Page 114 of Tumbleweed Temptation
Yasmine set her purse on her knees. “Why are you quitting?”
“I’m going to take over the diner for Janine. She wants to retire, and she’s always wanted me to take it.”
“So why did you leave?”
“Because I wanted to try something different. This,” she motioned to the office, “wasn’t for me.”
It had been, though. She’d loved working with Austin and brainstorming ways to help the town, and seeing people, and caring for them. But she supposed she’d be doing the same thing at the diner, in a lesser capacity.
“Why not?” Yasmine asked.
Ginny struggled for an excuse. “I don’t know. I guess I appreciate the more casual atmosphere of the diner to this.”
She’d just be on her feet a lot more. And have less free time. She was going to have to cut way back on her editing, maybe give it up altogether. That gave her a twinge she wasn’t prepared for.
“Austin and Marianne interviewed me months ago, so I guess I’m surprised you wanted to interview me again.”
“Yes, I found the notes they made, and I guess I just wanted to make sure you still knew the expectations of the office, and see if you had any questions. Since I’ve been working here, I can give you more insight into the job. When they interviewed you before, they were just starting out, so they might not have let you know everything you need to know to work here, if that makes sense.”
“It does.”
Ginny launched into her spiel, which she’d written last night just to keep herself on track.
“Austin’s going to have the final say, and I have a few more people to interview, including some who interviewed before, and some new people. I’ll go over my notes with him, and we’ll let you know. We have interviews this week and next week, then we’ll make our decision. Are there any questions you have for me, or for Austin?”
“I’m just really wanting to work here because my family needs the money, and it would be great to work in town, not have to drive to Kimmel or San Angelo, you know.”
“I get it,” Ginny said, feeling another twinge. She was going to be making a decision that was going to help one person, but might hurt so many others.
*****
SHE WASN’T EXPECTINGto see Austin that night as she locked up the office, but he dragged himself through the front door of the building as she tucked her keys away.
Her heart jumped. She hadn’t seen him all weekend—she’d skipped the gathering at The Wheel House just because she was so behind on her editing.
And hurting. She and Austin had talked about everything for weeks, but since they’d slept together, they didn’t talk at all.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” His expression had brightened when he saw her, and her own spirits lifted when she recognized the pleasure in his smile.
“I was doing interviews today. For my replacement.”
He winced, almost imperceptibly. “I can’t talk you out of that?”
She set her jaw. He could, probably, but he needed to open up, first. “It needs to be done. Janine told her you were urging her to retire anyway.”
“Yeah, but I expected her to sell or something. Not steal you back.”
“I guess it’s only fair.” She tried for a smile, knew she failed miserably.
He leaned his shoulder against the wall outside the office door. “Look, I know we haven’t been spending a lot of time together. I have a lot going on, and I’m sorry about that. I thought, you know, I thought it would be easier being a doctor here, but everything seems to be becoming more personal. Did you get a chance to talk to Mrs. Lopez? About if people are buying the groceries?”
She’d thought they’d go talk to her together, but he’d been leaving so early every day. “I haven’t had a chance.”
He glanced at his watch. “Too late to go now. She’s already closed for the day.”
“And probably too late to cancel the competition at Delgado’s.”
“Do we really want to do that?”
