Page 13 of Wishing for Love
“There is no such thing,” he said.
He’d gotten all his shipments out from his online orders and the department store that he’d signed a contract with. The money in his account had helped and given him some breathing room for now, but there were more things to deal with than that since he produced the material for his bags from recycled plastic.
Machines broke down, vendors to get the plastic to be right, supplies he needed to recycle the plastic. Staffing issues. The list was endless and he just needed to get his home life in line.
If that was even possible right now.
The one person he always talked to about this crazy shit was gone from his life. It felt like a double-edged sword in his gut.
5
MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR HER
Crystal took a deep breath and rang the bell for the second time today. Time for a second first impression. This time from a child.
She was still dressed the same as she was earlier and had battled a war on whether she should change or not.
Since she was looking at this as a second interview, it was best to keep it professional.
She didn’t know the last time she wanted something so badly and hoped to hell she didn’t blow this like she had so many other interviews for jobs in her life.
But those were the ones she didn’t want and didn’t try hard at. Or didn’t care. Or maybe it was a combination of both.
This...this she wanted!
Phoenix opened the door. He was just as handsome as she remembered from a few hours ago. His hair was messier as if he was stressed and running his hands through it, but she found it more adorable in her eyes. That might be the biggest issue she could see in taking this job.
But she was good at controlling her bodily urges, so she’d be fine. She hoped so, because there she was already going down anegative path when she needed to think positively. She couldn’t let anything stand in the way of this job.
For all she knew, he was taken anyway. That was how she’d think of it.
“Hi, Crystal. Thanks for coming back so quickly.”
“No problem,” she said. “It was my pleasure.”
“Come in. My mother and Elsie are in the kitchen. We can go back there.”
“Would you like my shoes on or off?” she asked. She wouldn’t have done that for the interview, but now that she was walking through the house, it was only polite to ask.
“You can keep them on,” he said. “I’m not that formal.”
She’d noticed his office was neat but not so organized that she felt he was OCD about it.
As she moved down the hall, there was what she’d consider a formal living room to one side and then some doors on the other that were open. A guest room, then a pink bedroom full of toys. Had to be Elsie’s. Then a hall bath.
Across from those rooms had been a dining room after the living room. This place was much bigger than she’d thought it’d be.
“Hello, Crystal,” Carolina said. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“You too,” she said. “Smells like sauce in here. I love Italian food. And you must be Elsie.”
“You’re pretty,” Elsie said.
“Awww,” she said. “Not as pretty as you. I love the sparkles in your sneakers.”
“My mother liked sparkly things too. I asked Uncle Nix if you sparkled like your name.”
Crystal lifted her eyebrow over “Uncle Nix” but wouldn’t say anything else. “One of my brothers always said I did. But that is because I like to be a girl. He was all boy...liked mud and trucks and that is dirty.”