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“It's nice to see you too, Mr Townsend,” I ed to croak

He waved me toward his office “Come on in and let's chat”

I stood up and shook his hand, h all the normal pleasantries of small talk as alked into his office I sat down in a chair across fro up and showing a little ht to pull it doithout looking too obvious about it, but it was too late He was already looking down at h out loud and make me feel any more aard than I already felt

“Excusein my cheeks “New suit”

“It's all good, Violet,” he said “So, tell e?”

He ran a hand through his dark brown hair, and I watched his every movement ide eyes and an open ht off the pages of a fashion azine or a TV show like Mad Men; he was that beautiful to look at It was al

Da to be hard

“Well, to be honest, I' to find a job, as you know I've applied at a nu has panned out just yet,” I admitted “They all want experience I don't have yet, which is part of the proble out of school, I suppose”

“Yeah, yeah, I understand Believe ht now, especially in real estate development,” he said “A lot of companies downsized after the bust and ht now They don't want to take on too ain”

“Exactly,” I said “And as you know, things with my family have made it a bit harder I had to take some time off for my father”

Sebastian gri it up He and e, and he knew all too well the toll it took on our family when my father had died I didn't want him to hire me out of pity, but it was the truth

I hadn't been able to look for hile caring for sto find a job since I was the one trying to keep a roof over our heads – so

“I can't iine how hard thatdown at his hands “I was around your age when I lost my father, and the funeral was up to me too It's such a tremendous burden to put onto a child's shoulders – especially one who's just graduated college and is trying to get on their feet But you did a wonderful job of holding it all together I commend you for that, Violet I know that your father would have been proud of you”

Hearing such high praise fro so depressing It was nice to know that soether Because honestly, it didn't feel that way to ether by rubber bands and scotch tape – and that the slightest breeze would bring the whole house of cards crashing down on top of me

Before I could thank hiain, “And that is why I asked you in here today I could use soanizational skills around here,” he said “I've been c