Page 2 of Taken Home By the Grizzly

Her eyes turn huge and liquid. “But, Zoe, I don’t want to leave you alone. We had plans together.”

“We were just gonna roast a chicken and watch some Christmas movies or something.” We worked the entire holiday season, so we were planning to have a late Christmas in January, just the two of us.

She rolls her eyes. “Doesn’t matter. We promised to spend it together.”

“But sometimes life throws a spanner in the works.” Like a gigantic, unemployment-shaped spanner. “Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out.”

“Like what?”

I let out an elephantine sigh. “I mean, you’re right, no one’s hiring right after the holidays. I was up all night going through the job sites. But there’s just nothing.” Annnd my rent is due, and there’s no way I’ll be able to make it. But I don’t want to tell her that.

“So…?” She lifts her shoulders and looks at me beseechingly.

“No,” I say firmly. “And that’s final.”

Her eyes narrow. “I think there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Darn. She knows me too well. “Actually, there was this one job…”

“What for?” she says eagerly.

“Oh, no. It’s not right for me.”

“Zoe, you’re so talented, but you always sell yourself short. Here, let me have a look.”

With a sigh, I pick up my phone, scroll to the job ad and hand it over to her.

“Nanny wanted for winter season. Competitive rates of pay and comfortable accommodation in traditional mountain home. All-expenses-paid. Must love lively children,” she reads out loud.

I give a violent shudder.

“But this is perfect! Job and accommodation in one.” Her eyes are sparkling with enthusiasm.

“Except that I have zero experience or ability to deal with kids.”

Chrissie shrugs. “Kids are easy. You just have fun with them and make sure they don’t kill themselves, or each other.”

I groan. “You say that because you come from a big family. I was an only child.”

“Exactly!You were a child once. Just remember what you liked. What made you happy.”

Iwasa child, but that whole formative years thing ended early for me. That’s the part I don’t tell Chrissie about. Despite her best efforts to get it out of me, I never talk about my past. Ever since I reached adulthood, I’ve just wanted to focus on the future. Focus on getting through life without feeling like a total freak. And I always knew I never wanted to have kids.

“Maybe it will be good for you.”

I sigh. “Who the hell is going to employ me?”

“Someone who sees what a good heart you have, and how dedicated you are to everything you do.”

I snort, remembering how I almost pelted a small child in the face with a snowball as big as his head.

“Pity the kid who ends up with me,” I mutter.

“Just give them a call, Zoe. At least find out if you get on with each other.”

I finish up the last dregs of my coffee. “Think I’ll just go around town today, see if anyone wants to hire me to do anything at all.”

I follow Chrissie’s gaze to the window. It’s snowingagain, and it looks like a freezing, gray wilderness out there.

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