“I need numbers,” Kendall said. “How much would it cost to advertise for and hire qualified applicants, and for job retention. Emilia’s going to see the cost and that a handful of us are already getting it done. I’d like you to put a price on how much it would cost the company if we lost you, or Gentry.”

My brow furrowed. “We’re not going anywhere.”

“Not by choice.”

My eye twitched at her statement.

“Don’t mean to be morbid, but this isn’t healthy. I love this job. So does Gentry. So do you. But there’s more out there, and our balance is weighed too heavily on one side.”

This topic had come up again because of my meltdown. Shame burned in my gut. “I’m sorry about that week I was out.” And this last weekend I’d taken too much time off. I couldn’t regret it, but then it hadn’t affected just me.

Her gaze softened. “It’s not that, Aiden. You’ve been long overdue for a week off. When was the last time you took a vacation?”

I’d been with the company for nearly ten years. I’d busted through my bachelor’s degree and fast-tracked a master’s so I could get on staff and be useful.

“Exactly,” she answered for me. “Between you and Gentry and me, we haven’t used any of our leave. I doubt we could dig through our comp time in a month or two before we had to tap our vacation days. Did you even take a honeymoon?”

“Yes.”

She cocked her head and her knowing gaze bored into me.

Right. She’d talked to Dad. “Kate and I went to the French Riviera for a long weekend.”

“A long weekend,” she echoed. “And you probably still worked.”

I lifted a shoulder. My mama had had a way of asking questions that would lead me to admitting to just what she’d planned to accuse me of. Kendall was on the same track.

I clicked my computer screen on. “I’ll get you those numbers.”

Kendall watched me for a heartbeat just like Dad would’ve. Not only was she my stepmom, but she was like an extension of Dad. A parental figure that was my age. “Thank you. But don’t do it at the cost of taking care of yourself.”

If I didn’t do that, then I’d never get any work done.

Kate

I kept the engine running after I parked in front of the trailer.

My pulse rate kicked up and I clutched my phone. I needed to call Aiden. It’d been three days since our time wrestling, but his heat hadn’t left me. The weight of his big body. His defined muscles. That kiss.

I was giving him time, but I hadn’t considered that it might mean we’d stay together.