Page 47 of Doughn't Let Me Go

Sinful. Dirty.

It wasn’t any of those things to me.

But maybe it was to him. Maybe I’ve blown this way out of proportion.

We agreed before to not make a big deal out of this, and here I am doing just that.

Sex is just sex.

Why am I making it into more?

I fold my arms over my chest. “What are you doing here?”

I’m repeating myself, but he understands what I’m asking.

Why did you drive to another town?

“I’m here because Kyrie wouldn’t stop talking about you after you left. She barely even ate her dinner because I couldn’t get her to stop bouncing off the walls about her new friend.”

“Where is she now?”

“With my assistant. They’re painting her room, getting to know one another.”

“And you?”

“I’m supposed to be getting ice cream.” He holds the tub up.

“That’s a long drive for ice cream.”

“Exactly twenty-five minutes.”

He drove twenty-five minutes to buy ice cream. From this particular gas station. Which is on the complete opposite side of town from where he lives. He’s on the north end of the island, where the people who have money live.

I’m in the middle, where the people who don’t have money barely scrape by.

“How did you find me?”

“Your resume.”

My lips twist. “This isn’t the only job I had listed.”

“I know.”

He went to my other job first?

“Look, Dory, I’m not backing down from my offer. I’d really like you to come work for me. Kyrie loves you, and there’s nobody else for the job.”

“Other people didn’t apply?”

“Ten people total, only three worth interviewing, according to my assistant.” He hitches up a shoulder. “Like you said, it’s a small town. I imagine most people living here are married or retired or tourists and just around for half the year. They can’t commit, don’t want to get attached, and have no interest in being a live-in nanny for a rambunctious seven-year-old.”

“She wasn’t that bad,” I say.

“You liked her, then?”

I nod but quickly add, “I like all kids, though. It’s why I’m going into social work.” I look down at my feet. “But I’m guessing you know that from reading my letter.”

He doesn’t say anything, but I can feel his eyes on me.

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