The Road to Price Read Online Free Page A

office. I then walked
briskly through the hallway until I was out the front doors of the large
estate.
    Michael was out
front with my car just like he said he would be. I thanked him, hopped in my
car, and pulled out of there as fast as I could. Once I was back on the public
roads I let out a deep breath.
    I was more relaxed
now because the interview was over. I was sure there was no way I would get the
job. I made a fool out of myself. I’m surprised I didn’t drool all over myself.
How embarrassing.
    Well if by some
chance he offers me the job there is no way that I am taking it. I like my life
the way it is. It’s quiet and predictable. I have to keep it that way for my
sanity.
    I couldn’t afford
to let these emotions in no matter what. I couldn’t care about anyone. I knew
if I took this position that I would start to care for him. I had a strange
connection with him and it was a connection I was not willing to explore.
    So it’s settled.
If I am offered the job I will say no.
    Easy.
    Now if I could just
say that and convince myself that I mean it.
     
    *****
     
    I arrived home a
few hours later. I had successfully gone to the grocery store and picked up the
essentials. Then I went and got the oil changed in my car. It had been way too
long since my last oil change.
    I unloaded the
groceries and decided to do a little reading in bed. Hopefully this would tire
me out for an afternoon nap. I rarely got a day off and I wanted to make the
most of it.
    I pulled out my
latest rental from the library and started reading. After about ten minutes, I
realized this distraction wasn’t going to work today.
    Usually reading
was the easiest way for me to busy my mind. I needed my mind occupied. If it
wasn’t then I had too much time to think.
    These were the
moments when I would wonder what I could have done. What if I drove that day?
What if we woke up late? What if I didn’t go to my meeting? What if I would
have bought the house on the other side of town two years ago, instead of the
house I did buy?
    Would any of these
decisions change the outcome? Would he still be alive?
    My eyes became
heavy and I could feel sleep taking over my body. My mind was fighting with my
body to stay awake. It was like my brain wanted to continue torturing me with
questions.
    Deep down I knew
his death wasn’t my fault, but my heart and brain were not on the same page. I
wasn’t sure if the guilt would ever go away. I knew the grief wouldn’t. I felt
like a complete failure. He was the one thing I was doing right in my life and
in the end… I failed him too.
    My eyes closed
again and I drifted off to a restless sleep.

Chapter
Three
     
    8 years earlier
     
    “Come on Chelsea!
My momma is going to kill me. My curfew was two hours ago. We need to leave
now!” I screamed at my best friend.
    My best friend
Chelsea was three years older than me. We lived next door to each other our
whole lives.
    Chelsea was too
busy making out with her boyfriend to care that I was going to be in so much
trouble. We were in a room with twenty other people and she was straddling her
boyfriend on the couch. She was dry humping him in front of complete strangers.
    She finally broke
away from the kiss and turned toward me.
    “You are already
going to be in a lot of trouble Mia so it doesn’t matter anymore. Please, just
give me 20 minutes and then we will leave.”
    “Darn it Chelsea,
you don’t give a shit about anyone but yourself.”
    I was super
pissed. I went to grab my purse from a vacant bedroom and left the party we
were at. 
    It was late August
and Tanya Miller always had the biggest end of summer bashes. I lived about
three miles away from Tanya’s house but I wasn’t in the mood to wait any longer
for Chelsea to give me a ride home. In one month I would be sixteen and I could
get my license and be done with it. I knew Chelsea had no intention of leaving
in twenty minutes so I was going to walk home. My mother trusted me and I did
not want to