12

I was plain thrilled. My only job before going to jail had been at my dad’s minimarket. This was my first real job, and getting a promotion just out of my good work felt damn great.

Steph wasn’t so thrilled, though. When I asked why, she shrugged and tried a smile.

“Oh, never mind. I’m gonna have to reorganize my whole daily routine, ‘cause I had my days scheduled counting on you being out from eight to four.”

“What the fuck’re you talking about?”

She sat on my lap and put her arm around my shoulders. “I’m fine typing documents or researching while you’re around, or working out in the bedroom with your loud rock music. But if you’re working in the afternoon, you’re gonna work out in the morning, and I can’t have Bruce Springsteen thundering the place during my Zoom meetings. Not to mention having to wait until you leave to clean. Well, and dropping my jogging with the girls at the park in the afternoon.”

I held her eyes, waiting for her giggle before clarifying she was kidding. Inste