Page 10 of Holiday Hire

He's going to flip when he finds out I'm moving to Texas for two months.

Guilt eats at me. I didn't tell Lance I was coming here for a job interview. He thinks I'm here visiting a friend from college.

Then my guilt turns to anger.

Lance never asked my friend's name, where I knew her from, or anything about my trip. He barely listened when I said I'd be gone for two days.

In some ways, it didn't surprise me. He hasn't been super attentive since the first year we started dating, and even less this past year. If it doesn't have to do with his friends, career, or tennis matches at the country club, he's not interested.

My friends don't care for him either. They stayed quiet at first, keeping their opinions to themselves, but lately they've been voicing their disdain. He's never been overly friendly, so they stopped trying. It's a constant conversation of them telling me I can do better and me trying to convince them they don't know him.

The same debate erupts in my head.

When Lance and I are alone, it's different.

Well, it used to be. For the last year, everything has felt different.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when Lance didn't ask many questions about my trip. Maybe part of me was relieved. I didn't have to create a lie since my friend Alicia moved to Texas, and I did get to see her last night. All I did was leave out some details.

Now that the Cartwrights hired me, I'm going to have to fess up. I'm unsure how Lance will react when I tell him, but I believe with my whole being that we need some space. He'll miss me, realize all I do for him, and things can return to how they were when we first got together.

Or he won't miss me at all, and that will give me the courage to break up with him.

My heart sinks at that thought. We've been together since we met at my college graduation four years ago. His brother was inmy class. We'd never met, but I literally ran into Lance coming out of the auditorium. He didn't waste any time getting my number, and the next night, we went out. The last four years have good and bad memories, but I remind myself that every relationship has both. And I hate thinking about not making any more good ones with him.

"You know my boys are going to push every boundary they can, right?" Alexander warns, pulling me out of my thoughts.

And we're back to a job interview.

I take a deep inhale of his scent, smile, and turn toward him. "Of course. As I stated, I know kids very well."

He snorts. "Doesn't mean you know my two boys."

"I didn't claim to," I chirp, turn, and put my knee on the seat.

His eyes drift down. He stares at my leg a moment, then stabs me with disdain. "Didn't you?"

I ignore the blood rushing through my veins, growing hotter with every second he continues to challenge me. "Yes, I know children. Wilder and Ace both have their own personalities, and of course I don't know them yet. However, I know how kids try to push the limits, especially boys their age."

He grinds his molars, focusing on the road.

Even though I don't feel overly confident he won't fire me after the trial period, I fake it, adding, "When I return, you'll see that I'm more than capable of taking care of your boys."

"I don't need anyone to take care of them."

"Your family seems to think you need some help," I retort.

"I don't. You'll see."

"Okay. Why don't we make a bet, then?"

Alexander's head snaps toward me. "So you're a gambler?"

"No!"

"You just said you want to make a bet."

My cheeks heat, and I stutter, "Uh...y-yeah. It's a phrase."

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