Page 15 of Love is a Game

Sadie’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. It was the same old complaint; she worked too hard and didn’t visit often enough, but hearing her mom say it in front of someone else, in front of Andrew, stung more than usual. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Julie’s sympathetic expression but her sister said nothing. The conversational gap stretched into an awkward silence.

Finally, Andrew cleared his throat and Sadie shot him a glance. She was surprised to see he was no longer smiling. She would have expected him to be reveling in her discomfort. Instead, he looked just as uncomfortable as she did.

“You must be very proud,” he said, “now that she’s a big hotel exec.”

Sadie shook her head. “I’m not an executive.”

“You should be! If that Archer would just give you the recognition you deserve—”

“Mom, please, don’t start this again,” Sadie hissed, her cheeks reddening even more.

“Who’s Archer?” Andrew asked.

“Sadie’s boss,” Tyson told him, then leaned close and whispered, “We don’t like him.”

Andrew nodded, giving Sadie a one-sided smile. “I see.” Apparently, he had overcome his discomfort.

She glared at him.

Her mom placed another serving of mashed potatoes on Andrew’s plate and explained, “Sadie has been slaving away all these years for a man who relies on her too much to give her the promotion she deserves.”

“That’s not true,” she said, shaking her head in frustration. “I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for him. I’ve applied for other positions; I haven’t gotten them. It happens. That’s not his fault. It just hasn’t been the right fit yet.”

Her mom huffed. “I just think Archer doesn’t appreciate what he has in you. It’s not right to keep you running around from state to state the way you do. You should be the head of the department by now.”

They’d had this conversation before, but after the phone call with Archer, it hurt worse than usual. The whole conversation was a painful reminder that she wasn’t where she’d hoped to be by that point in her career. She had been trying for over a year to become a brand director, applying to open positions in Maddox’s regional offices across the country. Two weeks earlier she had even interviewed with the office in Salt Lake, but she didn’t want to tell her family that, especially in front of Andrew. If she didn’t get the job, she wanted to keep her disappointment to herself.

“Honestly, I would’ve thought Sadie would be running her own business by now,” Andrew said.

“Because she’s so good at bossing people around?” Julie asked, eliciting laughs from the rest of the family.

Sadie could feel Andrew’s eyes on her but she refused to look up. It felt like one of those nightmares where she went to work in her underwear. Wasn’t there something else they could talk about?

“She has a way of getting things done,” he clarified. “She’s assertive. Hardworking, as you said. I guess I always thought she would prefer to be the one in charge.”

“See, Sadie?” Camille asked, “That’s what it sounds like to be appreciated. Isn’t that nice?”

Sadie braced her hands against the table. Maybe it was the long day; maybe it was the news from Archer. Whatever it was, she had no patience for that kind of judgment. “Maybe I should just quit,” she said sarcastically. “Give up the career I went to school for and get a job back here in Briar Cove. Seems like the popular thing to do these days.” Her words sounded more harsh than she’d intended but she didn’t stop. “Apparently, the library will hire just about anybody. Why don’t I start there?”

Andrew winked at her. “Unfortunately, that position has been filled, but I hear the post office is hiring.”

“Perfect,” she snapped. “If that doesn’t work out, I’ll teach choir at the high school. I can’t sing worth a darn, but I guess that doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sure any establishment in town would be lucky to have you,” Andrew said, looking her right in the eye with that smug smile she hated so much.

“Hey, have you two had a chance to talk about the Cypress Hotel?” Bob asked. “I told Sadie she ought to help you bring the old place back to life.”

Andrew’s smile wilted. “We did talk a little,” he said tentatively.

“I haven’t spoken to Archer about it yet,” Sadie explained. “I’ll have to wait and see if Maddox would be interested.”

“Wait.” Andrew’s head snapped toward her. “If Maddox would be interested in what?”

“Purchasing the hotel,” she told him. “They have plans to expand along the coastline. I think the Cypress would be a great fit.”

Andrew worked his jaw. “You want the Cypress to become part of a franchise?”

“You say that as if it’s a Motel 7. Maddox is top of the line. With that kind of backing, the Cypress would get all the updates it needs to be successful.”