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The man’s voice scares me, and I shoot up out of my chair and quickly wipe my tears. I didn’t hear him come in.
“I’m so sorry, I—” I whirl around and see Isaac Kendrick.
One of two gorgeous twin brothers, and a fifty percent owner of the Elizabeth.
Isaac is tall, with short, dark blonde hair and the kind of deep blue eyes that make my heart skip beats. He’s a tad more rugged than his brother, sporting a short beard and with a preference for shades of blue where his tailored suits are concerned.
His musky cologne travels across the room and fills my head with nothing but wrong ideas as I struggle to pull myself together.
I liked him from the moment I walked in for an interview. I liked his brother, Noah, for similar reasons. And don’t even get me started on Beau and Levi, their business partners. Good Lord, I could barely breathe as I sat across the table from them, as I watched them peruse my resume and as I answered their questions. The worst part is, I think I’m about to let the four of them down.
“I… Oh, God, I’m so sorry,” I manage, another wave of tears working their way up.
“Hold on, Stella, there’s no need to apologize,” Isaac quickly replies, the shadow of concern etched across his handsome features. “Talk to me,” he says, taking a step closer. “What’s going on that’s got you so upset?”
I might as well give him the truth. He’s going to fire me, anyway. What other choice do I have? He should at least know why I have to leave in the middle of my very first shift.
“Where do I start?” I shrug, my hands trembling at my sides.
“Wherever you need to,” he says.
“Okay. I have two children and I’m currently staying at my mother’s place, except my mother has a hot date and needs to go out and has threatened to leave my one- and two-year-old alone if I don’t get back to Scarborough within the hour.” I take a deep breath and let everything out, since I clearly can’t hold it in anymore. “She promised she’d look after them, but she changed her mind. She does this. So, while I really like working here, even if it is my first day, I can’t leave my kids alone, so I have to go. I’m so, so sorry to be so unprofessional and leave you in a lurch.”
I exhale after giving my boss a very short version of my shitty life story, and the tears threaten to spill again. Isaac just stares at me, surely unable to think of a single thing to say to my hot mess of an admission.
“I’m sorry. I guess I have to go. And I’m sorry for the oversharing, too,” I mumble, lowering my gaze. I glance around and let a heavy sigh roll out of my chest. “I’ll get my bag and be out of your way. I’m sorry again.”
“Wait,” Isaac says.
I’m already headed for the lobby, but he quickly catches up and takes me in his arms. I freeze, suddenly wrapped in a warm and ridiculously firm embrace. His scent makes me drunk with new and strange sensations. My body reacts in ways I didn’t think were possible anymore. Yet my heart is thumping, my pulse is racing maniacally, and my panties are getting a tad slick. I can’t move. I don’t want to move.
Soft against his muscular chest, with my cheek pressed into his pale blue shirt, all I can do is breathe in and out as I try to register and understand the moment. It feels good. Way too good.
Isaac feels me relaxing, but he takes his sweet time before he lets me go.
I look up at him as he takes a step back and smiles softly. “Feel better?” he asks, his voice so low that the bass line has my stomach vibrating.
“Yeah, I do. I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing, Stella,” he replies sternly. “You’re clearly dealing with some pretty serious issues, and it’s no wonder you’re overwhelmed. I can’t even begin to imagine what life must be like for you right now.”
“Still, this is a professional setting. I’m supposed to be a professional.”
“You’re a human being, firstly,” Isaac says. “There is nothing wrong with you having to go back to Scarborough to take care of your children. I certainly wouldn’t fire you for what is obviously a family emergency. My partners wouldn’t fire you, either. So get that idea out of your head.”
I sniffle as I stare at him, surprised. “But I’m in the middle of my shift.”
“Yeah, but family comes first.” He pauses, narrowing his eyes for a moment as he looks at me. “Besides, I may have a solution for your current situation that would allow you to keep your job here and also keep your kids safe and fed and looked after.”
I’m frowning now. “What do you mean, Mr. Kendrick?”
“First of all, call me Isaac. Mr. Kendrick is my father.”
“Okay, Isaac,” I say softly, still wondering what the hell he’s talking about.
“Listen, Stella, here’s what I’m thinking. And you can correct me if I’m wrong. But based on everything you just told me, you’re a single mom who’s going through a rough patch.”
"That’s for sure.”
