Read Online Welcome to Envy Park by Mina V. Esguerra - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mina V. Esguerra
Tags: Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction, New Adult & College
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She was probably going to wait
forever."
"Long-distance?"
"Oh. Of course he didn't tell you.
Last year he was assigned to move to the Beckett office in San
Francisco. As in California. He was supposed to leave in November
but at the last minute he had to do something for a client, so he's
still here. But he's already technically an SF office employee and
he's here like he's on foreign assignment, with paid housing and
everything. But as soon as the emergency project is over, he's
done. He's expecting to fly out any day now."
I caught my reflection in a shiny bottle of shampoo
and saw that my smile was distorted in it. Or was it actually like
that on my face? I tried to make it better for Ashley's
benefit.
"Good for him," I said. "I'm
actually planning to get a job somewhere else, too. Soon. But he
doesn't have to explain that to me."
"I'm not surprised if he doesn't,
which is why I'm telling you," she said. "He didn't tell Rin about
the move until after he accepted it. I swear, he just lets things
happen, like he's a leaf in the wind."
The same phrase that made last night really hot
felt, well, lukewarm now.
"It's easier," I said.
"It's annoying," she retorted. "Do
you know why we're here now?"
"It's not so you can warn me about
him in private?" I said with a wry smile.
"Two birds, one stone. I wanted to
leave him and Rin alone so they can say goodbye properly. Because I
don't think he ever will, if it were up to him." Ashley checked her
phone. "Let's give them five more minutes. But hey, don't hate my
brother okay. He's really wonderful. He's just..."
"A leaf in the wind. I get
it."
ETHAN
I. CAREER AND FINANCES
+ Enviable promotion and transfer
+ Great housing perks
+ Possibly rolling in money
II. FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIPS
+/- Family is around but maybe he’s avoiding them
- Not friendly, not neighborly
III. LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS
- Strange dynamic with ex
- Spontaneous kisser
+ Spontaneous kisser
IV. PERSONAL FULFILLMENT
? What do you find fulfilling when
you’re a "leaf in the wind"?
Chapter 11
I woke up thinking, it figured that I would walk into
something like this. When you tell the universe that you’re not
staying long in your hometown, you end up making out with someone
leaving even earlier.
But maybe I should be happy that I was getting a job
interview out of this. When I checked my email last night I saw
that Ethan had indeed gotten me a meeting with someone in his
office’s HR department, for a position that was temporary. Looked
interesting. Mostly admin and event logistics work, to help out
during a conference hosted by the Manila office in June.
Pre-conference work was starting, and the position was officially
until August, and it included post-conference evaluations and
paperwork.
So. How to think about this.
Maybe if I hadn’t spoken to Ashley, I would have
thought this meant something. The day after we kissed, he set me up
to get a job in his place of work, on a contract that would make me
stay home longer than I’d intended.
But since I had spoken to Ashley, then no, this
was just a job referral. Kiss or no kiss, whether or not Moira
remained a bum until June, then it was just a job. A nice thing he
was doing for his "neighbor in Tower 3."
Why should you be affected even, Moira?
Nothing about this changed my original plan. In
fact, things just got better for someone.
I finally called Roxie. "Don’t get
mad at me," I said as soon as she picked up. "I know I screwed up
my interview."
"Damn right you did," she yelled
back. "How hard is it to just tell him what he wants to hear? You
know how to do that."
"I’ve punished myself enough for
it already, okay? Can you not beat me up over it any more? I have
good news for you."
"What, did you apologize to
Jonas?"
"Better. I kissed someone
yesterday. Curse is over. Go forth and find your next man, he’s
probably outside right now just waiting for you."
"Are you serious? Who’d you kiss?
Was it a
forever."
"Long-distance?"
"Oh. Of course he didn't tell you.
Last year he was assigned to move to the Beckett office in San
Francisco. As in California. He was supposed to leave in November
but at the last minute he had to do something for a client, so he's
still here. But he's already technically an SF office employee and
he's here like he's on foreign assignment, with paid housing and
everything. But as soon as the emergency project is over, he's
done. He's expecting to fly out any day now."
I caught my reflection in a shiny bottle of shampoo
and saw that my smile was distorted in it. Or was it actually like
that on my face? I tried to make it better for Ashley's
benefit.
"Good for him," I said. "I'm
actually planning to get a job somewhere else, too. Soon. But he
doesn't have to explain that to me."
"I'm not surprised if he doesn't,
which is why I'm telling you," she said. "He didn't tell Rin about
the move until after he accepted it. I swear, he just lets things
happen, like he's a leaf in the wind."
The same phrase that made last night really hot
felt, well, lukewarm now.
"It's easier," I said.
"It's annoying," she retorted. "Do
you know why we're here now?"
"It's not so you can warn me about
him in private?" I said with a wry smile.
"Two birds, one stone. I wanted to
leave him and Rin alone so they can say goodbye properly. Because I
don't think he ever will, if it were up to him." Ashley checked her
phone. "Let's give them five more minutes. But hey, don't hate my
brother okay. He's really wonderful. He's just..."
"A leaf in the wind. I get
it."
ETHAN
I. CAREER AND FINANCES
+ Enviable promotion and transfer
+ Great housing perks
+ Possibly rolling in money
II. FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIPS
+/- Family is around but maybe he’s avoiding them
- Not friendly, not neighborly
III. LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS
- Strange dynamic with ex
- Spontaneous kisser
+ Spontaneous kisser
IV. PERSONAL FULFILLMENT
? What do you find fulfilling when
you’re a "leaf in the wind"?
Chapter 11
I woke up thinking, it figured that I would walk into
something like this. When you tell the universe that you’re not
staying long in your hometown, you end up making out with someone
leaving even earlier.
But maybe I should be happy that I was getting a job
interview out of this. When I checked my email last night I saw
that Ethan had indeed gotten me a meeting with someone in his
office’s HR department, for a position that was temporary. Looked
interesting. Mostly admin and event logistics work, to help out
during a conference hosted by the Manila office in June.
Pre-conference work was starting, and the position was officially
until August, and it included post-conference evaluations and
paperwork.
So. How to think about this.
Maybe if I hadn’t spoken to Ashley, I would have
thought this meant something. The day after we kissed, he set me up
to get a job in his place of work, on a contract that would make me
stay home longer than I’d intended.
But since I had spoken to Ashley, then no, this
was just a job referral. Kiss or no kiss, whether or not Moira
remained a bum until June, then it was just a job. A nice thing he
was doing for his "neighbor in Tower 3."
Why should you be affected even, Moira?
Nothing about this changed my original plan. In
fact, things just got better for someone.
I finally called Roxie. "Don’t get
mad at me," I said as soon as she picked up. "I know I screwed up
my interview."
"Damn right you did," she yelled
back. "How hard is it to just tell him what he wants to hear? You
know how to do that."
"I’ve punished myself enough for
it already, okay? Can you not beat me up over it any more? I have
good news for you."
"What, did you apologize to
Jonas?"
"Better. I kissed someone
yesterday. Curse is over. Go forth and find your next man, he’s
probably outside right now just waiting for you."
"Are you serious? Who’d you kiss?
Was it a
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