Page 4 of Dilectio

Kate's eyes widen. "He must have been pretty interested in you!"

I blush and shake my head. "No," I reply, trying to sound nonchalant. "He was just being nice." But my mind is flooded with memories of his ruggedly handsome face and deep voice. His eyes were so intense that they seemed to look right into my soul. I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts from my mind.

"Girl, have you looked in the mirror lately? You're beautiful and smart. Any guy would be lucky to have you," she smirks.

I laugh and shake my head. "Yeah, right."

Kate purses her lips and then changes the subject. "So, what will you do about your grandmother's house?"

My heart sinks as I think about my grandmother, who has been through so much lately. "I'm hoping to get this nanny job with a rich family. It pays well, and that can help us with the mortgage payments. The interview process is a beast—a lot of NDAs and background checks. I don't even know the name of the family. I'm working with their assistant and the staffing agency."

I take another punch at the bag. Sweat drips down the sides of my face. "If I pass all their checks, I go to the family’s home to meet my employer."

Kate says, slightly out of breath, "That's so mysterious." She pulls her long black hair up in a bun.

"Yeah, the recruiter says that's how it always is with high-profile clients." I step away from the bag to wipe my face with a towel. "But it's the only job that pays enough to help my grandmother. So, I'm going for it."

Kate gives me an encouraging smile and pats me on the back. "You got this, Quinn!"

I smile, grateful for her support.

"Now," Kate says in a sultry voice as we leave the kickboxing area of the gym. "All that needs to be done is to set you up with a great guy. Like the guy you met at the store."

"Well, I don't think that will happen. He looks like he's in his late thirties and makes a lot of money. "

"What does he do for a living?"

I shrug. "I didn't ask. Maybe a lawyer or a doctor. I'm sure he has his pick of women."

Walking through the gym, I see the rows of treadmills and weight machines. The floors are lined with black and gray mats, and jump ropes hang from the walls. The smell of sweat mixed with chlorine floats in the air, along with the sound of upbeat music. A few people are scattered around the room, some solo on their machines and others paired off with a partner.

"That may be, but he showed interest in you. Being with an older guy is better than guys our age. Young guys play too many games."

I laugh. "You’re dating a guy our age."

"Yeah, but he's different. I'm lucky to have him. "

I nod, thinking of my love life, which has been non-existent since I broke up with my ex, Liam. He is from a prominent family, and we dated during my senior year. He was arrogant and demanding, but he could be charming and romantic when he wanted to be. It took a year before I realized that I would never mean anything to him, and I ended things abruptly after a humiliating evening at an event with him.

"This Ezra guy and I are never going to be a thing. I've had my fill of rich guys who think they know everything. Besides, I vowed to stay away from men for the rest of the year."

"That's what you say, but someone may come along and change your mind," Kate says with a smile.

I roll my eyes and laugh the comment off. We reach the front door and step out into the parking lot. The sun is just beginning to peek over the tops of the building, casting long shadows across the asphalt. I take a deep breath of fresh morning air, feeling my spirits lift as the smell of damp earth fills my nose. A light breeze ruffles my hair. Despite the early hour, plenty of cars are in the parking lot. People are getting their pre-work workout in.

"Well, good luck with your interview," Kate says with a smile as she hugs me.

"Thanks."

"I have a bunch of boring business conferences that I have to go to, so I will be super busy for a while."

Kate landed a job at a PR firm right out of college.

"As soon as that's over, we are celebrating your new job."

"Sounds good, but I haven't got the job yet," I smile.

"They are going to hire you. You're great with kids and have a ton of amazing references. They're stupid if they don't hire you," she says confidently.

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