Page 127 of Mountain Boss

She shakes her head again. “I can do it.”

I match her movement. “No. You can’t. You’re sick.”

“But…” Her chest rises with deep breaths, like she’s exhausted from talking. “I…” Her eyes lower. “I can’t skip a day.”

“Skip a day?” I don’t understand.

I feel the movement in her cheek as she swallows. “I can’t afford to skip a day.”

My brows furrow.

I can’t afford to skip a day.

My brows furrow more.

Does she think…

“Courtney.” Her eyes stay lowered. “Courtney, eyes up here.”

I don’t want to talk about pay with her. I don’t want the stark reminder of our boss-employee situation. But I need her to understand how things work around here.

A long moment passes before she meets my gaze.

But when she does, I wish she hadn’t.

It’s my turn to swallow.

The fucking emotion in her eyes.

I swallow again.

It’s the look of someone who doesn’t want to do something but knows they have to.

The look of someone pushing through because they have no other choice.

It’s that look of fucking defeat that I’ve seen her try to hide before.

And it’s killing me.

“I’m not going to dock your pay for resting when you’re sick.” My voice is quieter than I meant it to be.

“I just… Maybe if I just take a nap. I’ll?—”

“No.” I can’t stand to hear her say anything else. “You will stay in bed. Take some cold medicine. Drink your water. And stay in bed until tomorrow. And if you’re still not feeling well, you’ll stay in bed tomorrow too.”

She’s watching me like she’s trying to find the trick. “But the guests…”

“The guests will be fine,” I reassure her.

Her gaze drops to my chest. “And it won’t affect my pay?”

Courtney blackmailing me to keep this position.

Her double-checking that the Food Hall lunch was included.

Courtney crying after Fisher told her we get paid at the end of the month.

Her crinkled cash for the Costco meal she ate.

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