A Pinch of Commitment by Jean Oram

Author:Jean Oram [Oram, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781928198345
Publisher: Oram Productions

In the guestroom, Lily looked at the single bed she slept in. Her shipping container of furniture, housewares and extra clothes had finally arrived and was currently sitting on Ethan’s front lawn. The question she was facing was how much she should bother to unpack, seeing as she’d be finding her own place in a year.

Sighing, she sat on the bed. She’d messed up with the ladies at work. Balancing the boss-friend-colleague thing was harder than she’d believed. She’d imagined them all as one big happy family that spent hours upon hours together, working, laughing, sharing. It wasn’t like that. Not yet, anyway.

She’d stayed late at work, fretting mostly, and missing supper with Ethan.

She didn’t want to talk about her sex life with staff, but she wanted to be a part of their lives, offer them a place of work that felt welcoming, enjoyable. She wanted the restaurant to be where they ran to when they had life news to share.

Maybe she could fix yesterday’s faux pas. She could cook a buffet for her staff and their families on Sunday morning before opening. She’d do all the prep and all the cleanup, making it a real treat. She dusted her hands together as though removing the mental problem, and stood up to tackle the idea of unpacking herself even further into Ethan’s life.

Her phone rang and she checked to see who it was. Her father. Take one problem off her plate and add a new one, that’s how life felt these days.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Are you the owner yet?”

“It’ll be at least a year.”

“Don’t let him screw you over. You deserve this.”

“Dad, Ethan’s a good man.”

“I know, but you’re really reaching for this and our family has never had anything like this before. This feels too easy. Too good to be true.”

“It’s not.” It was definitely not too easy. “And I trust Ethan.”

“I don’t.”

“You don’t trust anyone.”

“For a good reason.”

Lily huffed in amusement. “The restaurant will be hopping in a matter of weeks, so don’t stress. I’ll send you money as soon as I can.”

“I don’t want your money. I want you in a secure job.”

“That’s what I’m working on, and I’ll send you money. You can’t keep living hand to mouth.”

Her father sighed and said, “Break the chain. Break the cycle I’m stuck in, Lillian.”

She ended the call, feeling the pressure to succeed even more than before.

She went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine, then headed to the front yard, passing the small bureau she and Mandy had wrestled into the entry earlier.

Ethan was on the lawn, a keyboard tucked under his arm, staring at the storage unit.

“It’s going to kill the grass,” he grumbled.

“Grumpy bear, it’s fine. It won’t be there long. And I’m sorry I missed supper tonight.”

“It’s fine? What are you going to do with all of this?” He peered around the open doors, contemplating her packed belongings.

Lily glanced to her right, spotting the neighbors. She waved and called a greeting, making it obvious to Ethan they had eavesdroppers.

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