Page 9 of Come Home to Me

Sarah grimaces. “As of two weeks ago, I am no longer employed. I used to work as a dispatcher at the firehouse, but I called to quit when I made it to Missouri and realized I wouldn’t be back anytime soon.” She smiles, her eyes speaking volumes, though I’m not sure I understand the language. “I know it makes me sound flighty as hell, but I promise, I have my reasons. I need this.”

I hold up my hands. “No judgement.” It’s true, I’m not judging her. Not yet. Though my curiosity is growing as to what caused her to take off so suddenly. If she’s a flake, that’s fine. She won’t be here long enough to be more than a distraction. “Honestly, a trip across country sounds amazing. There’s so much of the world I’d love to see, but I’ve barely left Colorado.”

“The way things are going, it looks like I might not get to leave Colorado, either.” She laughs, a sweet sound. “I have some savings, which is how this trip even made some kind of sense in the first place. But with car repairs and hotel bills on the horizon, I’m gonna need to find a way to make some money. I was thinking I’d get a job as a waitress or something. You know, just a throwaway job, so I won’t feel bad when I have to quit in a few weeks. Hell. I wonder if this place is hiring.” She sits back, looking pleased with the idea. “The food is crazy good and the tips are probably outstanding.”

A thought wanders to the surface and I try to ignore it. With Violet leaving McDougan & Kent, there’s an entry level position open as of today. But, given all the drama around Bree and now Vi, I can’t afford to have another incident with a woman at work. Given the very definite attraction between Sarah and me, I’d be crazy to help her get my ex-girlfriend’s job.

The smart play would be to nod, smile, and suggest she ask about an application at Guard and Grace before we leave.

But, if Sarah were to get Violet’s old job, I’d have a reason to see her every day. A reason to find out what it is about this woman that has my complete attention. Besides, Sarah won’t be staying in Denver long enough to create a scandal at work. And when we come right down to it, even if there is a scandal, a temporary receptionist isn’t worth losing a permanent engineer.

I wipe my hands on my napkin and toss it on the table. “So, I don’t know if you have any interest or experience, but there’s a receptionist position at McDougan & Kent that just became available as of this morning. The pay’s probably more reliable than a waitressing job, since you can’t really budget for tips, and you wouldn’t be on your feet all day.”

Sarah finishes her wine and leans her elbows on the table. “Wouldn’t hurt to try, you know? I like the idea of working for a sustainable architecture firm. But you know what?”

“What’s that?”

Sarah’s eyes glint with humor and her lips quirk into a smile. “I like the idea of working with you even more.”

There’s a promise in her words, something my soul understands but my mind can’t quite untangle.

Whatever it is.

Whatever it means.

We’re in for a wild ride.

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