Page 5 of See You Soon

“Everything’s fine,” she lied. “I had another bridal show today.”

“That’s good. How much longer do you have left in that school before you’re licensed?”

“Just a few more weeks.”

“Do you have a plan for after that?” Cara loved James, but she didn’t know if it was his military background, or the fact he worked for a federal prosecutor, that he couldn’t conceive how people went through life without a step-by-step plan. Maybe it was time to share hers.

“Short term or long term?”

“Wow! Who is this girl?” Her brother teased, but the approval in his voice made her chest swell, and banished, at least temporarily, her money problems. “Tell me all of them.”

“Short term, I’d like to get a job with a production studio in order to get more experience and have a steady paycheck. Long term…” Cara took a deep breath. “I still want to have my own business.” She hesitated. “Originally, I wanted to do a makeup line with my mom. It seemed like an easy thing to do with her connections… But now that I’ve learned more, I’m more excited to do a skin care line. Something affordable with mostly natural ingredients.”

Cara had quickly discovered that the luxury products she normally used were now out of her price range, and using what she had learned at the school, she began experimenting with making her own. Cara found it to be fairly simple, and she could scent everything with her favorite essential oil.

“Really?” James sounded surprised.

The last time she mentioned what she wanted to do to her brothers, they had laid out a litany of reasons why her ideas were impractical and wouldn’t work. At least on that subject, the three of them could agree. Looking back, she realized shehadbeen naïve. These last months, supporting herself and living without the benefit of her father’s last name, had opened her eyes to how difficult it would be to break into the competitive beauty industry—but that didn’t mean she had completely changed her mind.

“I think that’s great. You seemed different when I saw you at Christmas. You’ve really turned your life around. I’m proud of you.”

Cara’s jaw fell open. James was the most taciturn of all her brothers, so for him to say anything of the sort was… weird.

“Thanks, James.”

He grunted. “Don’t get carried away.”

She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“All I’m saying is that your life now, compared to six months ago... You’ve come a long way. I thought you were nuts when you said you were going to go to beauty school.”

“Cosmetology,” she corrected.

“Whatever. That you were going to do this and live off what you earned… I wouldn’t have said it then, but I didn’t think you could do it. So, yeah,” his voice was gruff again. “I’m proud of you.”

Cara grew a little queasy as he continued to talk. It hurt to hear him say he hadn’t believed in her, even though she knew that was how all of her brothers felt. Hearing it out loud was different.

There was no way she could mention that her savings were almost gone now. Or that the money she made at her jobs barely covered her bills. Oh yeah, and shedefinitelycouldn’t say she was about to be homeless!

“Glad I could live up to your low expectations.”

“I didn’t mean it like that, it’s just... You never had to work for anything before—”

“I get it, James. Did it ever occur to you that was because I was never given the chance? It’s impossible to work toward something when it’s handed to you automatically.”

It was a lame excuse, and she knew it.

“I’m sorry, Car-Bear. That came out wrong. I was trying to say I think you are doing amazing and to keep it up.”

Cara sighed. For someone who made their living convincing juries, he was remarkably bad at communicating his own feelings.

“I’m not mad, James. Thank you. Seriously.”

* * *

Cara fidgeted,watching the weather through the tall windows. The storm was not improving and neither was her life, she reflected miserably. No sign of a new job and now nasty weather. An unseasonal thunderstorm had killed the power in the space, and everyone was forced to wait for either someone to restore the electricity or to tell them all to go home. A crash of thunder shook the windows, and a couple of people let out squeals. The angry weather suited Cara perfectly.

This was it. She was going to have to admit defeat.