Page 32 of Wrong Idea

“No!” I laughed, shaking my head. But slowly, the smile on my face died. “I didn’t… we didn’t…” My face turned hot. “Like I said, he was sweet, and he didn’t want me to do anything too fast.”

“Hmm,” he grunted, and I could tell he didn’t want to like that Carver had been a gentleman despite being a liar, but he did.

“For my lunch breaks at the resort?”

“Yeah?”

“You know how I like to walk around the lake?”

“Yeah, even though you shouldn’t be out there all alone. I’ve told you that a million times. That shit’s not safe.”

“I know… Carver would have little picnics set up for me. With lunch and coffee and treats waiting for me. Every single day I worked. Right out by the lake in my favorite spot. That was probably a coincidence but…” I shrugged and kept sharing. “He would meet me at the bus stop and walk me home after my shifts,” I shared. “I told him he didn’t need to do that, that he should probably sleep, but he said my safety came first.”

Stan didn’t say a word, and for some reason, I kept sharing even though every memory physically hurt.

“He helped me package up orders and carried them to the post office for me. He even restocked my kitchen because he said I needed to take better care of myself. And I don’t know how but…” My lip wobbled.

“What?” I glanced up at the man who was the closest thing I had to a dad.

“I fell in love, Stan. I was so stupid! I fell in love with a man I didn’t know was my boss. A man who was playing games and––“ A sob ripped through me, and Stan’s arm wrapped around my shoulder before he pulled me in closer.

“Oh, kid.” He rubbed my head while I cried on his shoulder. “Max, honey, falling in love is never stupid.”

“Maybe it’s not love,” I sniffled. “Maybe I was just in a lot of like with him,” I mustered up. Trying to deny what I felt sounded wrong.

“Now we both know you’re lying.”

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t go back to The Crown now. I need to quit.”

“Why?” he grunted.

“Stan—“

“No. The Crown is your home. We’re your family and?—“

“I think I need to. It’s past time I put in my notice, Stan. I can’t be there forever.”

“Why the hell not? You love that place!”

“Because he’s there! He owns the place! You think I could just go back and pretend he doesn’t exist?”

“Why does it have to be all or nothing?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Stan, are you turning soft on me?”

“Kid—“

“A man like that does not end up with a girl like me!” I laughed. “Look around.”

“I’m looking,” he said, his eyes trained on me.

“He ends up with a better woman.”

“A better… are you dense?” A muffled laugh escaped me, but he ignored me. “There is no better than the woman I’m sitting next to, kid.”

“Oh, please!”

“I see a hard-working young woman who has worked for every single thing she has. A young woman who hasn’t had it easy and has made the best out of every situation.”

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