Read Online Cardinal by Sara Mack - Free Book Online Page A

find one.”
    “I never said I wanted a –”
    “Is it true?” Latson cuts me off.
    “Is what true?”
    “Your boyfriend was married?”
    I let out an exasperated sigh. “Unfortunately,
yes. Can we not talk about it?  I’m trying to forget.” I narrow my eyes at my
brother. “Thanks for bringing it up.”
    “Sorry,” Pete mumbles, although he doesn’t sound
apologetic.
    Latson’s expression morphs into one of concern.
Whether it’s true empathy or a farce, I can’t tell.
    “You need a distraction,” he says.
    “Well, yeah,” I concede. “That’s why I left
home.”
    He takes a step, then another and another, until
he closes the distance between us. If he moves again, we’ll be breathing the
same air. He stares down at me, and I feel myself getting lost. Is this his
idea of a distraction?
    Because it’s working.
    “You’re not the kind of girl who is easily
swayed,” he says. “You’re going to do what you want to do.”
    I nod. He’s right.
    “You just admitted you need something to take
your mind off things,” he continues.
    “I did.”
    “You want a distraction.”
    “That’s what I said.”
    “Something to keep you busy.”
    “Yes.”
    “To forget about him.”
    “Right.”
    “So, you’ll work for me.”
    “Okay.”
    Wait . What did I just say?
    Latson’s face lights up. “Excellent.”
    My eyes grow wide. “Hang on. I –”
    “Dude. What the hell?” My brother steps between
us.
    “You heard the lady,” Latson says. “I’m trying
to help. She accepted my offer.”
    My brother faces me. “You honestly want to work
here?”
    Do I?  I mean, I just agreed out of the blue. My
eyes jump between Latson and Pete. My brother looks stressed while his boss
looks satisfied. It’s too early in the morning to deal with these two.
    “You know what?  I’m tired. I’m leaving.” I
start to walk away and Pete follows.
    “Jen.”
    I turn around at the sound of Latson’s voice.
    “I’d like an answer.”
    The confident way he looks at me tells me he
knows the answer. He’s certain I can’t refuse. The responsible part of my brain
I’ve been trying to repress while I “do me” is fighting to take over. The part
that says I’d be an idiot to turn down a good paying job. My reason for saying
no was because my time in the city is limited. If Latson knows that and doesn’t
care …
    I meet his eyes. “When do I start?”
     
    ~~~~
     
    For the last few minutes, I have been
mesmerized by jellyfish.
    I didn’t plan to spend my day this way, but I
can’t say that I regret it. Hundreds of delicate, deadly creatures float in
front of me, and I am in awe. They look fragile, but they’re not. They are
transparent, yet complex. They have survived for more than 500 million years
without brains or bones or blood.
    At least that’s what the sign at the Shedd
Aquarium says.
    When I woke up this morning, I decided to get
out and be a tourist. I had no idea where to go, other than away from Pete’s
apartment. Since I accepted Latson’s job offer my lazy days are numbered.  I
start work in forty-eight hours. I should have known my personality couldn’t
handle an undetermined amount of worry-free time.
    As I continue along the glass wall that separates
the sea life from myself, I’m thankful for the advertisement that brought me
here. I never considered visiting an aquarium before, until I saw the sign on
the side of a passing bus. The illusion that I am underwater with these
creatures is relaxing and just plain cool.
    “Um, excuse me?”
    A small voice and a tug on the back of my shirt
make me turn around. A little boy with a faux hawk and an Iron Man t-shirt stares
up at me.
    “I can’t find my uncle,” he says.
    I glance around the area. “Where did you see
him last?”
    He points over his shoulder. “Back there.”
    I scan the exhibit space, expecting to see a
frantic adult. Instead, I find relaxed people enjoying the display. His uncle
must have gone to find security. At