Page 12 of Love in the Details

Now all she could do was wait for the answer to whether or not she got the job.

“What are you cleaning now?” her mother asked, walking into the upstairs bathroom.

Kassidy raised an old toothbrush from where she’d been scrubbing around the base of the toilet.“Your sons are disgusting, by the way,” she said, raising a lip in disgust.

“You don’t have to tell me that. I’ve been cleaning around toilets since I potty-trained Easton all those years ago. You’d think they would know by now to clean it up themselves.” She stepped into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub. “Still haven’t heard back yet, huh?”

Kassidy did everything she could to keep from glancing at her phone again in the hopes that maybe she’d missed the call or something. If Dustin Wakefield kept his word and even bothered to call her.But then again, the way he’d said it made her think he would keep his word.

The last twenty-four hours had been near torturous. The waiting was killing her because if by some chance she did get the job, she’d have to cram three months’ worth of planning into three weeks.

She’d run down the battery on her phone from just turning the screen on and off all day, but she’d never wanted something more than this chance at a new career, one she could create on her own and not from following Walker’s footsteps and joining the rodeo.

“Nothing yet. I just figured I’d stay busy.”

“You’ve more than done that if you’re on the floor in the bathroom. What if we head into town? I need to get some things for the youth activity I’m in charge of tomorrow, and it might be good for you to see outside the four walls of our house.”

Kassidy tossed the toothbrush down and grinned. ”Yes! Please, let’s go do something.”

Her mom chuckled, and Kassidy headed into her room to grab the plaid jacket she’d bought last year. It was one of the warmest things she owned, and she loved the print.

“Ready,” she said, heading down the stairs a couple at a time.

“You’re not going to change out of your old jeans?” her mom asked, pointing to the paint-splattered pair Kassidy had donned.

Kassidy shrugged. “I don’t think we’ll see anyone anyway. I’ll be fine.”

Famous last words.

Twenty minutes later, they walked into the small drugstore, veering to the small section of craft supplies. They’d tried the town’s slightly larger craft store first, only to find a note that the owner was at her son’s wrestling match at the high school and had closed the shop early. One of the downsides to living in a town so small.

“Is that all you need?” Kassidy asked, her arms full of glue and pipe cleaners.

“I think so. Ooo, there’s some of those mints you like. Let’s get some.” Her mother grabbed the package of small chocolate mints Kassidy bought when she needed a little pick-me-up.

“You don’t think I got the job, do you?” Kassidy said, a slight whine in her voice. Her mother was the fount of all positivity. If she didn’t believe Kassidy would get the job, then Kassidy’s hopes would be dashed even before she heard the final decision from Wakefield Mansion.

“I just think we shouldn’t give up yet. There are still a few hours left in the day. Maybe he got busy and hasn’t made a decision yet.”

Kassidy dropped the items onto the counter next to the register and covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know why I even thought I had a chance.”

Her mother tugged at Kassidy’s wrists, pulling her hands away. “Because you are an amazing event planner, and I can only imagine how that interview went. If anything, he doesn’t hire you because you were too persuasive.”

“That makes me feel so much better, Mom,” Kassidy said, rolling her eyes.

Her mother laughed, and they both turned to the cashier who was giving them an odd smile.

Once the order was rung up and paid for, Kassidy and her mom trudged out of the store. Kassidy glanced up at the parking lot, her eyes locking on a familiar car pulling into a parking space. Two spots over from her mom’s SUV.

“Umm...did you forget anything?” Kassidy asked, grabbing her mom’s wrist and trying to turn her back inside the store. But as usual for Tonya McBride, she put up a fight, twisting her arm enough that Kassidy let go.

“What is wrong with you?” her mom asked through gritted teeth.

Kassidy turned her back to the parking lot and leaned closer. “Mr. Wakefield just pulled into the parking lot.”

She’d just run into him at the grocery store on Saturday, when he’d rammed his cart into her leg. And now he was coming to the drugstore? If only she could find a way to not see him, because she knew this hope she’d had of working at the mansion would be killed just by seeing pity on Dustin’s perfect face.

A light breeze brushed against her cheek, and she turned to find her mother walking in the direction of the car. “Come on, Kassidy. Now’s your chance.”

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