Page 6 of Holiday Hire

I glance around the table. More anger fills me. I realize I'm the only one who was kept in the dark besides the kids. "You all knew?"

Evelyn answers, "We didn't realize they were leaving over the holidays. Mom told us it was supposed to be in February."

Mom interrupts. "Your father and I didn't know how desperate they were for extra help. We couldn't turn them down."

Evelyn continues, "We assumed you'd try to claim you can handle everything on your own."

"I can. They're my children, after all," I remind her.

Georgia puts her hand on mine. She softly says, "Hey."

I glance at her.

She smiles, and I calm a tad. It's hard to be mad at her. Maybe it's because she's not blood but has always treated my kids like her own since the moment she met them. So while she's just as much a part of us now, she has a different perspective on things without the years of history of annoying me at times like the rest of my family.

She suggests, "Why don't you just have Phoebe nanny this next week and then you can decide if you need her?"

I take a deep breath, happy Georgia's on my side. It's not what I want, but she just gave me the green light to teach my family that I'm more than capable of handling everything on my own. I'll agree, then Phoebe can pack up and be on her way once everyone sees the boys and I don't need her.

I reluctantly turn toward Phoebe. "Fine. You can stay for the week. On Friday, we'll reassess."

"I need to go home and get my things first. My lease is up in three days," she claims.

"Where's home?"

"California."

Of course she's from California. That explains the piercings, tattoos, magenta hair, and tan.

I wonder what other tattoos she has hiding under those jeans.

What am I saying?

I scoff. "Let me guess. L.A.? Or is it San Francisco?"

She shakes her head. "Pismo Beach."

"You should take us to the beach!" Ace exclaims.

Phoebe smiles at him. "I saw you have a lake on your property."

"We do!"

"Why don't we have a beach party after you've earned your stars this week?"

He wrinkles his forehead. "Stars?"

She nods. "Yeah. You can earn all kinds of cool stuff with my stars."

"Like what?" Wilder asks.

"I want stars!" Isabella pipes up.

Phoebe laughs. "You can earn them too."

"It's going to be cold soon," I state.

Phoebe shrugs, then turns her gaze back to the kids. "So? We can still have a beach party, right?"

---