Page 29 of A Grinchmas Delight

She shakes her head again and then nods. “Yep. That’s about all I can do. So, are you applying for the job?”

“I should. Mark told me I’m the best candidate for the position. And that my odds of getting it are really good.”

“Then what would stop you?”

“Zane. And the fact that I’ve been sleeping with him.”

“You’ve slept with him twice. That hardly qualifies. Get HR on a technicality if they find out.”

I roll my eyes at her. “That’s not how it works, and you know it.”

She shrugs and takes a sip of her coffee. “That’s how it should work.”

I sigh. “Are you ready to go get your car? I have a hangover and I just want to go to sleep.”

“Then go to sleep. We can get my car later. I am in no hurry to do anything. Hell, I’m going to curl up right here with this blanket and go back to sleep myself.”

“Perfect. See you in a few hours,” I say, walking into my bedroom. I crash onto the bed, pulling my comforter up to my shoulders as I snuggle into my favorite body pillow. I hear Reese’s paws on the tile as she comes running into the room and bails onto the bed. She nuzzles her cold nose against my back where the comforter is until I lift it for her to crawl beneath the blanket. Spoiled brat.

She snuggles into the back of my knees and curls into a ball. We stay like that for the remainder of the day, ignoringlife and responsibilities. When I finally wake up, I’m starving and my stomach is growling viciously. I look at the clock on the nightstand. Four o’clock in the evening. I slept all day. I needed it, though. Spending the evening drunk and then getting railed into another dimension took all the energy I had in me and I needed to replenish. Not to mention the emotional rollercoaster I’m on is fucking exhausting in itself.

I check my phone reluctantly, afraid of what I might find. There’s only one text message. From Zane.

Zane: Don’t run from me, babygirl. You don’t have to be afraid. I’ll be here. Whenever you realize that.

His words spark something in me and I fight back the tears for the second time today. I am running from him. I’m running fast and hard because he scares the fuck out of me. I thought we were supposed to just have hate sex and go back to normal? Him hating me and making my work life miserable. And me hating him and trying to avoid him at all costs.

I leave his message on read and don’t respond. I don’t have the words for him today. Maia peeks her head through the doorframe.

“Good morning. Again. Are you awake and ready to do things?”

“Yes. I need to brush my teeth and take a quick shower, but I’mstarving.”

“Me freaking too. Okay, let’s do it because I’m going to die if I do not get food in the next thirty minutes.”

I scoff and roll my eyes, smiling at her as I roll out of bed and head to the bathroom to get myself gathered. Within fifteen minutes, I’m showered with brushed teeth and half-blow dried hair. Good enough for me.

I get dressed while Maia gets ready in the bathroom and when she’s done we meet in the living room.

“Chips and salsa?” she asks.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

We head to our favorite Mexican restaurant in town and stuff our faces with chips and salsa with queso and somehow that makes all feel right in my life. I drop her off at her car just as it’s starting to get dark. I spot Dolly’s car in the parking lot and consider going inside, but I think better of it. I don’t need to start that again. Too many people in there will tell Zane I’m there, then he’ll show up, then we’ll repeat last night, and I’ll be right back in this boat in the morning. Besides, Reese Piecie has been without me enough this week.

I spend the rest of the weekend laying in bed snuggling with my tiny girl and watching The Grinch, one of my favorites, and the new Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel this year. Monday morning, my stomach is in knots. I haven’t seen or spoken to Zane since Friday night. I arrive early and notice his truck isn’t here. I quickly get into my office and close my door.

I get straight to work on meaningless tasks that I’ve needed to finish up before we’re off for Christmas, but it does little to distract me. Every noise outside of my office has me on edge and ready to hide underneath my desk. I somehow manage not to run into Zane for most of the day, even when I spend lunch in the lounge.

I eat with Jade and Xena at a table in the lounge, by the window. I glance at the parking lot and notice that Zane’s truck isn’t here.Hmm. I wonder if he’s out to lunch or if he didn’t come in today at all.

Jade taps my arm, scaring me and making me jump. “Yeah?” I say, looking at her.

“I was just asking how your weekend was. I didn’t mean to startle you. You were deep in thought about something.”

“I was just watching the birds in the trees and zoned out, my bad.Umm. My weekend was good. Lazy for the most part. What about yours?”

“Oh, she had a veryinterestingweekend,” Xena says scandalously.

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