Second Chance Hero

by Shelley Calloway

  Carmen had thrown a huge party when Marisol graduated. Though it hadn’t been too long after Mark had passed on, Remy had made sure she’d attended. The college degree was the first in Carmen’s family, and the whole family had beamed with pride when showing off the graduation program, the diploma and the best news of all—the fact that Marisol had landed a job at Meriwether and Fink, one of the biggest accounting firms in the area.

  “She sat Miguel and me down last night and told us that she was unhappy. That she was thinking about quitting.”

  “Oh, my.”

  “Sí.” She nodded. “For a moment I thought Miguel was going to stand up and start screaming at our sweet daughter.”

  That was a shock. Carmen’s husband, Miguel, was as mild mannered as they came. “But he didn’t?”

  “No. But I did.” Covering her eyes, Carmen shook her head in dismay. “I couldn’t help myself, you know? I told her I didn’t understand her thinking. That she sounded spoiled.”

  “Uh-oh.”

  “You’re right. It didn’t go over too well. But Señora Greer, I know I’m right. I mean, why does she need to be happy at work? She has a good job.”

  Remy tried to tread carefully. In her world, she knew of many people who changed occupations every few years, who went back to school in their forties. Who needed to be happy and fulfilled in whatever job they held. However, she knew Carmen didn’t necessarily understand such a way of thinking. She and Miguel had had plenty of jobs they didn’t enjoy to provide for their children—to give them a better life.

  “How did things end?”

  “I told her I would think about what she told us.” Wringing her hands, Carmen added, “I think there’s more to this. I think she’s dating a boy who’s not Catholic. Who might not even be Latino.”

  “Have you met him?”

  “I have not.” Despair filled her voice.

  “Maybe you should? I don’t have kids, but I remember thinking my parents never understood where I was coming from. But when they tried to understand, I tried to listen to them, too.”

  “I want her dating someone from our community. From our church. There’s plenty of nice men for her to pick from. She’s just being stubborn.”

  Remy sipped her tea. Carmen had been a wonderful friend to her for years. She’d listened to Remy cry and worry like no one else. So she’d sit with her friend for as long as she wanted and listen. And she’d try her best to understand Carmen’s point of view.

  But she didn’t know how she could help.

  “Señora Greer, I was thinking maybe you could talk to her,” Carmen blurted.

  Caught off guard, Remy hastily put her iced tea back on the side table. “Me? I don’t know what I’d tell her.”

  “I do. You could tell her how nice it is to be in a good job. How nice it is to have people working for you. That she needs to stay where she is. She’ll listen to you. She respects you, Señora Greer.”

  “Carmen, I’d do anything for you, but I don’t know if Marisol would care about what I’d have to say.”

  “She would. She admires you. You’re a business-woman.”

  “I bet she admires you even more, Carmen,” Remy said slowly. “Just like I admire you. You’re a wonderful mother. You’ve done so much for her.”

  Carmen waved off her words with a hand. “My advice isn’t what she needs. Please, would you talk to her?”

  “Well, of course I will. If that’s what you want.”

  Pure relief shone in her eyes. “Gracias. I’ll tell her to stop by sometime this week after work. Then you could talk about the business world.”

  Carmen’s words triggered an idea. “What would you think if I asked Tyler to speak with her? He’s switched jobs, and knows a lot more than I do about making career changes. All I’ve done is go up the ladder at Carnegie.”

  For a moment her housekeeper beamed. “Ah, your Tyler is back?”

  “Actually…yes.”

  “Having him speak to Marisol would be fine with me. Anything to get my daughter back on track.” Carmen stood up. “Bien. I’ll go call her and tell her to stop by.”

  “I can’t wait,” Remy replied, though she doubted Carmen heard her. The other lady was already making her way back to the house.

  As she lay back down and closed her eyes, Remy fought a smile. Well, that’s what happened when you didn’t want to think about something—a whole batch of new problems appeared.

  She just hoped Tyler wouldn’t balk at offering career advice to a twenty-four-year-old.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “So you wouldn’t mind speaking to Carmen’s daughter?” Remy asked as soon as Tyler walked in her front door. “I know it’s not really your thing, but maybe you could help.”

  “I don’t know much about employment advice, but I’m happy to help,” he said as he leaned close and kissed her hello. “I told you I would, remember?”

  “I remember.” Smiling up at him, Remy couldn’t believe how content she felt. How happy and right. She was so glad they’d gotten over their problems and could now just enjoy each other’s company.

  After some thought, Remy had decided that their meeting with Marisol should take place on their back patio. It was shady and cool, and not too formal. More than anything, she wanted Carmen’s daughter to feel at ease. While leading Tyler to the patio, she said, “Actually, Tyler, I think you know more than you might realize. And you’ve got a good idea about the whole business community. I just worked my way up through the ranks of Carnegie.”

  “And what does she want?”

  “I’m not sure, but I think she’s wondering what else she can do with her accounting degree. Carmen said she’s taken a job at a big firm and she’s not happy.”

  “Those big firms can be tough. There’s a lot of office politics involved that a young lady might not be too comfortable with. I happen to know quite a few business owners out here from my previous life in sales. I’d be happy to visit with her, and if I think she might be a good match, I’ll try to help her get some interviews.”

  Remy was impressed with how much thought he was putting into the upcoming conversation, as well as his true willingness to help a total stranger. Tyler really was a great guy. “This is working out far better than I’d even imagined,” she said happily.

  Smiling at her enthusiasm, Tyler said, “To be honest with you, I’m kind of looking forward to the opportunity. I’m not used to only sitting around and working on my tan.”

  This was why she liked him so much. Tyler was so unassuming. Modest. And helpful. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she said, “Thank you again.”

  “Oh, no. If you’re going to thank me, you need to do it properly.” And with that, Tyler pulled her into his arms and kissed her as if there was nothing else in the world at all.

  Which, at the moment, Remy was pretty sure was a fact. All too soon the front doorbell rang and she scurried to answer it—sincerely hoping she didn’t look as flushed and flustered as she felt.

  TYLER LIKED Marisol Rodriguez the instant they met. He liked her curly black hair and ready smile. He thought her slender build looked elegant and classy in her casual shirtwaist dress and sandals. But what really impressed him was the determination he saw in her eyes. This was a woman who knew what she wanted…and was willing to make sacrifices in order to achieve those goals.

  After Remy served them both iced tea, cheese and crackers, she left them, frankly telling Marisol that she thought Tyler would be a better person to offer advice than she was.

  When they were alone, Tyler decided to be direct, too. “First, I want you to know I’m only speaking to you because your mother asked me to. I would ordinarily never dare to get into your business.”

  “I understand,” the girl replied, but everything in her body language told Tyler a different story. She had stopped by because she was a good daughter, but she didn’t appreciate her mother’s heavy-handed interference—or anyone else’s. “However, I should let you know that my mind i
s made up. No matter what you say about it, I’m still going to quit soon.”

  “I figured that.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. You’re exactly right—it’s none of my business whether you work for an accounting firm or not. But since I used to sell software to a large number of businesses in the area, I thought I might be able to help you decide where you want to apply. Now, what, exactly, do you want to do instead of accounting?”

  Marisol shrugged. “Something to do with people. You can’t imagine how boring it is to deal with numbers all day. I want to talk to customers, deal with their problems. Make a difference.”

  Tyler didn’t even attempt to hide his smile.

  Marisol glared at his grin. “It’s not funny.”

  “I know it’s not. It’s just that I can completely sympathize with your feelings. Dealing with customers is not as easy as one might think, though.”

  “But still.” She shrugged. “My madre doesn’t understand. She thinks I should only work at one place until I retire.”

  “Are you sure that’s all she wants from you?”

  She had the grace to look embarrassed. “No.”

  “But…”

  Marisol rolled her eyes. “But she’s driving me crazy. My mother is beside herself with worry about my future.”

  “Why don’t you tell me about what you studied in college, and what kind of job you hope to have.”

  The pretty brunette didn’t need any further coaching. In no time, Marisol launched into a brief history of her efforts in college, the various internships she’d completed and her grade point average. “It’s not that I’m not happy to have a good job,” Marisol added. “It’s just that I’m not happy there.”

  “Ah.”

  That one word led Marisol to start speaking again. In no time, Tyler heard about her drive to please her father and her dissatisfaction at work. Through it all, Marisol described how disappointed she was with being so professionally unfulfilled.

  Her words sparked some ideas. Pulling over the little pad of paper she had out, Tyler helped himself to her pencil and started jotting down notes. “Let’s broaden your focus,” he said. “What do you see yourself doing in five years?”

  FROM THE KITCHEN, Remy listened attentively. She was so glad she’d asked Tyler to speak with Marisol, and was really impressed with the way he conducted their conversation. He asked pointed questions, provided positive feedback and encouraged Marisol to expand on her ideas.

  He was a pro at career management.

  She’d seen his résumé. She’d called his references, and understood that he’d been extremely successful in the software industry. But now she realized that he had potential to inspire that productivity in other people, as well.

  It made her feel even prouder and more special to be his girlfriend.

  His girlfriend. She shook her head at the label. It worked. Who would have thought?

  After a few more minutes, when it sounded as if they were simply chatting, Remy joined them again.

  “So, have you two come up with any ideas?”

  Already Marisol looked more relaxed. “I didn’t realize it, but there are other ways I can use my degree than just by working in an accounting firm. I could work for the city, or with a small business just starting out.”

  Tyler nodded. “Marisol seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Marisol, if you’d like, I could look around a bit and help you apply to some places. We’ll work on your résumé, too.”

  “But what about my job now?”

  “You keep it. Anyone who’s been around the block will tell you that even a bad job is worse than no job. And you don’t have a bad one.”

  “It’s just boring.”

  “I bet the paycheck isn’t. I have to agree with your mom and dad on this one. Don’t overlook the benefits of being able to afford your lifestyle. In this day and age, too many people would love to have your problems.”

  “All right,” Marisol said meekly.

  “Here’s my card. That’s my cell phone. Call me when you’re ready to work on that résumé.”

  “I can’t thank you enough. I think my parents will listen and approve of this plan.”

  “And you do, too?” Remy asked. She sure didn’t want them talking Marisol into anything she didn’t want to do.

  “Definitely. We were about to have world war three at my house.”

  Remy stood up. “Now, your mom wanted me to mention this boy you’re dating.…”

  Instantly Marisol’s guard went up. “Yes?”

  Remy winked. “I’ve done that, right? I’ve mentioned him?”

  Pure relief filled the young woman’s features as she realized Remy wasn’t even going to attempt to pry into her love life. “Oh, yes, Ms. Greer. You’ve mentioned him, and that’s enough for me.”

  “For me, too,” Remy said as she ushered Marisol out. “I’m glad you stopped by.”

  Whispering close, Marisol said, “Ms. Greer, is Tyler really your boyfriend?”

  It was time to come out of the closet. “Yes.” She held her breath as Marisol glanced at him again. Told herself that it didn’t matter what the twenty-four-year-old thought.

  “He’s great,” Marisol said finally. “You two look great together, too.”

  “Thanks.”

  When she came back in, Tyler wasn’t waiting for her in the living room. She spied him just beyond, outside on the porch in back of the kitchen.

  “Do you ever use your pool?” he asked as she joined him.

  “I do. I swim laps a few times a week.”

  “I didn’t know that. I wonder why I didn’t?” he mused.

  Resting her arms on the iron bar of the balcony, she said, “Probably the same reason I didn’t know you were so savvy about employment advice.”

  Delight lit his eyes. “Marisol liked what I said?”

  “She did. I did, too.” She paused. “I’m so glad you stopped by. Carmen asked me to talk to her, but all I could think of was to tell her to keep her job.”

  “Glad I could help.”

  “You ought to do something with that skill.”

  “What skill?”

  “Career planning.”

  “Remy, are we going to talk about work right now? Because I sure don’t want to.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Something better.” Eyes glinting, he leaned forward. “I don’t know…maybe something that involves that pool.”

  “You want to go swimming?”

  He shrugged. “Sure. Or at least go sit by there.” Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and tugged her close. “I came over to see you, you know.”

  “Because?”

  “Because I was missing you?” He brushed his lips over her brow. “And wanted to kiss you.” He kissed her again, taking his time. She responded by pressing a little closer and meeting him halfway.

  He tasted like iced tea and Tyler. Intoxicating. Their kisses slowed, became more thoughtful, thorough. Slowly she felt his hands run along her back, her hips. Down her thighs.

  Remy shifted and ran her fingers through his hair. He sighed and plundered some more. Amazing how something so tame could last so long and could be so mesmerizing.

  When Remy came up for air, she searched his face. “So, is that all you wanted to do?”

  “No. But it will do for now. That and going for a swim.”

  “I was kind of thinking the same thing. Imagine that.”

  Warm heat lit his eyes. “Go put on a suit, Remy. We’ve got the whole evening.”

  As she turned and walked to her bedroom, Remy knew she couldn’t be happier. After all this time, after all the doubts, she was finally happy again.

  She hoped it would never end.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Tyler met her for a late breakfast at a popular beachside café the next morning. After filling him in on Carmen’s sweet phone call filled with thanks, Remy said, “Thanks again for coming over last night. It was so though
tful.”

  “Like I said, I was glad to help.” Tyler was also glad Remy had called to ask for help with Marisol. He was happy he could offer some advice that she’d accepted. But that wasn’t why he’d come over the moment Remy had called.

  Fact was, he was willing to do whatever it took to be near Remy. To help her. To make her smile and look at him in that loving way that made his heart slam into his chest.

  He would have come over to help change light bulbs, if that was what she’d needed.

  As she sat across from him, the hem of her sundress fluttering lightly in the wind, Tyler scooted close enough in his chair to touch his knees to hers. “So, what’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Really?”

  Looking at him curiously, she said, “Why are you acting like that’s a surprise?”

  “Because I’ve rarely seen you without plans.”

  A slow smile lit her face. “Then look again, because I called off of work. I’ve got the whole afternoon and evening open.” She paused. “What about you?”

  “I was thinking about going to play some golf down at Emerald Isle. Do you play?”

  “Not really. But I drive a mean golf cart. Care for a lady chauffeur today?”

  “I can’t think of a better offer I’ve ever had.”

  TYLER HADN’T LAUGHED so much in ages. Remy was as capable at driving a golf cart as she was at doing just about anything else. But what struck him as funny was her lack of concern for the game.

  Oh, she sat patiently when he teed off. She walked by his side along the greens. But, her mind definitely wasn’t on the game.

  No, she looked in creek beds for fish and turtles. She pointed out squirrels and birds. She teased him about how he couldn’t putt to save his soul—and for once, he took the criticism with a grin instead of using it as an excuse to be more competitive.

  In between his tee shots and waiting for the foursome in front of them to find their golf balls, they talked. He learned about her childhood, growing up in a Midwestern town and playing “ghosts in the graveyard” and “capture the flag” with the other neighborhood kids.