Looking at job postings had become so second-nature, I clicked to my saved search while I drank my coffee every Saturday morning without even thinking about it. Yes, I had a job—thank goodness—but working for a small-town newspaper that might be on the verge of closing wasn’t exactly ideal.
Although it was growing on me.
Still, I’d come here intending to take some time to get back on my feet, and that’s what I was doing. I needed to keep looking ahead to the next step.
And I wondered if I’d just found it.
The ad was for a marketing communications manager for a brewery and restaurant chain. That would be kind of cool. They wanted a background in either PR, marketing, or journalism. Heck, I had all three. And it was in Seattle, which was fine. It wasn’t Pinecrest, and when it came to location, that was my main requirement.
I sipped my coffee as I filled out the online application and sent a copy of my resume. I didn’t expect much. I’d applied to about a zillion jobs when I’d been unemployed. But you never knew. This could have been the opportunity I’d been waiting for.
My phone rang—my mom—so I picked it up and answered.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Did I catch you at a good time?”
“Yeah, just finishing my coffee. What’s up?”
“I’m just calling to check in and see how you’re doing.”
“That’s nice of you. I’m doing fine.”
“How’s work? Are you getting settled in at your job?”
There was a hint of what might have been anxiety in her voice, like she was concerned about my answer. “Yeah, I am.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Why is that a relief?” I got up and grabbed a dog treat for Max from a jar on the kitchen counter and tossed it into the living room for him.
“You just spent a good stretch of time unemployed. I’d hate for you to find this job doesn’t suit you, especially since you went to all the trouble to move.”
“That’s true. I guess I can’t say it’s my ideal job, but it’s going okay so far.”
“Plus I’m not sure how I’d explain it if you were to leave right away.”
“Explain to whom?”
“Oh, you know, the ladies here in Pinecrest. They’re always interested to hear how you’re doing.”
I leaned against the counter, suddenly filled with suspicion. “What did you tell them about me?”
“There were just some less than flattering rumors going around. Obviously I couldn’t let people talk about us that way.”
“What way? What were the rumors?”
“Don’t worry about it, honey.”
“I’m not worried, I’d just like to know.”
She took a deep breath. “Just that you’d fallen on hard times and were out of work.”
“That’s not a rumor, that’s true. I was out of work.”
“Yes, but only for a minute. I’d hardly call it falling on hard times.”
“My bank account would argue with you. And why are you worried about whether people in Pinecrest know I was laid off for a while?”
“You’re Audrey Young. People expect things of you. They expect things of us.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think it’s going to ruin your reputation in Pinecrest if people know I was unemployed.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. Besides, look at you now, associate editor of a newspaper.”
“I’m not associate editor. I’m not actually sure what my job title is. Reporter, I guess? But I’m not in charge of anything.”
“Let’s not argue semantics. It’s a very reputable job.”
Why did it sound like she was trying to convince herself of that? “Mom, what are you worried about?”
“I’m not worried about anything. I just want to make sure you take full advantage of this opportunity.”
“So you don’t have to tell your friends that I’m unemployed again.”
“That’s not what I said.”
I rubbed my forehead. I was starting to get a headache. “Mom.”
“Being a member of this family comes with certain responsibilities. I know you didn’t choose it. But do the royals choose their family? No, of course not. And yet they do what’s expected of them. They do their duty.”
“We are not the royals.”
“No, but here in Pinecrest, the Young name means something. It carries a certain weight and it’s up to me to see it through.”
“And I’m not carrying my weight, is that what you’re trying to say?”
“Of course not.” Her attempt to sound mollifying made my head hurt. “You’re doing a great job. I know that. But sometimes maintaining the right appearance requires a little spin. You worked in PR, you know all about that.”
I wanted to tell her that you shouldn’t have to do PR for your adult daughter but my conflict avoidance instincts were screaming at me to end the conversation, not argue with her. “Well, everything is fine here, so you don’t need to worry.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I should let you go. Duchess is giving me the look that means I’m a few minutes late with her snack.”
“Okay, Mom. Talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
I set my phone down and glanced at Max. “I honestly don’t know how to deal with her sometimes. Do you?”
His tongue fell out of the side of his mouth, as if he were currently unaware of its existence.
“I didn’t think so. Let’s go outside.”
Max dashed to the door to wait for me while I put on my flip flops. Then I grabbed a ball and took him out front to play.
There was something oddly therapeutic about playing fetch with my dog. Maybe it was the fresh air or the warmth of the sun on my skin. Or Max’s pure and unadulterated joy as he chased the ball and brought it back, over and over. Probably all of the above. Regardless, it was a great way to work off stress. Good for me, and good for my dog? Win-win.
Josiah wandered outside and stood next to his truck while he talked to someone on his phone. I tossed the ball for Max and moved toward his driveway. Not so I could get closer to him. I was just trying to maximize my ball-throwing space and make sure I didn’t accidentally toss it into the street.
Likely story, Audrey.
“That’s not going to happen,” Josiah said.
There was a hardness to his voice that made my stomach tingle. It reminded me of the way he’d talked to Colin at the bar the other night. Trying to ignore it, and him, I picked up the ball and threw it again.
“I don’t care if it’s your most popular color, it’s not what I ordered.”
Max dropped the ball about six feet from me. He loved playing fetch but he wasn’t always good at it. I walked over and tossed it for him again.
“Not my issue,” Josiah said, then paused. “This ends in one of two ways. Either you make it right by tomorrow or you refund my money.” Another pause. “Good. Anytime after seven.”
He ended the call and slid the phone into his back pocket.
That’s when I realized I was staring at him. With my mouth open.
“What?” he asked.
“Sorry. Nothing.” I glanced around, looking for the ball, but Max had left it by his pee tree and was sniffing the ground. “Is everything okay?”
He hesitated, as if he were deciding whether or not to talk to me. “The flooring place messed up our order.”
“That’s frustrating. How did they mess it up?”
“They delivered the wrong product. Instead of engineered bamboo in antique java, I have a stack of vinyl plank in tawny oak.”
“Tawny oak doesn’t sound very appealing.”
“It’s not.”
“And vinyl plank isn’t even the same thing.”
“Exactly.”
Were we connecting? I felt like maybe we were connecting. Or maybe I was just parroting back what he’d said and we were about to run out of things to talk about.
My heart beat a couple more times and neither of us said anything.
This was about to get awkward. What should I say? I wanted him to invite me inside to look at the house but I couldn’t seem to make my voice work to ask. He was so broody and intimidating.
“Do you want go in and see the house?” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder.
“Yes.” My voice came out as an overly excited squeak. I cleared my throat and tried again, trying to fake as much chill as possible. “I mean, yeah, sure. Is it okay if Max comes?”