Page 221 of Mountain Boss

“Oh, right.” One of the guys smiles. “The new Marty.”

I swallow down the tightness.

The new Marty.

No one special.

“That’s me.” I feel like I choke on the words. “Nice to meet you guys.”

They all repeat the sentiment back to me.

My arms are straining, but I lift my bundle of laundry an inch. “Better get back at it.”

“That’s enough for tonight, Court,” my boss tells me.

I glance at him and nod.

The tiny voice in my head that was hoping for an invitation cowers away into the back corner of my mind.

I’m not getting an invite.

I’m getting a dismissal.

It shouldn’t hurt.

And I shouldn’t have expected anything different.

Sterling doesn’t invite me into his home when it’s just the two of us.

Why would he start now?

“Have a nice night.” I force my voice to sound bright.

I’m a handful of yards away, cutting across the driveway, so hopefully no one notices the heat in my cheeks.

Or the shine in my eyes.

I tighten my grip on the laundry and quicken my pace.

Getting away from Sterling and his friends as fast as I can.

Chapter 165

Sterling

The guys askeda few questions about Court, but I answered them blandly. Feeling like a bigger and bigger asshole with each word out of my mouth.

I want to tell them she’s mine.

That I’m becoming unhealthily attached.

But… she works for me.

She is my maintenance person.

And I don’t want to admit that I, the boss, am sleeping with one of my employees.

It’s a bad look.

---