I’m not meeting anyone new, that’s for damn sure. I don’t have time. Even when I do get a little downtime, I’m too exhausted to do much else. Or I need to catch up on laundry. Clean up some. Boring shit. My life has turned into work, sleep, eat, repeat.

This means I need to let loose soon and have a little fun.

“Isaac!”

I turn at the feminine voice, smiling when I spot Candice striding toward me. “What’s up, Miss Candice?” I ask as she stops directly in front of me.

“Oh! Too many things to mention.” She glances around, her eyes growing wide when she takes in all the activity surrounding us. “It’s very busy today.”

“It’s that time of year,” I remind her.

“Trust me, I know. I feel like we’ve been building up to this moment for a long time, and now it’s here!” She starts hopping up and down, and I know she’s referring to her wedding day, which is tomorrow. “Hey, I have a question for you.”

“What is it?” I glance around, noticing a family contemplating their tree choices. I should probably go over there and help them, but when the boss man’s woman is talking to you, you need to pay attention.

“Are you…seeing anyone currently?” She flutters her eyelashes at me, her expression one of pure innocence.

Huh.

“No, not really. Don’t have much time for it,” I answer carefully, wondering where she’s going with this.

She frowns. “Not really? Or not at all?”

“Not at all,” I correct. “Your future husband has me running ragged around here currently. I don’t have much time for dating at the moment.”

Her frown disappears, turning into a beaming smile. “Hmm, that’s what I thought. Perfect.”

“Perfect? That Charlie is working me to the bone and I’m exhausted by the end of every day?” I’m teasing her, but from the frantic look on her face, guess she can’t tell.

“No, no, not that part! I mean you not seeing anyone right now is perfect.” Another frown appears on her face, a little line forming between her eyebrows. “Charlie shouldn’t be working you so hard. You deserve some time off.”

“I’ll get a vacation in January,” I reassure her. “I always do. Don’t you worry about me.”

“As long as you’re sure,” she says, sounding doubtful.

“I’m sure,” I say firmly. “Hey, why are you so concerned with my love life?”

“Don’t you worry about me,” Candice repeats my own words back to me, though hers sound far more mysterious. “I have nothing planned.”

She flounces off before I can say another word, which leaves me guessing she most definitely has something planned.

Frowning, I approach the family who is contemplating a variety of Christmas trees, and while they’re polite, the couple waves me off, saying they’ll call me if and when they need me. I subtly watch them from a distance, lost in thought, curious over why Candice acted that way just now.

She’s got lots of friends, mostly rich ones. Far too rich for my blood. If she hopes to set me up with one of them, that would probably end in disaster. I’m a simple guy from a middle-class family. We’re not what I would call uppity—not at all. I probably need a few lessons in manners, and I sure as hell don’t know which fork to use when I’m at a fancy dinner.