скачать книгу бесплатно
‘I met a woman yesterday,’ Nick said, without thinking. The unsure stare of the woman from the café leaped into his mind. He wasn’t convinced that he would want to see her again, but making up a story about the first woman who had showed interest in him – at least for a few minutes – might get them off his back for a while.
Theresa’s eyes lit up and David tilted his head to the side.
‘Did you kiss her?’ Evan asked, then James let out an ‘Eww!’
‘You don’t kiss girls you’ve just met,’ Theresa said to the boys and then raised her eyebrows at Nick. ‘And you always ask first.’
‘You talked to a woman. That’s progress,’ David said around a large piece of lasagna.
David and Theresa continued their own conversation about Nick’s love life as if he were steps away from the altar. He wasn’t even sure why he bothered to try to tell them otherwise. Those two could be such gossips at times.
But Nick didn’t mind being the center of their conversation. He liked the banter and the way his shoulders relaxed around his family. David’s house was much different from their parents’. Dad didn’t talk about much other than work. Nick could be himself with his brother and family. It was all he needed after the start to the week he’d had so far.
Chapter 5 (#ulink_a511375a-154d-5c6f-b471-3fa6e3e04064)
Angie woke early the next morning, the sound of her mother’s voice and the banging of kitchen cabinets reverberating in her head. Managing to make her excuses to avoid her mother’s annual cookie baking session, Angie grabbed the keys to Donato’s rusty old wagon and nearly sprinted out the door to leave for Reese’s house.
As she climbed into the driver’s seat, she couldn’t help but feel a small pang of guilt in her chest. Her mother had been so excited to have Angie home, she knew that she just wanted to enjoy all the festive activities that the season allowed while Angie was around. But Angie was all too aware that she wasn’t going to find her next job from sitting around all day in her mum’s kitchen. None of the hotels called her back, and each time she tried to follow up, one of the assistants blocked her, saying that they would be in touch if they were interested. Angie wanted to see if Reese had reviewed her resume for changes. Making a mental note to set aside some baking time to appease her mother, she dialed Reese’s number in her cellphone, started the ignition and set off to her friend’s house.
***
‘Can I pay you to move back home for good and make my food every day?’ Reese said as she shoveled the last bit of Belgium waffle into her mouth. She licked the syrup from the fork. Angie barely ate two bites in the time Reese had finished hers.
‘You can’t afford me,’ Angie said, unsure that she wouldn’t take any job offered to her. ‘Besides, this is temporary. You’ll have a baby soon.’
‘I’ll need more help than ever.’ Reese walked into the living room and Angie followed with her plate. ‘Everyone keeps telling me how tired I’ll be in the first few months. You know me. I love to sleep.’
‘Is Jer taking any time off?’
‘A little.’ Reese sat on the couch with a little groan. ‘But it’s not going to be enough.’
‘What about his parents?’
‘I’m sure they’ll help.’
Angie sat next to her friend, placing the plate on the table. She propped pillows around Reese. With her hands busy she thought again of what Jeremy said. Reese missed her and she couldn’t help feeling guilty that she didn’t have roots here so that she could be around for her friends. They were happy, but Reese seemed overwhelmed.
‘It will be fine. I don’t think I’m going to the West Coast again, so I’ll be home more often.’
‘That would be nice. Aunty Angie can’t stay away too long.’
Angie didn’t want to get into her next move with Reese quite yet. Especially because she had no plan in mind. ‘Did you look at my resume?’
‘I did. Looks good. No notes from me.’
Angie sensed there was something else Reese wanted to say. But if her resume was flawless and she still didn’t receive any phone calls, maybe the problem was her.
‘I think your luck will turn around soon,’ Reese said.
‘When did you become so wise?’
‘Don’t you know all pregnant women are clairvoyant?’
Angie’s phone rang with an unknown number on the screen. She flipped the phone to show Reese.
‘Who is it?’ Reese asked, leaning over.
‘A job?’ Angie’s heart leaped in her chest. Merry Christmas to me.
‘Answer it,’ Reese said with a huge grin on her face.
Angie picked up the call. ‘This is Angie.’
‘Hi, Angela Martinelli?’ a woman said on the other line.
‘Yes.’ Her heart fluttered in her chest. She wondered which hotel was calling her back. Though it didn’t matter. She was ready to restart her life.
‘This is Carrie from Westford Malls, we received your resume and wanted to have you come in for an interview.’
Reese’s eyes widened before she stood from the couch, faster than Angie had seen her move lately.
Angie shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t—’ Realization flooded through her. Reese pushing Angie to get a job. Asking to see her resume.
‘You didn’t,’ Angie hissed at her best friend.
‘Excuse me?’ Carrie asked from the other line.
Reese shook her head, but even she couldn’t hide the mischievous grin from her face.
‘I, um …’ Angie’s mind went blank.
‘We have a ten-thirty interview slot tomorrow morning. Can you make it into our corporate offices for then?’ Carrie asked.
Angie fisted the fabric of the throw pillow next to her.
Reese’s gaze wandered around the room.
‘Ms Martinelli?’ Carrie’s voice rang in Angie’s ear. ‘Do we have a bad connection?’
Angie shook her head, though it wasn’t as if Carrie could see her. It was the first job offer she’d received, even though it was unsolicited.
‘Yes, I can be there for ten-thirty.’ She hadn’t interviewed in a while, and this could be a practice round before the interviews for the hotel jobs.
‘See you then,’ Carrie said before hanging up.
Angie sunk into the silence on the other line before putting her phone down.
‘At least you have an interview,’ Reese said.
‘I can’t believe you did that behind my back.’
‘You need money. This is your chance at a job. You already have experience there.’
‘I told you I don’t want to work at the mall, especially around Christmas.’
‘What’s your alternative? Sitting around, waiting for your phone to ring? That’s not the Angie I know. Besides, your severance money will only last so long.’
With an apologetic email back from Melissa, the money had landed in Angie’s account later than expected. At least someone from her previous job was on her side. It would last her a little while, but she didn’t have a backup plan if no one from the other hotels returned her phone calls. Anxiety filled Angie’s chest.
‘What if I run into someone I know and have to explain why I’m back home and working there?’
‘Who cares what people think?’
Angie cared, but she wasn’t going to say that to Reese. Her best friend was right on all accounts. Angie needed money, and no one was calling her with a job offer.
‘I didn’t apply for any particular position, just at the mall in general,’ Reese said. ‘I’m sure you will be able to have your pick.’
‘Well, thanks for that,’ Angie deadpanned.
‘What are best friends for?’ said Reese, ignoring the sarcasm. ‘Now, I’m thinking we can put a good dent in my Christmas romance movie list before you are busy with work!’
Angie sat back against the couch, propping her feet on the coffee table. Work. At the mall? A place she never thought she would return to. She had no idea what to expect tomorrow, but she wasn’t going to allow her situation to put her in a mood. This hiccup was temporary. It had to be. Once one of the jobs called back, she would move on. It was the only thought she could have to ease the ache in her chest at her current situation.
Angie would enjoy the movie marathon with Reese and worry about tomorrow when it arrived.
***
On the day of her interview, Angie tried on a few of her more business casual outfits. Most of her suits were a little over the top for the position she was going for, but she wasn’t going to dress like a slob.
To delay the inevitable, she checked herself out in the mirror for longer than necessary. Brett would have laughed at her if he saw how she had lost everything.
At the thought of him, she narrowed her eyes, wishing she could show him how much better off she was without him. Or would be when she finally landed another amazing job. He had tended to put others down. Her rose-colored glasses had prevented her from understanding that part of him.
Angie lifted her chin. She wasn’t going to let him ruin another part of her life.
***
The closer she got to the mall, the more her stomach churned. She wasn’t sure why she was so nervous.
Once she’d parked, she had fifteen minutes until her interview. The corporate offices were at the rear of the mall through a separate entrance. She recalled interviewing there in high school, and all of it looked the same.
Angie took several deep breaths as she rode the elevator. She knew this wasn’t her dream job, but the quiver in her stomach was still there, making her legs wobbly as she stepped out onto the floor for the corporate offices.
She headed over to the desk toward a young woman with a headset. There were already several people in the waiting area possibly competing for the same job as her. They ranged from teenagers to a man in his sixties.
‘I’m Angie Martinelli. I have an appointment.’
‘Have a seat,’ the woman said with a broad smile. She seemed closer to Angie’s age. Maybe there was an opening in the office? She could see herself temporarily working there.
After sitting in one of the plush chairs, she glanced around the space. If she worked there, at least she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew.
A few minutes later, a familiar person darkened the doorway. ‘Angie?’
Angie stood and did a double take. She locked eyes with Maya Taylor and froze. Angie and Maya weren’t enemies in school, but not exactly friends either. They were in direct competition on the cross-country track team, and Maya never allowed Angie to forget any of her record-breaking times.
‘Maya?’
Maya looked at the paper in her hands, then back to Angie. She plastered on a smirk. ‘This way.’
Maya led Angie into a small conference room, overlooking the tall buildings surrounding them. On the way, she couldn’t help thinking that Maya held her immediate future in her hands. Surely they were both mature enough to not bring their old rivalry into their working worlds.
‘When I saw your cover letter and resume come through, I had to see if it was you,’ Maya said.
‘It’s me.’ Angie couldn’t even look at her. Once again, Maya had the upper hand. So much for not holding on to their high school pasts.
‘You were let go from your previous job in California?’ Maya asked, placing Angie’s resume on the table between them.
It was a standard question, but Maya could make anything sound like an insult. ‘It was time for a change. This is only a temporary job.’
‘Considering the Christmas season, that’s all we have for now,’ Maya said as if it were a challenge. ‘You are coming into the season later than usual. Most holiday jobs become available at the beginning of November. Black Friday and all that.’ She lifted a second sheet of paper from behind Angie’s resume.
Angie craned her neck to see the paper.
‘Are you good with kids?’ Maya asked.
‘Sure, why?’
‘We have one spot open for a photographer at the Santa booth in the food court.’
Angie cleared her throat, unable to fathom wearing whatever costume they required for working with Santa. ‘Is there anywhere else?’
Maya sighed as if Angie was wasting her time – but Angie was determined their relationship in high school wasn’t going to affect how she spent the next month of her life.
‘We have three retail positions,’ she said. ‘Four in food service. Also, an opening for an information specialist.’
‘That was the last job I had when I worked here,’ Angie said, jumping at the opportunity. Working at the information booth at the center of the mall would give her a lot of downtime to continue her real job search.
‘You’re a bit overqualified.’
‘I’m interested. I figured there would be a pay cut, but I don’t mind.’ When she came to the mall, she wasn’t thrilled about taking a job, but Angie couldn’t stand the pitying looks Maya kept throwing her. She wanted to prove Maya wrong, that she could overcome her situation.
‘All right. I have other interviews today. I’ll get back to you soon.’
‘Thank you,’ Angie said, but Maya was out of her seat already.
Angie showed herself out, glancing over her shoulder. Maya was gone, but she hoped their past wouldn’t affect her present.
***
