Claudine popped her gum again, nodding.“Sure, doll.Anything else?”
I shouldn’t be spending money on pancakes when I had a perfectly fine packet of instant noodles waiting in the office for me.Ordering anything else would mean there would be no money left for dinner.
Shaking my head, I passed her the menu.“No thanks.”
Vance grunted his assent, and she rushed away to greet the group who’d just stepped through the doors.
He turned his full attention back to me.“How long have you worked for Malena?”
I fiddled with the necklace my mother had given me for my sixteenth birthday and I never took off.It was a nervous habit that I’d never been able to break.“About six months.”
I didn’t mention that she’d basically forced me to take the job.I had no experience as a personal assistant.I had no degree.But my friends believed in me.And thanks to them, I didn’t have to find a low-paying job and end up with no health insurance.
Now, I was an assistant slash receptionist with excellent health insurance.I’d never be able to repay them for their help.And I’d never tell them how much I still struggled.Because despite the pay I so desperately needed, I couldn’t work full-time hours because I had nobody to watch the kids.
The money I earned simply wasn’t enough to feed myself and two little kids while also paying rent.
Childcare would chew up a lot of money.If I worked full-time, I would have to spend most of my money on hiring someone to watch the kids.We wouldn’t be much better off than before, and I’d spend a lot less time with my girls.
It wouldn’t be so bad if Cockalorum would pay child support.But since there was no way I’d ask him to and risk losing my kids, I had to do things on my own.
Everything would be better once I sold the house.Running the pool cost more than I would pay in rent at my new apartment.
“Do you like it?”
I’d never thought I’d end up there.But I did like it.I liked spending time with my friends.I liked talking to clients.So I nodded, a small smile on my face.“It’s been great.And I appreciate everything they’ve done for me.They took a chance on me when they didn’t have to.”
“It’s okay to let other people help you, Mae.You don’t have to go it alone.”
I guess there was a reason he was so good at his job.He knew how to read people.Annoying.
“If I hadn’t let them help me, I wouldn’t have accepted the job.”
“Yet you don’t think you’re good enough for the job.Which I know isn’t true.”
“You barely know me.I might be an absolute disaster of a receptionist and office assistant.”
He cocked an eyebrow at me.
I sat back in the booth, crossing my arms and raising my own eyebrow.
We kept staring at each other, neither willing to break first.Why did he have to be so damn good-looking?
I was a single mom going through a divorce.He was a highly successful lawyer who could have anyone he wanted.Yet I couldn’t fight the damn attraction I had for him.Feelings obviously didn’t care about practical things.
When our food arrived, I did the only logical thing and shoved the pancakes into my mouth as if I hadn’t eaten in days.But I was only human.There was only so much Vance I could survive.My only mission at that moment was to get back to the office so I could hide behind my computer screen.
“When are you moving into the apartment?”
I swallowed the giant pancake ball stuck in my throat, then took a sip of iced tea to help it slide down so I wouldn’t add choking to my list of accomplishments for today.“Next Saturday.”
“Did you hire someone?”
I wish.But I didn’t say that out loud.“Keely and Malena are helping, and Thad and Sebastian will be there as well.”
I knew he had met Thad, but when I mentioned Sebastian, his brow furrowed.“Who’s Sebastian?”
“Nora’s husband.She’s offered to watch the kids while we move.”
