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“Okay. I’m not gonna lie. I’m not poverty-stricken or anything, and my parents are well-off, but I didn’t grow up going to boarding school and doing weekends at the country club. As far as my offer to you guys, I did some lucrative work and I wanted to pay you fairly for your time and expertise. I don’t have that kind of cash to throw around all the time.”
“Sorry for assuming.”
“I’ve had people assume worse than that about me.” She smiled and winked. “But not by much.” She turned back to the window and began coloring in the letters.
London absorbedthe information he’d offered. After hearing how his dad had gotten screwed over not once, but twice, she was even more glad that she’d offered them so much money. “And if it makes you feel a little better, the money I paid you came from one of those rich pricks you hate.”
He huffed. “It does make me feel a little better. How do you do it?”
“What?”
“Work for people you don’t like.”
She sat back on her heels in the window and considered it. She genuinely liked Mia and Jared, but their fathers and the men they associated with were the kind of people Ezra was referring to. “I look at them like a paycheck. I don’t have to like who I’m working for. Plus, getting their money allows me to do other things that are important to me.”
“You sound like Bronte.”
“Huh?” She sat down all the way and turned to face him.
“She brought in some rich guy who commissioned a bunch of ornaments for his holiday party. Then he started telling me how he wanted them to look and dictating how I should do my job and I basically told him to go to hell.”
“Did you feel better?”
“Oh, yeah. But Bronte was mad. It was a big commission that would’ve paid for a lot around here.”
“Sometimes you can’t just suck it up.”
“That was my point. He wasn’t one of those philanthropist types. He was all about the show, especially for his management and board. But he screwed over the little guys.”
“Then screw him.”
“If I’m being totally honest, turning him away was the only reason I agreed to let Bronte take you on.”
She smiled and executed a fist pump. “Guilt for the win.”
“You’re funny.” He pointed to the window behind her. “And talented. The window looks good.”
“Thanks.”
“I can finish it if you want to get back to your topper. I’m pretty sure I can color in letters without messing it up.”
At that moment, there was something in his eyes that drew her in, and she knew it was a mistake. She was attracted to Ezra. That was obvious, but she shouldn’t start something with him. It would be too complicated. “I can finish. It won’t take long. You can go work on something else if you want.”
“I don’t mind keeping you company. You’re doing me the favor after all.”
She continued to color in the letters, aware of him staring at her while she worked. “I thought we agreed staring wasn’t nice.”
“Not staring. Just watching. Did you have a good Thanksgiving?”
“Yeah. I did a big dinner with some friends.”
“No family?”
“My parents are out of town enjoying their retirement, traveling the world. How about you?”
“I saw some friends. Like yours, my parents are enjoying retirement. They usually come up for Christmas. Do your parents come home for Christmas?”
“Sometimes. Other times, I go to them. It depends on where they are.” She shot him a grin over her shoulder. “Who can resist a sunny beach in December? Do you know where the green went?” She turned in a circle, looking near her feet.
