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“Kyle!” Krista smiled so wide it looked like it hurt. “You are just an absolute peach.” She shot up from her chair, so I stood from mine and we hugged. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” I told her.
I either just made the best decision of my life. Or the worst.
Chapter 8
Emma
Iwasexhausted.
After a couple of slow weeks of virtual assistant work, things finally started to pick up. That was great for my bank account, which was verging toward the red, but I was getting no sleep. My client was in a different time zone and, though very easy to work with, needed me for his early mornings in NYC. That made my mornings start in the middle of the night here in California.
Being up before Lily, and not having any time to sleep during the day once she was awake, wasn’t going to work much longer.
I needed the money, but I needed to be a functioning parent and human too. Something had to give but it was still slow going when it came to finding a job.
Which is why when Krista asked Lily and me out for lunch, I invited her over instead. I was too tired to get dressed and leave the house. Hell, I was even too tired to make sandwiches. I called the deli down the street and had them delivered. I was just shoving the to-go containers down in the trashcan under the sink when there was a knock at the door.
Lily and I both made our way over to the door, her babbling excitedly, me telling her it was Aunt Krista. When I opened the door, Krista stepped inside, carrying a bright pink bakery box and wearing a huge smile on her face.
“What?” I asked, a hint of nervous laughter creeping out. “I know that look. Something is going on.”
Krista breezed past me, set the bakery box on the kitchen counter, and then made the short trip to the living room to pick up Lily and settle her on her hip.
“I’m got great news,” she told Lily, tickling her onesie covered belly.
Lily laughed hysterically.
“And what would that news be?” I asked, setting out the platter of sandwiches and a bowl of barbeque chips.
We didn’t have a dining room, but we did have a small eating nook between the living room and kitchen with a small wooden table and four chairs, they were mismatched but purposefully so, in varying shades of blue. Brendan would’ve hated them. That was exactly why I bought them.
Still ignoring me to talk to Lily, Krista said, “Mommy has an interview at Beckford Group today. And she’s going to get it and she’s going to make so much money and you are going to be so happy for Mommy.”
Lily laughed and clapped and said, “Yay,” like she knew exactly what Krista was talking about.
Hell, I, a grown adult, didn’t even know what the hell Krista was talking about.
“What?” I asked. “An interview at Kyle’s…” I trailed off, realizing what she meant. “Krista,” I said sternly, totally pulling out my mom-voice.
Krista carefully set Lily down on the floor, where she promptly picked up her baby doll and started playing with her hair and made her way over to me. I was still hovering over by the table. The bowl of chips was still awkwardly in my hand.
“Kyle’s company had an opening.” She took the bowl of chips from my hands and set it down, then took a chip for herself and popped it into her mouth. The crunch was too loud. “I didn’t want to bother you with the details, so I applied for you. They loved your resume, and you have an interview. Today. In an hour.”
My mind was an absolute whirlwind. I was excited at the opportunity to land a good job, I was dying to see Kyle again, I was so ready to be done with my current schedule, and I was terrified of seeing Kyle, all at the same time.
I hadn’t stopped thinking about Kyle since I left his ski condo, despite trying desperately to get him off my mind. Yes, our night was spectacular. I never would’ve thought the reality of having sex with Kyle would match the fantasy, but it did. But then he went and ruined it the next morning.
My first thought, though, was about Lily and how a new job would change our lives.
“You’re such a brat,” I teased. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m so mad at you but I’m so thankful at the same time.”
“I know,” Krista said with a laugh. “I hear that all the time.” She shoved another chip into her mouth while I tried to wrap my head around having a really important interview with only an hour of prep time. “I’ll of course stay with Lily so you can go to the interview.”
I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, Krista. I know I told you not to ask Kyle for a job for me, but I’m so happy you didn’t listen.”
“You know, I do what I can.” Krista pulled away from the hug and handed me a piece of sandwich. “Now, go take this in your bedroom and get ready. Hair, makeup, clothes, and of course, mental prep. This should be easy so don’t stress yourself.”
