Page 38 of Like A Daydream
“My boss,” Andrew says without thinking. Ainsley and JT freeze JT sets his coffee mug down slowly, as if his movement will cause Andrew to bolt. Ainsley folds her hands on the counter.
“Your what?” Ainsley asks.
“Mom,” Andrew says, raising a brow and laying on the sarcasm, “Dad. I got a job.”
“You… got a job?” JT asks, raising a brow. “Like, ajob, job? For minimum wage?”
Andrew nods, grinning as his phone buzzes in his pocket.
“I figured I needed something to do so I’m not just laying around all summer.”
“What kind of job?” Ainsley asks. “With who?”
He looks over at her, trying to decide if he should tell her that he’s working for her mortal enemy, or if he should keep that to himself. He doesn’t want to ruffle feathers.
Especially not when he’s currently living in Ainsley’s house. And when he also might be catching feelings for said mortal enemy.
“You not saying anything tells me it’s something I’m not going to like,” Ainsley says.
“I mean you probably won’t,” Andrew says, “and I don’t want to get kicked out of the house. I have nowhere else to go.”
Ainsley’s eyes widen. “You’re working at the bookstore, aren’t you?”
“How could you have possibly guessed that?” Andrew asks, eyes wide. He looks over at JT. “How could she havepossiblyguessed that?”
“Don’t ask me,” JT says, shrugging his shoulders. He drains his cup of coffee and stands. “I have to head out, and I probably won’t be back until late. We’re hauling from a site that’s about an hour away.”
“Be careful,” Ainsley says, tipping her head up for a kiss. JT obliges, and Andrew pretends to gag.
“Always am,” JT says. “Come on, Sokka.”
The Australian Shepherd scrambles to the front door and follows JT out with an excited bark, leaving Ainsley and Andrew alone in the kitchen.
“You’re working with Danielle?” Ainsley asks, staring at him over her coffee mug, a mix of curiosity and disgust on her face.
“I am,” Andrew says. Better to tell the truth than try to lie again. “I know that she’s someone you don’t like, but I don’t know her in the context that you do. I’m trying to get to know her, because she doesn’t seem that bad.”
“You’re an adult, I can’t stop you,” Ainsley says. “Just watch yourself, I’ve only ever known her to be a snake.”
Andrew nods and tugs a hand through his hair. “I think I’ll get to know her for myself, if that’s okay. She might just prove you wrong.”
“I’ve known her for almost thirty years,” Ainsley says, “as soon as I change my mind, you’ll be the first to know.”
Danielle
She has a crush, and she doesn’t know what to do about it because it is theleastopportune time for this to be happening.
You know, with grief and everything trying to take up most of her time.
She’s been texting with Andrew for the last week, and every single time her phone buzzes she grins in anticipation of what he’s going to say. They have more little details of their lives in common than she ever thought possible. They love the same shows, the same music, they make the same pop-culture references when the moment calls for it.
And he’skind. He’s someone as clear as water.
There’s no deception, no anger, no malice in his words or his attitude. He genuinely has a heart of gold, and is such a caring, loving human it makes her chest ache.
She never thought she’d be this caught up in a hockey player again, not after Jet.
Every time the door to the bookshop opens and he’s standing there with an iced coffee in his hand for her, her heart skips a beat and she has to turn away to hide her smile before taking it.
