Page 13 of My Lucky Charm

And I was surprisingly good at it.

After years of searching for the right fit, I thought I’d found it. While my own life has lacked direction, it turns out helping other people organize their lives is a talent of mine.

If only I could organize my own life as efficiently.

Poppy and Raya (and probably our parents) assumed I quit because I got bored, but I didn’t quit.

The truth is so much worse.

And that truth led to the New Year’s kiss. After the guy left the bar, Jay made his way over to me. Acted like he wasn’t interested at first, but then poured on the charm and kicked the flirting into high gear.

Ugh. What a jerk. Meredith was right—it had made him jealous. But, it gave me the chance to ignore him, which was a gift all on its own.

Surprisingly, it didn’t make me feel any better. I was still jobless. Still single. The only difference was that my lips were tingling, and I was wrestling the urge to run out into the cold after the guy who was responsible for that.

What I wouldn’t give to kiss him again.

“Are you taking the job or what?” Dallas reenters the room, holding two bottles of water. “Because I already told them you are.” He hands a bottle to my dad, who takes it without looking away from the game.

“You what!?” I glare over at him, and when he smiles, I have to look away. Because he’s a little too charming to be mad at, but in a big brother sort of way.

Still annoying.

“I don’t understand what you want me to do.” I crunch another chip. “I’ve never chaperoned a full grown adult.” Crunch. I look at Dallas. “What do you people do all day?”

“Eat, mostly.” He smiles.

“Well, that I could handle.” I think it over, still crunching. “But I’ve never been a very good babysitter.”

At that moment, Raya walks in the room. “That’s an understatement. Do you remember the time you were supposed to be watching the Larson kids and they snuck outside in their pajamas and took your car for a ride around the block?”

I roll my eyes. “That was one time.”

“Right, because nobody would hire you to babysit after that.” Poppy and Raya laugh. This is how it goes almost every time our family gets together. There are countless Eloise stories to entertain.

Normally I don’t mind it, but losing my job puts a damper on everything.

It’s harder to laugh at myself now. I don’t like it. If I’m not careful, my sunshiny personality is going to disappear. And that is not okay with me. I don’t dwell.

Bootstraps and everything.

“This isn’t babysitting, exactly,” Poppy says. “It’s like . . .” she searches for a word. “A companion.”

My eyes go wide, matching Dallas’s and Raya’s.

“A companion?” I ask. “Like on Doctor Who? Or are you guys trying to pimp me out?”

“No!” Poppy’s cheeks turn pink. “That’s not what I meant!” She pauses. “And who is Doctor Who?”

“Oh my gosh, I’m emancipating myself from this family,” I say deadpan.

“It’s an assistant,” Dallas says. “Someone to help make the transition easier. Handle the finer points, and keep him from saying things he shouldn’t. And most importantly, to make him feel welcome. I’ll handle the team stuff, but we want Chicago to feel like home to him.” He moves a bit closer and reaches for a chip. I initially pull the bowl away from him, then slowly offer it so he can take a handful. “And,” he continues, “Poppy said you used to be a tour guide in the city.”

“One of her many jobs,” Raya quips, reminding me, as usual, that I don’t have a big, fancy career like her. I wonder if she ever considers I don’t want a big, fancy career. All I’ve ever really wanted is a simple life. And for someone to look at me like I’m the reason they get out of bed in the morning.

Preferably someone who looks like an Avenger, loves dogs, and has a heart of gold.

“An assistant.” I eat another chip. “So, I would get him coffee and stuff?”

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