“I’m just saying, if the book club had the words ‘self-betterment’ in the description, then it doesn’t count as fun.”

That shut me up. Because our first book was about how to get ahead in your career as a woman in a male-dominated field.

“Whatever,” I muttered.

“Don’t get me wrong.” Mattie’s tone was gentle now, as if I was a toddler she was trying to coax out of a tantrum. “I like Oliver and I’m glad you’re having fun with him. I think this is probably the healthiest way you could spend your time right now. I mean, you could spend less time job hunting but⁠—”

“How am I supposed to find another job if I’m not looking?” I interjected. “You’ve seen how much effort I’ve put into it and I’ve only just started making progress.”

Mattie was the older sister through and through. It didn’t surprise me one bit that she was so insistent that she knew what was best for me. She’d always been like this. I knew deep down she was trying to protect me, but I was perfectly capable of handling my own life.

She sighed. “You’ve been obsessing about your career trajectory since college. Why not take a breath and figure out what you want to do?”

“I know what I want to do!” I exclaimed. “I want this job.”

Despite my outcry, the words held little underlying conviction. With every passing day I spent liberated from that office I’d been trapped in for years, I felt a little lighter. My head used to always be down—blindly working toward the next goal. It was nice looking up for a change instead of ahead.

I stalked off, leaving Mattie so that I could take the orders of the group that had just sat down. Throwing on a cheesy customer-service smile was definitely something I had gotten better at, but I still struggled to give all my attention to the table. After a few minutes of me asking them to repeat what they wanted, I walked back over to the bar and started making their drinks. Thankfully, Mattie had taken the hint and wandered back into the main lodge, away from Marie’s.

Good.

I loved my sister more than anything, but I needed a break from her probing questions.

Before I’d finished pouring the last beer, Bev waltzed in. My eyebrows shot up when I saw that Oliver trailed behind her.

My smile grew. “Here for dinner?” I asked.

“Nope.” He pinched the black shirt he had on and held it out. My eyes narrowed as I read the script font—Marie’s.

“You’re working here now?” Excitement bubbled to the surface.

“He’ll be replacing me most nights.” Bev patted him on the back. “I figured it’ll be less busy, and the two of you can handle tonight’s shift.”

“Bold statement,” I said.

She laughed. “I know, but I’ll be nearby if you need me.”

Bev walked away, leaving me and Oliver just as another few tables walked in.