“I love my work. It took me too long to find a job I love. My fault, I guess, because I job-hopped too much. It took me years to find the perfect job, and I’m just thrilled with this one. It pays well. I’ll have decent savings in no time, unless I get canned.”
“I still can’t believe they’d fire you for leaving to help out your family. Is that the kind of company you want to work for?” It seemed almost unethical to him.
“It’s a great place to get experience. Being fired means I could be stuck here at the inn until I find a new job. No job means no place to live, so I gave notice on my place.”
“Wait. You gave up your apartment? Where’s your stuff? Should I drive out there and get it? Is it in storage?”What had she been thinking?
“I don’t have much. I made arrangements to have it sent out. It’s just a couple boxes.” She put more sausages into the warming dish.
“Already? But you don’t even know you’ll be fired. They might not. I think you jumped the gun.” Having her stuff sent back before she lost her job seemed drastic and hasty. Or maybe she was subconsciously acting on her desire to come home.
“I’ll be fired. I guarantee it. The notice may not be here yet. But she’ll fire me. She’s got a reputation for zero tolerance. She’s still great to work for. I love the challenges. It’s something new every day.”
“I can’t imagine working for someone so demanding. The army was tough. But there were rules and regulations and I knew what to expect. Working here is similar. While emergencies crop up and I have to master new repair skills, the job and expectations are stable. Comfortable. I like that. I enjoy knowing what’s coming in the future. I can make plans.” Not that he ever planned anything. He didn’t travel much. But his evenings were free to visit friends. Life was good, if a bit lonely, but only because most of his friends were in serious relationships making him the odd man out.
The only things missing in his life were a good woman and a family of his own. His hand trembled at the thought of a new marriage. He’d have to keep the lessons on patience he learned from his therapist in mind once he got married. He wouldn’t ever be coming unglued on his partner again. With professional help, he’d learned to be positive and to think before he spoke. Most of the time.
He topped up his coffee. “Can I pour you a fresh cup?”
“Sure. My mug is beside the stove. I can’t wait to go back to work. I love my job. I like dealing with suppliers and customers.”
“Well, if you are fired, that’s a skill that would transport well to staying at the inn.” She stared at him like he’d said something crazy.
“I suppose it would,” she said after a long pause. “I think I’d miss the city.”
“What would you miss?” He was genuinely curious. He loved rural life. Knowing everyone around him. Freedom to be outside. Plenty of outdoor activities. What wasn’t to like?
“Didn’t we talk about this? Lattes, movie theatres, fine dining.”
“Try again. Snowy Hollow has two coffee shops now, both of which serve lattes. There’s an espresso machine in the pantry. We’ve got a movie theatre showing all the latest releases. In the past four years, we’ve had three new restaurants open up. One is run by an award-winning chef. We’ve even got a theatrical group putting on a different play every month. Plus, the dance school runs several recitals a year. They didSwan Lakelast year. They’re actually very good. They’re doingThe Nutcrackerlater this month. We’ve got everything a city has, except the smog and traffic.” He was pushing way too hard, but he loved this town and all its people. They were his friends. He wanted, needed, her to see all Snowy Hollow had to offer.
“Wow. Those are big changes. They might even make the transition easier. If, and that’s a big if, I were inclined to stay here.”
Something about the way she stared at the floor while talking told him she might be considering staying in town for longer than Ophelia’s trip. Hope and optimism brought a smile to his lips.
“Keep those changes in mind before you snap up a new job offer. I assume you’re already looking.”
She flushed guiltily, and he knew he’d scored a direct hit. She’d barely been back a day and she was already planning on leaving. He loved his job, but there was more to life than work. Too bad Amaryllis didn’t seem to see it that way. He better not spend much time around her. He was already way too attracted to her and wanted to kiss the frown off her face. He pushed aside the thoughts.
His mind was in tangles. Wanting her to stay, knowing she’d go. Wanting to start something with her, knowing he shouldn’t. He was giving himself mental whiplash.
“I’ll be back in a flash. I’ll just get dressed before the guests start showing up.” He never should have agreed to work with her. He could have managed the inn on his own. He had offered.
The idea that Ophelia might be matchmaking resurfaced in his brain. It didn’t make sense that Ophelia would want her niece with a man like him. Amaryllis was city. He was country. She was smart, he was average. They just weren’t a good fit, no matter how much he’d like them to be. No matter how easy she was to be with.
