Chapter 2
Happy Hour
Fighting back aggravated tears, I slumped into my seat at Drum and Quill, where my group of girlfriends were already waiting for me.
“Caroline?” Annabelle asked, putting her hand on my arm right away. “What’s going on?”
Harper waved over to Waylon, pointing at me. Before I could even get the words out, my drink was being set down in front of me by Annabelle’s sweet fiancé.
“Thanks,” I muttered to Waylon as he smiled down at me.
“Looks like you could use one,” he remarked before rushing back to help his busy bartenders.
“Out with it,” Sawyer bayed at me.
I sucked in a sharp breath. “I hate my new boss.”
“Oh, that’s right. You met him today.” Harper leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.
All three of my best friends were staring at me, waiting for more of an explanation.
“He’s canceling career day.” I sighed before chugging down my entire cosmo in one hefty gulp.
Annie gasped. “But that’s your baby!”
“I know!” I bellowed, throwing my hands over my face. “I can’t even believe it. It’s all because of stupid budget cuts. We keep losing funding every damn year, and it is really starting to take its toll on the school. I don’t know what to do. It’s only two weeks away.”
Harper tapped her index finger on her lips. “What if the funds for it were donated?”
I shook my head. “I am not a charity case.”
“But the school is,” she continued. “I bet I could get the bigwigs at the firm to throw some money at it. Tons of parents itching for divorces, free advertising—sounds like a win-win in my book.”
“Is that really an option?” I asked as I gaped at my friend from across the table.
“I can’t promise anything, but if I pitch it just right, I might be able to make this work. I would obviously have to participate.”
“I’d love to participate too,” Annie added. “I could even bring a couple of horses to the school and really get the kids excited about it. No one realizes equestrian studies is a real career anyway, so it might be the perfect opportunity to help change that a little bit.”
“I can probably get Rhett in on it too. I mean his nephewisone of the students there. It wouldn’t be too hard to twist his arm.” Harper started typing notes into her phone as she shamelessly offered up her husband’s services without consulting him. “I really think we can get this to work out very well for everyone.”
Sawyer raised her hand quickly. “I want in. Let’s blow this career day out of the water. I’m going to be a parent soon, so might as well start getting used to being around kids now.”
I started giggling and crying all at once. “What would I do without the three of you?”
Harper shot me a tight-lipped smile. “Thankfully you don’t have to find out.”
Waylon came back over with a tray of drinks for us. “What’s got all of you so smiley?”
Annie gripped her fiancé’s tattooed forearm. “We’re doing career day.”
Waylon’s eyes grew wide as he pointed to himself and then back toward his fiancée.
“The girls are helping me save the event at my school,” I clarified. “The new principal is trying to shut it down.”
“And we’re not going to let him.” Annie gave him a toothy grin.
“Ah, that makes so much more sense.” Waylon breathed out while putting a water glass in front of Sawyer.