Page 35 of My Ex for Christmas
Sam sticks her tongue out at me, but she mercifully does as I ask. “How’s the interview process going?”
Did I say she was merciful?
I grimace. “Not great.”
“The candidates are all duds?”
With a sigh, I cross my free arm over my chest. “They’ve beenfine, but not as great of a fit as I would like. They all have ideas for ways to improve the resort, take it to the next level, but…”
“But they’re notyourideas.”
I rear back, though I shouldn’t be shocked. My sister has never pulled any punches with me. “What doesthatmean?”
Sam chuckles. “Nothing bad, Hadley. I just meant that you’ve come to like the resort while you’ve been staying there, so handing over control wouldn’t be easy. Hell, at this point you might as well just keep the job yourself.”
Something Brooks said a week ago niggles in the back of my brain.Does it make you happy?Being Thiago’s assistant doesn’t make meunhappy. But I’ve been operating under the idea that those are the same thing. They’re not, though. Or they shouldn’t be.
“Do you think I could? Be the manager?” I ask. The words are quiet, and I’m a little surprised I said them at all.
She only raises a brow, as if to say,Duh. “Hadley. You alreadyare. You’d run circles around any of those candidates you interview.”
My eyes narrow playfully. “You’re just saying that so I move home permanently.”
To this, she mimes drawing a halo over her head, complete with a smile full of angelic innocence. “I wouldnever. But you have to admit it would be nice to actually see each other every once in a while. I’m bummed we’ve both been so busy.”
For the past eight years, it’s been a visit here and there between us. Sam has flown to Brazil a couple times, and she’s met up with me when I’ve been in the States or Europe with Thiago. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss her terribly.
“That would be nice,” I admit. Then I chew on my lip as I mull it over, before ultimately shaking my head. “No, I can’t. Mr. Oliveira needs me.”
My sister all but growls at that. “You have been making that man’s life exponentially easier for the past five years. He’ll be just fine if the worst thing he has to do when you quit is hire a new assistant. You have to think aboutyou.”
I sigh. “I’ll consider it.”
She nods. “Good. That’s all I ask.”
We spend a couple minutes talking about her job and her new girlfriend. But then the bathroom door opens, and steam billows out ahead of Brooks. I fight to keep my expression from shifting, but shit, I need to end this conversation fast.
I open my mouth to say goodbye to Sam, but I’m too late.
“Hey,” Brooks says as he saunters my way. Thankfully, he’s half clothed and not only wearing a towel. “Do you wanna grab breakfast before?—”
Sam gasps. Loudly. “Oh. My.God.”
In a fit of panic, I throw my phone facedown on the bed. Brooks looks on in amusement, not at all sorry that he outed us. But I’d like to see him unexpectedly facehissisters and their unrelenting inquisition about the status of our not-a-relationship.
“Hadley Marie Knight! You filthyliar!” Sam yells. Her voice is muffled by the sheets. “Pick me up! Iwanna say hi.”
Now Brooks full-on laughs beside me, and when I don’t make a move to retrieve my phone, he does it for me.
Throwing an arm over my shoulders, which Iknowhe’s only doing to make my face turn even redder, he holds the phone up so we’re in frame.
“Hey, Sam,” he says, casual as ever.
My sister shakes her head. “No way. You don’t get to be casual about this! This is not casual news!”
“Please drop it,” I plead, hands covering my eyes.
“No way in hell isthathappening.” She laughs. “I want details! Okay, wait. Definitely notthosedetails. But you’ve gotta give me something!”
