Page 35 of Wishing for Love

The last thing Crystal wanted to say was that she was having a great time.

No way Phoenix would want to hear that when he was going to be selling the last of Maryn’s possessions. This had to be a hard day for him and she only wanted to help since she didn’t have much to do.

She saw his reaction to being around Maryn’s things today. It just made him so human and lovable. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen a man let his guard down like that or show such emotion.

She still felt guilty being paid as much as she was considering Elsie was in school most of the day.

Sure, Phoenix had been late more times than not, but he was a busy man and she was fine with it. It was what she signed up for.

They took their seats in a restaurant in the mall. It’d just opened and there were very few people around.

“Thanks for coming with me today,” he said. “I appreciate it. Guess it came in handy.”

“Not a problem,” she said. “I’ve said it a few times. I feel bad that you are paying me to not do much while Elsie is in school.”

“You do a lot,” he said. “You’re doing her laundry and shopping for the household. You clean too and don’t need to do that.”

“Of course I do. The last thing you need to do is come home to a mess left by Elsie. I grew up being told to pick up my stuff. That is all I’m doing.”

Having six kids in a small house, her parents working full time, she’d been yelled at enough if not by her mother, then her older siblings who watched her.

“It’s more than that,” he said. “And I don’t want you to get overwhelmed either. You’re up early and getting Elsie ready at seven, then have maybe five hours while she is in school, if that. Then with her until I’m home at six or seven. You’re cooking and bathing her. I get her ready for bed, but you’re still locked into your job from seven to seven most days. A few hour's break when she is in school isn’t a break if you are running errands and doing laundry.”

She laughed. “You’re making it out to be more than it is,” she said. “I’ve got like six hours I’m not doing much in terms of Elsie. Washing her clothes isn’t hard. I’m doing mine too. Cleaning isn’t a big deal either. If I look at the hours you’re paying me and the amount that I’m with Elsie it’s not as much as I thought it’d be. Don’t worry about it.”

He laughed nervously and took a sip of the water that had been set down. “Guess I’m worried you might quit on me.”

She went with her gut and reached her hand over to lay it on his like she’d touched his hand before. “Listen, Phoenix. I’ve had a lot of bad jobs in my life. This is one of the best. I’m making more than I have before. I live for free in a gorgeous house. I’ve got more personal space than I know what to do with. There is nothing bad about this situation. Not even close. I’ve got no desire to go anywhere.”

The only bad thing was her peace of mind. Even touching his hand across from her, she felt some heat sizzling in her body.

The look in his eyes said that he felt the same way.

The question was—what should they do about it, if anything?

It’d be stupid on her end to try anything and risk her job.

He was already worried that she might leave in a short period of time because she was overworked when she wasn’t.

“That’s good to hear,” he said. “I guess maybe I don’t want you to feel like I’m taking advantage of that.”

“Not possible,” she said.

They placed their orders when the waitress came over. “Tell me what you think Elsie needs. I don’t want to go overboard at Christmas and feel like I have already. I know that Maryn did these over-the-top holidays and it’s going to be hard.”

“Can I ask why she did?” she asked. “It might help me understand. Elsie does talk about her mom but not a ton.”

“I’m glad she is,” he said. “I’m trying to get her to open up but don’t want her to be upset over it either.”

“There is nothing about this situation that is good,” she said. “You’re making the best of it and doing more than a lot would. I know you said Maryn didn’t have a relationship with her parents. Do they know about Elsie?”

“They do,” he said. “She did tell her parents about Elsie after she was born. They have never met their granddaughter. They didn’t accept Maryn being gay and they sure the hell didn’t approve of the way she got pregnant at a clinic with a sperm donor.”

“That’s sad,” she said. “Do they know Maryn passed away?”

She wasn’t sure why that thought popped into her head.

“I had their information and reached out when Maryn was in the hospital. They didn’t come to see her. They said in their mind Maryn was dead to them anyway. I sent them a message whenshe passed. It was the right thing to do, but I never heard back. I don’t expect to either.”

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