Page 1 of Mine to Love
CHAPTER ONE
I tuck a loose strand of auburn hair behind my ear and squint in frustration at the computer screen in front of me. The numbers aren’t adding up. Or rather, they add up, and they don’t look good.
A light knock sounds on my open office door. “Got a minute, Reese?” Warren Noyes, my boss and mentor for the past eight years, pops his head in. He hired me as a bank teller when I was nineteen and supported me along the way as I learned the ropes, making my way up to lead teller, loan officer, and eventually assistant branch manager.
The latest promotion came as a welcome surprise three months ago right before Christmas.
“I could use a break.” I sit back in my office chair and watch as Warren takes a seat in the chair across from my desk. The deep furrow between his brows causes my stomach to churn. “This doesn’t look good.”
“I’m hoping it is, but I want to prepare you in case it isn’t.”
“Um. Okay.” I rest my elbows on my desk and lean forward as unsettledness churns in my gut. “You know me, Warren. Tell me straight up. No beating around the bush.”
He scratches the bald spot on the back of his head and loosens his tie. “Coastal Credit Union is getting bought out.”
“What does that mean?” I know, but I want to hear it from him.
“Honestly? I don’t know. We’re a small credit union with only four offices. Coastal Maine attracts a lot of tourists, but we’re not known for big businesses that can keep our credit union in the black.”
“Don’t tell me one of the national banks bought us? One of our biggest appeals to our customers is our community feel. We know almost all our customers by name. Same goes for the businesses who work with us.”
Tension knots between my shoulder blades as I work hard to keep my posture erect and professional, when really, I want to slump over in a heap and lick a serving size spoon of Jif peanut butter. Heck, I’ll even settle for Skippy.
“That’s what I told the higher ups. Frank Bates hasn’t been quiet about wanting to retire.”
“He’s seventy-three. As the president and original founder of Coastal Credit, I don’t blame him one bit for retiring. But why sell us out?”
“Not sure.”
“Did you ask for a promotion? You’d be great as CC’s president.”
“Thank you, Reese. That means a lot. I had considered it, but as soon as Jacob graduates from high school, Ellen and I are moving south to be with the grandkids.”
Jacob, the youngest of the three, had already gotten into the University of North Carolina. Warren's two daughters are married and settled in the south as well. I knew all along it was only a matter of time before he left too.
I had hoped to have more training first so I’d be a viable candidate as branch manager. Had I finished my education at Boston College and earned a degree, I’d be much further up the ladder after nine years here. Life threw my family too many curve balls, and I’m just now catching up to where I’d hoped to be years ago.
Warren stands. “I’ve been told the new guy has a lot of changes planned for us. Just wanted to give you a heads up.”
“New guy or new company?”
“One in the same, from what I’ve heard. Which isn’t much. I’ll let you get back to work.”
As soon as he leaves, I let my body fold forward. One good thing about keeping up with yoga is that my body can pretty much curl into itself, which comes in handy on lonely nights when I have no one to hug but myself and my body pillow.
“Quit your wallowing, Elliot,” I scold myself and pick my numb body up off the chair and square my shoulders. I always stay the consummate professional at work. Thank god for Emerson, my best bud for the past eight years, who I can be my true self with.
I pick up my phone and rattle off a quick text.
Reese: You and loverboy busy tonight?
I’m not jealous of Emerson and Holden’s relationship. They are adorably perfect together. They complete each other in that cheesy Jerry Maguire way, and I couldn’t be happier for them. As maid of honor in their upcoming wedding, I want nothing more than to spoil my BFF and treat her like a princess.
Granted, Holden’s mega rich family has already taken care of that. Funny thing is that Emerson and Holden are the simplest of people. Kind of Henry David Thoreau-esque thriving on the basics and so caught up in their love for each other.
It’s cute. It’s disgusting. It’s perfect.
My phone dings.