Read Online Yesterday's Tomorrows by M. E. Montgomery - Free Book Online
Authors: M. E. Montgomery
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since you'd be working with minors. But I know about troubled paths myself. I hope you understand that I need to know more about you, your circumstances, and I'd require several letters of recommendations. And I think this calls for a personal interview. Would you be agreeable to that, even knowing I can't promise anything?"
I was flooded with hope. Even with no guarantees, here was a woman who was willing to judge me on more than the one incident that irrevocably changed my life. "Yes! Definitely yes." My face flushed with excitement as we arranged a meeting for the next evening. I hung up the phone but continued to sit, needing a few moments to contain my excitement.
An amused voice startled me from my daydreams. "You look like the cat that got the cream."
I looked into the dark brown eyes of Holten Andrews. I had only caught glimpses of him during my time here, and those were mostly limited to seeing him through the windows of a conference room. I guessed he must be busy getting ready for something big, given the number of books I was constantly replacing in the library that had been checked out in his name.
"Know a lot about cats, do you?" I teased. Even he wasn't going to bring down my mood.
"It's just an expression my mom uses." He smirked. "I'm more of a dog man. I find them easier to understand than cats...or women."
I ignored all the pussy innuendos that floated through my brain about his experience with women. "Well, let me try to make it easy for you, then, Mr. Andrews. I was simply happy with a possible new opportunity."
"Moving on from this one already?" He frowned.
Immediately my defenses flared at what sounded like an accusation. "What? No! I like my job here." I crossed my arms. "Not that I owe you an explanation, but it's a chance to do something I've always wanted to do, in addition to this job." Angered at his assumptions, I whirled around and pretended to straighten some papers that were on the table.
I heard him sigh. "Look, I'm sorry. And call me Holt."
I shrugged. "It's fine."
"No, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Everyone is entitled to go for their dreams."
"Even girls like me?" I didn't bother to douse the snark in my words as I hurled them over my shoulder. Damn it! What was it about him that I allowed myself to get so impassioned?
"Pull in your claws, Madelyn. I was merely--"
I swung back around and leveled my eyes at him. "Don't stand there and pretend to be nice, Mr. Andrews. I saw how you looked at me the day you picked me up, and I hear the dislike in your tone each time you act as if you know my kind. I know you think I've done something so horrible I should spend the rest of my life paying for it. But let me tell you something, Mr. High and Mighty, I might not be behind locked doors and bars every day, but I'll pay for it the rest of my life because of people like you." I paused and took a deep breath, cutting him off when he opened his mouth. "Believe me when I say there are far worse people out there than me. Trust me; I've met them."
Ouch. I couldn't believe I'd spoken to him like that, but I couldn't back down now. I couldn't show weakness.
Holt stood stiffly before me with his hands in his pockets, and I could see his fists flexing through the material. "I hope the view looks good from up there," he drawled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.
"From your high horse. For somebody who accuses me of making assumptions, you certainly seem to do your share."
My jaw dropped as he spun on his heel and headed out of the room. Just before he disappeared around the doorway, he paused and glanced back at me. "Look in the mirror, Ms. Stone, and decide who's looking back at you before you complain about how other people see you."
His words were quietly delivered, but their echo would reverberate loudly in my head for days.
7
Maddy
I spat out my mouthful of toothpaste and used my hand to slurp up more rinse water. Feeling fresher, I checked on my reflection in the
I was flooded with hope. Even with no guarantees, here was a woman who was willing to judge me on more than the one incident that irrevocably changed my life. "Yes! Definitely yes." My face flushed with excitement as we arranged a meeting for the next evening. I hung up the phone but continued to sit, needing a few moments to contain my excitement.
An amused voice startled me from my daydreams. "You look like the cat that got the cream."
I looked into the dark brown eyes of Holten Andrews. I had only caught glimpses of him during my time here, and those were mostly limited to seeing him through the windows of a conference room. I guessed he must be busy getting ready for something big, given the number of books I was constantly replacing in the library that had been checked out in his name.
"Know a lot about cats, do you?" I teased. Even he wasn't going to bring down my mood.
"It's just an expression my mom uses." He smirked. "I'm more of a dog man. I find them easier to understand than cats...or women."
I ignored all the pussy innuendos that floated through my brain about his experience with women. "Well, let me try to make it easy for you, then, Mr. Andrews. I was simply happy with a possible new opportunity."
"Moving on from this one already?" He frowned.
Immediately my defenses flared at what sounded like an accusation. "What? No! I like my job here." I crossed my arms. "Not that I owe you an explanation, but it's a chance to do something I've always wanted to do, in addition to this job." Angered at his assumptions, I whirled around and pretended to straighten some papers that were on the table.
I heard him sigh. "Look, I'm sorry. And call me Holt."
I shrugged. "It's fine."
"No, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Everyone is entitled to go for their dreams."
"Even girls like me?" I didn't bother to douse the snark in my words as I hurled them over my shoulder. Damn it! What was it about him that I allowed myself to get so impassioned?
"Pull in your claws, Madelyn. I was merely--"
I swung back around and leveled my eyes at him. "Don't stand there and pretend to be nice, Mr. Andrews. I saw how you looked at me the day you picked me up, and I hear the dislike in your tone each time you act as if you know my kind. I know you think I've done something so horrible I should spend the rest of my life paying for it. But let me tell you something, Mr. High and Mighty, I might not be behind locked doors and bars every day, but I'll pay for it the rest of my life because of people like you." I paused and took a deep breath, cutting him off when he opened his mouth. "Believe me when I say there are far worse people out there than me. Trust me; I've met them."
Ouch. I couldn't believe I'd spoken to him like that, but I couldn't back down now. I couldn't show weakness.
Holt stood stiffly before me with his hands in his pockets, and I could see his fists flexing through the material. "I hope the view looks good from up there," he drawled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.
"From your high horse. For somebody who accuses me of making assumptions, you certainly seem to do your share."
My jaw dropped as he spun on his heel and headed out of the room. Just before he disappeared around the doorway, he paused and glanced back at me. "Look in the mirror, Ms. Stone, and decide who's looking back at you before you complain about how other people see you."
His words were quietly delivered, but their echo would reverberate loudly in my head for days.
7
Maddy
I spat out my mouthful of toothpaste and used my hand to slurp up more rinse water. Feeling fresher, I checked on my reflection in the
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