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In fact, Garrett had cracked several. And when he was done with those, he cracked some more, enough to dig himself out of the hole he’d dug coasting along freshman and sophomore year.
Because of Emma, he’d managed to get into his second choice for college. From there he’d gone on to business school and started Next Chapter with Fletcher a few months after graduating.
It wasn’t an empire—yet. More like his own little fiefdom. But it was expanding. Many things were happening, all at once. Including the realization he’d had at midnight last night.
Garrett wouldn’t be a success without the kick in the pants Emma Mendez had given him.
Hector was intrigued. “So you think you owe her now?”
“Something like that,” he murmured, realizing he hadn’t paid close enough attention when he pulled these folders out because now he didn’t know where they went.
“And this payback involves getting ahold of our health insurance forms?”
Garrett chose a folder at random and stuck it in the bottom drawer. “I think, under the circumstances, I should make sure that the woman who suffered a head injury bad enough to forget high school has the best insurance possible.”
“Because she forgot high school or because she forgotyou?”
Garrett paused in the act of randomly sticking folders in drawers. He nodded, letting the man interpret that however he wanted.
Hector continued, wincing. “I’m sorry but I can’t bump up Emma’s health insurance coverage. It wouldn’t be fair to the others. And as a new business in the process of expanding, I can’t afford to give everyone premium coverage.”
Garrett waved that off. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Emma.”
“Oh.” Hector was undeniably relieved but still didn’t seemcompletely on board. “Well, maybe you don’t have to. You know she was a disabled hire, right? We get benefits from the state, and I know she gets some extra things too. Physical therapy and stuff like that.”
It was meant to be comforting but the fact that Emma was considered disabled hit him like a punch to the gut. “I’m still going to need those papers.”
“Of course.” Hector stood. “But it might go faster if we switch places because the information you’re looking for is on the computer. All the records are online.”
Garrett flushed, straightening his jacket as he rose. “In that case, why don’t you forward it to my email?”
“I’ll do that.”
“Thanks.”
He left, racking his brain. It was one thing to make sure Emma had access to the best care. But judging from the way she’d run out of the office yesterday, it would be quite another to get her to accept it from him.
Chapter Eight
GARRETT
Ishould have changed before starting this,he thought as he crawled on his hands and knees, aiming the flashlight on his phone under a low-slung sedan.
“And you’re sure there’s a cat?”
He glanced up at Kyle, who was generously spending his break to help him look for the kitten Emma had been searching for.
Not being a cat person, Garrett could have taken or left the fate of the animal to chance. But Emma hadn’t come to work the day after he’d ransacked Hector’s office. Or the day after that.
When questioned, Hector reluctantly admitted that Emma had requested a switch to another location. “Under the circumstances, and on advice from Mrs. Myers, I don’t think I should say which one.”
Garrett lifted a brow in response, wondering if Hector thought Emma’s new workplace was a great mystery.
TheDe Ollachain was expanding, but they only had three other locations in town. Their second café was still undergoing renovations. The other two were coffee kiosks. One was in Old Town and the other was on the waterfront near the USS Midway, a retired Navy aircraft carrier that had been converted to a museum.
“Well, Emma said there was one.” Kyle exchanged a side-eye glance with Bethany who was openly snorting.
“Sure, there is. It’s striped like a tiger and has big-ass teeth.” The other barista had already clocked out, but she wasn’t here to help. Her purpose was to provide snarky commentary.