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I walked back toward the building our offices were in. I needed to put some distance between me and him. I was bummed I was losing him as a partner and a friend. I didn’t want him to see how upset I truly was. I had a feeling he would see right through my façade. He and I had worked well together, I thought. We didn’t spend a lot of time together, but we complemented each other in the business. We both had a good sense of the business and knew what our clientele wanted.

  I blew out a sigh and headed into my office. I barely noticed the empty desk sitting outside my office. That was a problem to deal with later. Right now, I needed to figure out how to dissolve my partnership with Kyle. I wasn’t looking forward to it.

  Kyle was an important part of my life. I doubted he knew how important he was. I wasn’t going to bro-hug him or tell him I thought a lot of him and respected him. The guy wanted to move on. That was that.

  Chapter 4

  Willow

  I went back to the front counter area, leaving the ridiculous dollar on the table. The guy was a pompous ass. He wasn’t going to insult me with his tip. I had taken a shot, knowing it wasn’t likely to win me a job, but I had to try anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

  I got the application from the manager, took a seat at the table, and quickly filled it out. I turned it in and headed out. I stood on the sidewalk, debating where to go next. It would be great if I could get a job right away, but I had played the game before. It could take weeks.

  I pushed down my worry about paying the rent. I had a tiny bit of savings that I could fall back on. I just hated the feeling of being one paycheck away from being homeless.

  “Excuse me,” a male voice said.

  I turned to my left and saw one of the men from the table approaching. I inwardly groaned. Just what I needed. Another lecture. “Did you want to give me another dollar?” I asked.

  He chuckled. “No. I take it you don’t actually work in there?”

  I smiled. “No, I don’t. But I’m sure your server will appreciate the generous tip your friend left.”

  “I’ll take care of that,” he said. “I wanted to talk to you.”

  “About? Are you looking for more diet tips?”

  He grinned. “No. I wanted to give you this.”

  He handed me a business card. I took it and read the name. “Kyle Dobbins. Why are you giving me your business card?”

  “Because you are absolutely the assistant my business partner, Ashton Wolfe, needs.”

  I smirked. “Sure, I am.”

  “I’m serious. Be at the address on the card at nine tomorrow. Please, don’t be late.”

  I stared at the card and then back at him. “You’re serious?”

  “Very serious. Will you be there?”

  I sighed. “It isn’t like I’m booked up.”

  “I’ll make sure you’re hired. If you show up on time.”

  “That’s a bold promise.”

  “A promise I can keep,” he said with a smile.

  “Thanks,” I said, smiling back at him.

  He left me standing on the sidewalk. I got the feeling he was serious. It was crazy to think I had actually landed a job with nothing more than a rude interruption. I had obviously been doing it wrong the last ten years.

  I debated continuing my job search. I wasn’t sure if I believed the man. I checked the time and figured I may as well get some groceries before I had to pick up Jake. It was a lot faster to shop when I didn’t have a little boy asking me for everything he couldn’t have.

  I finished the minimal grocery shopping I could do, dropped them off at our place, and still had time to kill. I drove to my best friend Lilly Benson’s house. She was filthy rich and never had to worry about buying the yellow-stickered meat at the grocery store.

  “Hey, I wasn’t expecting you,” she said.

  “Surprise, I’m jobless,” I said, throwing my arms up.

  She groaned. “Oh no. Did you hit him?”

  “Hit who?”

  “The boss. The guy was always giving you a hard time.”

  I grinned. “No, I didn’t hit him. I had to leave work because Jake got in trouble again.”

  She sighed, shaking her head. “Come in the kitchen. I was just trying a new cookie recipe. Tell me what happened.”

  I snatched one of the cookies from the tray and took a bite. “Some little punks were making fun of him because his pants are too short.”

  “What little assholes. Did he kick their asses?”

  “No!” I shouted. “He can’t do that. He keeps getting in trouble. The counselor suggested he go to a different school. Basically, he’s the poor kid and the other kids are going to keep making fun of him. She wants to send him to the ghetto.”

  “I know a board member at a very good private school in town. I know I can ask him to do me a favor and take Jake in.”

  I smiled. “Thank you, but I could never afford the tuition.”

  “He’ll get a scholarship. Those guys are always asking for donations and holding benefits for the scholarship fund. It will give Jake a change of scene and he’ll get a great education.”

  “But he’ll still be the poor kid,” I told her.

  “I don’t think so. The school takes in a lot of kids that aren’t necessarily wealthy. They are more focused on academics. If Jake gets the chance, I know he’ll do well. He’s a smart kid.”

  I knew he was smart. He didn’t do great in school, but I was sure it was because he was too busy fending off the insults. “I’ll think about it. I don’t want to impose.”

  “You’re not imposing. God knows I have given enough money to that school over the years. They owe me a favor.”

  “Thank you.”

  “So, what are you going to do about a job?”

  I smiled, taking another bite of the cookie. “Actually, I think I already have a job.”

  “Wow, that was fast.”

  “I know!” I exclaimed, pulling out the card. “There were a couple of guys sitting at a table at one of the cafes I went in to apply for a job. I couldn’t help but overhear them talking about one of them needing an assistant. I butted my big nose in and asked for the job.”

  Her eyes widened. “You didn’t!”

  “I did. I need a job and getting out of waiting tables for the rest of my life sounded very appealing.”

  “And they gave you the job?”

  I winced. “Not exactly. The one guy was a total jerk. He shut me down. The ass actually gave me a dollar.”

  She burst into laughter. “Oh my god. I’m confused though. He hired you anyway?”

  “No, his friend came back and told me to show up for an interview tomorrow and I had the job.”

  She looked confused. Her pouty lips quirked at the corners. “That’s weird.”

  “Hey, I can deal with weird if it means I have a job. If I don’t have to bust my ass serving cheeseburgers and getting greasy from head to toe, I’ll be thrilled. I can be an assistant.”

  “Who is this guy?”

  I handed her the card. Her blue eyes widened. “This is who you are going to work for?”

  I nodded. “I hope so.”

  “I know this company. They dress half of my dad’s friends. It’s a new company but it is very popular. They are expected to grow bigger in the coming years. I think it’s a local place now, but from what I’ve heard, the east coast people are anxious to get the suits over there.”

  I took the card back. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “I hope it pays well.”

  “It has to pay more than waitressing,” she said.

  I nodded. “It better. I should prob
ably get going. I’m picking Jake up. I don’t want him to be at that place any longer than necessary.”

  “Think about that school. If you’d like, I can get you guys in for a visit. You can see the school and talk to some of the other kids. They wear uniforms, which means you won’t have to worry about pants being too short. It’s structured and will do him a lot of good.”

  I nodded. “It sounds like a dream. I’ll talk to him. I don’t know if I’ll talk to him today though. I want to see how he is feeling.”

  “Tell him I said hi.”

  “I will. The cookies are great by the way.”

  “Thanks.”

  I drove to the school, thankful the hustle and bustle of pickup was over. There were only a handful of kids left. Jake saw me and came to the car. He hopped in the backseat, a sullen expression on his face.

  “Hey, bud, did you get to talk to Mrs. Shields today?”

  “Yes.”

  “How was your day?” I asked him, trying to sound upbeat.

  “Fine,” he muttered.

  “It’s early. I was thinking we could go to the park for a while. It’s a nice day out.”

  “How come you aren’t at work?”

  “I don’t work at the restaurant anymore.”

  He didn’t seem to have an opinion on the matter. “Okay.”

  It wasn’t exactly an enthusiastic approval, but I was hoping some fresh air and playing would help put him in a good mood. I drove to our favorite park. We loved the park. I loved anything that we could do together and have fun without paying a fortune. One day, I dreamed of taking him to Disneyland. I always saved my loose change and called it my Disneyland fund. Inevitably, something would come up and I would have to rob the Disneyland fund.

  “I’ll race you to the slide,” I told him.

  He giggled and took off running. I loved hearing him laugh. We played on the slide before we both hopped on the swings and competed to see who could get higher.

  He kept me young. He brought me great joy and happiness. When times were rough and I was convinced I couldn’t go on, I looked at him. He gave me the strength to fight another day.

  After we had played a while, we took a seat under a tall maple tree.

  “Did Mrs. Shields call you?” he asked.

  I nodded. “She did.”

  He looked crushed. His little chin dropped to his chest. His full head of black hair that was so much like mine fell forward. I reached out and ran my hand through it. I loved his silky hair. When he was a little guy, I would rock him to sleep and hold him for far longer than I should have. I rocked him and ran my hand through his hair.

  His whiskey-colored eyes were all his father. It was about the only trait he had inherited from the man. Thankfully.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  “Baby, no. You don’t have to be sorry.”

  “I keep getting in trouble,” he said, disgust in his voice.

  “Buddy, it wasn’t really trouble. Mrs. Shields wanted to talk to you to see if there was anything bothering you. Sometimes, it helps to talk to someone that isn’t your mom.”

  “Did she tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “Why I got in trouble?”

  I debated how to answer. I didn’t want to embarrass him any further. “She only said you and another boy were angry with each other.”

  He nodded. “I was very mad.”

  “I bet you were. But it’s over. Tomorrow is a new day. I hope it goes better for you.”

  “Me too.”

  We enjoyed the warm spring day for a while longer before it was time to go home. “Jake, I’m your mom and that means I love you no matter what happens. You can do anything, and it would not make me love you any less.”

  I popped my eyes into the rearview mirror. He didn’t look convinced. He still looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. I hated that he was having a rough go. I would love to go to that school and shake the little brats who were going out of their way to make his life hell. After he went to bed, I was going to dig through the laundry and get rid of any of the clothes that he had outgrown.

  I would not let him be embarrassed because of my inability to pay attention to his attire. I hoped like hell the new job offer was a real thing. I needed to take care of my son, and that included making sure he was dressed well enough to avoid being made fun of.

  “You’re not mad?” he asked again.

  I smiled. “I’m not mad. We’re going to figure something out. For now, you just keep being awesome.”

  Chapter 5

  Ashton

  I stopped by one of my favorite coffee shops on my way into the office. I was a creature of habit. I may not have a lot of friends—okay any friends—but I did have a routine, and that included my coffee shop visit. The two young ladies that worked the counter knew my order and efficiently filled it without a lot of chit chat. I liked that. I liked people who knew their jobs, appeared to like their jobs, and handled business.

  That was what I needed in a secretary. I didn’t need someone that wanted me to shower them with praise and smile at them all the time. I just wanted someone to do their job and do it right. I didn’t think that was a lot to ask. I was going to be far more discerning when I started interviewing for the position. I wasn’t going to hire the first person that came in.

  I strolled down the sidewalk, appreciating the slight breeze that carried a variety of scents on it. The infamous sourdough bakery wasn’t far, and it smelled amazing. I could also smell the various coffees coming from the little shops.

  I loved mornings in the city that were filled with hustle and bustle and people going about their lives. I liked being a part of the class of people that had a busy life with things to do and people to see. It made me feel like I belonged, like I was a part of the big machine. For too long, I had been alone.

  My phone vibrated in the breast pocket of my tailored suit. All my suits were tailored, but the one I wore today was one of my favorites. It was trendy without being too trendy. It had elements of an Italian suit combined with tapered legs and a low waistline.

  “Hello?” I answered.

  “Hey, are you on your way in?” Kyle asked.

  I was hoping he was calling to tell me he had changed his mind about leaving me. “I am. Would you like me to grab you a coffee?” That’s what friends do, right? Could I bribe him to stay with coffee? I wanted to be better. I wanted to be a better friend and coworker and figured I would start with coffee.

  “No thanks. I already grabbed some. If you have some time, I would suggest you stop by the shop on Union.”

  I stopped walking and frowned. “Why?”

  “You’ll want to check on some merchandise staging,” he said.

  He was hedging. Something was up but he didn’t want to come right out and say it. Kyle was the guy that had his ear to the ground. People told him things they would never tell me. “All right, I’ll head over there now. Thanks.”

  “See you in a bit,” he said and ended the call.

  I rarely checked the merchandise at a store. I rarely visited any of my shops in general. Kyle obviously wanted me to see something. I hoped it was something good. I stepped to the curb and hailed a cab. When I arrived at the store, which I insisted was opened at eight because no one had time to wait around until ten to get on with their day, things looked normal.

  I opened the door and walked in. There was a single customer browsing the racks. He looked lost. Because we specialized in tailored suits, we only kept a few general sizes on hand just to give a consumer a general idea. I scanned the store, looking for the employee that should be on hand. I liked two on hand at all times in order to best serve my customers.

  I saw the man I recognized as the manager of the store. He was sitting behind the counter, his face glued to his phone and completely ignoring the customer. I could see a sale and a forever client walking right out the door, so I sprang into action.

  “Ah, one
of my favorites,” I said to the middle-aged man staring at one of our best-selling suits.

  The man looked at me. “Is it? I’m not sure about the legs.”

  “All the suits are tailored to your body and what you are comfortable in. None of us is built exactly the same.”

  He smiled. “No, I don’t suppose we are. Are you wearing one of the suits from here?”

  I grinned. “I am.” I walked to the rack where my suit came from. “This is what I’m wearing, or a version of it.”

  He slowly nodded. “I like the cut. I’m a little old to be wearing those skinny pants I see some of the other guys at my firm wearing, but I’m recently divorced, and I feel like it’s time to switch things up.”

  “Then you are in the right place. I think the dark gray would look good on you. It isn’t the boring black, but it isn’t too flashy. You could pair it with almost any shirt color to keep it looking fresh and different.”

  He nodded, looking at the gray version of the suit. “Do you own it in gray?”

  I smiled. “My name is Ashton Wolfe. I’m the owner and founder. I own all the suits in all the colors.”

  He chuckled. “Ah, that explains why you’re so well dressed.”

  “Thank you. The gray might be a little too edgy for your first one. We could go with a classic black or a navy blue. Black never goes out of style.”

  He looked at my own black suit and laughed. “Apparently not.”

  “I’d love to see you get a suit you feel good in. I’d like to offer you twenty percent off any suit you choose.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Because you’re a walking advertisement. Like you said, the younger guys, much younger than even myself, are wearing my tailored suits. I want to see the more mature gentlemen enjoy the look and comfort as well. Are you a lawyer?” He had mentioned firm. Looking at him, he had the look of a lawyer. Lawyers were some of my target audience.

  He nodded. “I am.”

  “Even better. You’ll walk into your firm looking good and feeling good, and when they ask you where you got the suit from, you mention my shop. Don’t mention the discount though.”