Mr. Big Shot: An Enemies To Lovers Romance (Kinda Cocky Book 1)

to take the long way around.”
“She’s already challenging her fifth-grade teacher,” Mom giggled.
“She’s smart as a whip, though. That teacher might be wrong on something,” I reminded them.
Dad interjected. “She got sent home the other day because she wouldn’t stop back-talking the teacher. That girl’s gonna put me in an early grave.”
Mom laughed. “We’re already going to be in early graves with her. We’ll be sixty by the time she graduates high school!”
My face fell. “That’s not funny. I don’t like that one bit.”
“She’s right, sweetheart. We shouldn’t make jokes like that with her on the phone,” Dad chuckled.
I froze. “You mean, you make jokes like that even when I’m not on the phone? Ah! The horror!”
The three of us laughed together, but part of me wished we were laughing together in person. I missed home. There was no denying it. But, I knew once I saw Kelly and Roxy again, it would feel like home. Those two had been my best friends growing up. And when they moved to Vegas for school after we all graduated, I was gutted. I always saw the three of us graduating from college together. Living in a place together. Our lives moving in tandem with one another’s.
I’d never been as ambitious as them, though.
And I didn’t have a home I wanted to run away from like they did.
I sighed. “All right. Well. I should go inside and get cleaned up for the day. Those resumes aren’t going to submit themselves.”
Mom clicked her tongue. “You really should have secured a job before--.”
Dad cleared his throat. “What your mother means is--.”
“I love you guys, too. But, I promise that you have no reason to be worried. I’ve got an entire year’s worth of cushion in my savings account. So, if Vegas doesn’t work out? I’ll be back when my lease runs out.”
“Good luck, honey.” Mom sniffled.
“Awww, Mom. Please don’t cry.”
“We love you, Princess. We know you can do this.”
I sighed. “I miss you guys.”
Mom’s voice grew shaky. “We miss you, too, pumpkin.”
I closed my eyes as we said goodbye. The tone of her voice broke my heart. But, I knew I was doing the right thing by this. The phone hung up, and I opened my eyes, taking in the sun as it shone brightly in the sky. I smiled at those red clay mountains; the ones that had greeted me every morning for the last two weeks. Then, I reached for my coffee and thought the mug felt a bit empty. So, I peered inside to see how much coffee I had left.
There was none. The horror of it all.
“Time to go inside, I guess.”
Part of me thought about taking a shower as I walked inside. Part of me even entertained getting dressed up simply to feel the part. But, the call of my couch was too strong. I quickly discarded my mug in the sink before making my way into the living room. The plush carpet beneath my feet squished between my toes. I smiled at the sensation as I conjured the sound of sloshing waves from memory. I flopped onto the couch and dug my toes deeper into the softness, and leaned my head back, taking in the phantom smell of the salted ocean waves.
I’ll be back soon, shoreline. Don’t you worry.
Then, I opened my eyes and reached for my laptop.
I scrolled through the filters online for ‘manufacturing,’ ‘secretary,’ and ‘receptionist.’ As much as I enjoyed my H.R. work, I wasn’t looking to get back into it. Every time I turned around, someone was coming to complain to me about something. And half the time, the complaints that were put in never got addressed. It infuriated me, really, all of that paperwork I had to fill out, only for it to get ignored and tossed out.
I wanted something more fulfilling than that.
Why not take away ‘manufacturing,’ too?
I navigated my mouse to the ‘filter’ tab. I double tapped the mouse pad and stared at the three filters working against me, finding me the least amount of jobs possible. I mean, did I have to stay in the manufacturing world? Surely, secretarial work wasn’t too much different across businesses. Answering phones, taking messages, answering basic questions. Generally screening people. I could do that kind of work. I’d already done that kind of work. Back in high school, and through college, it was to give myself some pocket change for coffees and late-night study dinners at the diner up the road.
Try something different, for once.
I hovered my mouse over the ‘manufacturing’ tab and clicked the X. Then, a screen popped up.
Are you sure you want to remove this filter?
Am I sure I want to step into another world?
Hesitantly, I clicked ‘yes.’
The second I did, my job listings went from two pages to ten. My eyes widened as the search parameters broadened for both part-time and full-time positions. My jaw unhinged as the pages kept loading. Fifteen. Twenty. Within a thirty-mile radius, there were over twenty pages worth of jobs for me to apply to. And as I scanned the rest of the filters, I became bold.
Brazen.
I took control of my life.
Full-time? Yes, please.
Work from home? Nah, I’m good.
Hourly or salary? Definitely salary.
And as I clicked buttons, the pages dwindled. From twenty to thirteen to nine, and finally? To three.
Three pages of job descriptions filled the goals I eventually wanted from my career.
Before I could start applying for the jobs, I felt something vibrating against my thigh.
“Mom, I promise you, I’m going to be okay,” I said as I picked up the phone.
Kelly laughed. “Mom? Who the hell do you think I am?”
I blinked. “Kelly! Hey!”
Roxy piped up. “Hey, girl! I take it you’ve already talked to the parents this morning?”
I clicked on the first job description. “Don’t you know it.”
Kelly started rattling off. “Please tell me you’re finally settled enough to come out with us. Please? Pretty please? With lots of cherries on top?”
Roxy snickered. “You know that girl doesn’t like cherries. When the