Free A Discovery of Hope (A Coming Home Again Novel Book 3) by T.I. Lowe Page B

around.
    “I start two classes on Monday. That’s about it.”
    “My class is Tuesday and Thursday,” I comment. This disappoints me.
    “You’ll see me enough around here.” He bumps into my shoulder with his.
    “I’m really glad. Thanks again for setting the internship up.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    “I just don’t think JP likes me too much,” I admit as I study the wall in front of us that resembles a mysterious forest.
    “He’ll warm up to you. Just give him some time.” Duke tries to reassure me, but I’m not so sure…
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
     
    The weekend wasn’t so bad. I spent most of Sunday with my dad. First we attended church and then we went out to eat at the Beach Club for a late brunch. Before we parted ways, he briefly mentioned the divorce proceedings were being handled. I could see the hurt in his eyes, but he played it off as best he could. I made it back to the gallery well before dark and immediately headed over to Duke’s apartment. We spent a chunk of the night watching movies and really bad reality TV.
    I’m not sure when JP got in, but he is here this morning. He has been busy in his office for the last hour now and still hasn’t acknowledged my presence. I know he knows I’m here. I keep walking past his door, asking if he needs anything, but he seems distracted.
    I’ve reached my patience limit and am now sitting in his office in the spare chair in front of his desk. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since he walked in here and his cellphone keeps dinging with new messages over and over. I’m thinking he is in dire need of a secretary and not a student intern. He keeps the doors to the gallery closed on Mondays, but that doesn’t mean he’s not at work.
    I clear my throat and ask, “You decided what to do with me yet?” He looks up abruptly and peers at me from underneath the ball cap pushed low over his eyes. I think my question came out sharper than I had meant so I smile weakly, trying to soften it.
    JP motions over his piled-up desk. “I got a lot of work to catch up on this morning. I don’t have time to figure out what to do with you .”
    “Well, I’m sick of staring at you , so how about giving me something to do that will be more productive than that.” I cross my arms in agitation.
    He lets out a long sigh of frustration and eyes a stack of storage containers. He considers them for a few more beats as he rubs the side of his neck. “Those pictures need to be filed. I’ve been too busy taking them to do any of this stuff. File them or not. I really don’t care.” He turns back to his gigantic computer screen and goes back to editing a photo of an erupting volcano.
    I get up and go over to inspect the top container and sure enough, it is loaded with photos. Overwhelmed, I pull open the filing cabinet drawer and find it empty except for a box of new folders. “Just how am I supposed to make enough sense of this mess to even begin to file it?”
    I jump as JP slams his fists on the desk and storms over to the boxes. “I should really kick Duke’s a…ace for this,” he mutters.
    “Ace?” I ask with raised eyebrows.
    He starts unstacking the boxes. “Ace is my substitute word for when I almost slip and say something I shouldn’t. I’m trying to break a cussing habit. Savannah demands I do or I can’t hang out with my nephews. It’s a dumb habit that needs to be broken anyway.”
    I try not to laugh, but end up snickering. That sister of his is definitely the momma hen.
    “It ain’t funny.” He glares over at me. He points at the three boxes now lined up against the wall. “They are in order by year. The photos are labeled on the back. They need to be filed by month, year, and captioned.” This is all the instructions I get before he stomps back to his desk.
    I grab a pen and the file folders and have a seat on the floor in front of the first box. I have no doubt this task will take all summer. Ugh. Flipping open the lid, I