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The front door opens, and Nora comes in, unwrapping her scarf and hanging it on the coat tree by the door before doing the same with her jacket. “Was that your candidate from the agency I passed getting into the elevator?”
Her cheeks are rosy, and her curls look just a little wild, like the wind had some fun running its fingers through them.
Am I jealous of the wind?
Yes. Yes, I am.
But I’m faking that I’m not.
“Ex-candidate. Didn’t get a good vibe off her.”
She’d seemed stiff. Overly polite. And when I’d made a joke, she’d looked disturbed. Deeply.
Not a woman I’d be comfortable leaving Otto with for extended periods, and definitely not someone I’d be able to talk to through the video calls the way I do with Nora.
“The agency has two more candidates to send over, but not until I’m back next Tuesday.”
She bites her lip, a little divot between her brows.
“Hey, don’t worry. I’ll find someone before you need to leave. Otto will be okay. I’ve even gotten offers from a couple people from the Slayers if it comes down to it.”
It wouldn’t be ideal, but after four candidates who don’t measure up, I’m starting to wonder if maybe the only person who will is the one in front of me.
She looks uncomfortable but comes over to sit on the floor at the opposite side of Otto’s play mat.
“What’s on your mind?” I barely manage to cut myself off before addingbeautifulat the end.
“Diane called today.”
“Yeah, how’s she?” Hopefully, riddled with guilt over the way she left Nora high and dry. “Still in love?”
“Madly,” she says wistfully. “She’s loving life in France and even has a plan to open a new business there.”
“Ha. Good luck to whomever she hires to help her.”
Nora smiles, watching me. Waiting.
It clicks, knocking the air out of me in a gust of words I don’t want to be true. “She wants you to help her?”
Her smile spreads and then falters. Like maybe she isn’t sure whether to let herself get excited. But finally, she gives in to it. And again, damn, I find myself struggling for air.
“She does. Only not until March. I wouldn’t live in their place this time either. But she has a friend whose roommate is moving out at the end of February. So, it’s kind of perfect.”
I sit straighter, giving my pinky finger to Otto. Faking the fucking smile on my face. “Wow. How’s that work with Sam?”
“The timing’s off. I’d be leaving before Marie is due back. He said we could work something out, but I don’t feel like it would be fair to him. And I know he’s got other candidates hoping for a chance at the position.”
I’m still trying to get my head around the idea of Nora not just working somewhere else in the city, but actually leaving the country, when she takes a big breath.
“What?”
“Well, thanks to my current employer’s generosity, I have enough money to get me through until March. So, from an experience-resume standpoint, whatever job I have until I leave won’t matter the same way it would if I was staying.” She leans forward. “I don’tneeda job, and I’ll have enough money, okay?”
But I need—
Fuck.
I’m happy for her. I am. “That’s good, Nora. You shouldn’t have to worry so much.”
