Read Online Cherishing You (Thirsty Hearts Book 3) by Kris Jayne - Free Book Online
Authors: Kris Jayne
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studio knocked out any desire to object.
“Your office is upstairs?”
“Yes. I’ll show you the kitchen and the den and then we can head upstairs.”
In Vivienne’s impressive office—decked in maple, taupe, and brass—Shannon started to relax. She sat across Vivienne’s lacquered table, which she’d learned was burlwood, and discussed her duties and schedule.
“I can rearrange my schedule and work here once a week, I think. It depends on what the pay would be,” Shannon ventured. She pulled back her shoulders and kept her eyes level with Vivienne’s.
“Fifteen dollars an hour. That’s what I could pay you,” Vivienne answered.
Shannon heart skipped. She’d make more than she would waitressing, except on the weekends.
She paused a tick as if contemplating whether the offer met her requirements. “That could work. I need to work during the week. Weekends are the busiest time at the restaurant and when I see my daughter.” Then, Shannon wondered if she shouldn’t have asked for more money.
“Not a problem. Tuesdays or Wednesdays are best.”
“Let’s do Wednesdays,” Shannon offered with an excited smile.
“Great. Can you start next week?”
Shannon needed to talk with her boss Penny about the schedule, but if nothing else, she could trade shifts with someone to free herself up.
“Perfect. I can’t thank you enough. I know you keep saying that you need someone and everything, but I know I’m only here because of Jonah.”
“Not only because of Jonah,” Vivienne admonished her. “I liked the ideas in your portfolio. I like your energy. You seem eager to learn. I like helping my fellow women. Jonah dropped your name in my ear, but that’s not the only reason I’m hiring you.”
“Still, thank you. And I’ll have to thank Jonah.”
A small twitch struck Vivienne’s brow. “My brother likes you.”
Shannon dropped her eyes and doodled on her notebook with a sigh. “We’re becoming friends.”
“I see that. And I love my brother dearly. I just—it’s none of my business.” Vivienne shook her head and clasped her hands together.
“What? I’d like to know,” Shannon probed.
“He’s dated lots of different women. It’s sometimes a mistake to get too attached. You seem like you’ve had some trouble in your life. I’d hate for my brother to be part of your trouble.”
Shannon lifted her chin and laughed. “Jonah, trouble? I’ve dated trouble, Vivienne. Real trouble. It’s not my first rodeo. Besides, like I said, we’re friends. That’s it. I don’t even have time for men.”
“Famous last words when it comes to love.”
“Look, I’ve spent most of my life chasing one man or another. First, it was Jeff. Then, that fell apart. Then, a slime trail of—sorry—assholes until I found my second husband, who I don’t even want to talk about. Jonah might be a playboy, but on his worst day, he couldn’t cause me as much trouble as the last guy.”
Shannon’s blunt response came tumbling out. For some reason, she didn’t think she needed to spend energy spinning her life for Vivienne.
“Your ex is that terrible?”
Shannon gritted her teeth. “You have no idea. I’m not relationship ready at the moment. I’m focusing on me for the first time in my life. But really on me, you know? Like what’s good for me.”
Vivienne leaned forward in her seat. “I get that. I know exactly what you’re talking about. I don’t know what Jonah has told you about me.”
Vivienne raised an expectant eyebrow.
“He said you’ve just come out of the closet.”
Vivienne grinned. “Yes. I spent my entire life afraid to face myself. It kept me from living the only life that could ever make me happy. I thought I was harboring this secret. As it turns out, everyone knew. Jonah. My parents. We just didn’t talk about it. Anyway, my parents did everything they could to keep it that way, but in the end, I spoke up for myself. Now, I live for me. Not selfishly, but for
“Your office is upstairs?”
“Yes. I’ll show you the kitchen and the den and then we can head upstairs.”
In Vivienne’s impressive office—decked in maple, taupe, and brass—Shannon started to relax. She sat across Vivienne’s lacquered table, which she’d learned was burlwood, and discussed her duties and schedule.
“I can rearrange my schedule and work here once a week, I think. It depends on what the pay would be,” Shannon ventured. She pulled back her shoulders and kept her eyes level with Vivienne’s.
“Fifteen dollars an hour. That’s what I could pay you,” Vivienne answered.
Shannon heart skipped. She’d make more than she would waitressing, except on the weekends.
She paused a tick as if contemplating whether the offer met her requirements. “That could work. I need to work during the week. Weekends are the busiest time at the restaurant and when I see my daughter.” Then, Shannon wondered if she shouldn’t have asked for more money.
“Not a problem. Tuesdays or Wednesdays are best.”
“Let’s do Wednesdays,” Shannon offered with an excited smile.
“Great. Can you start next week?”
Shannon needed to talk with her boss Penny about the schedule, but if nothing else, she could trade shifts with someone to free herself up.
“Perfect. I can’t thank you enough. I know you keep saying that you need someone and everything, but I know I’m only here because of Jonah.”
“Not only because of Jonah,” Vivienne admonished her. “I liked the ideas in your portfolio. I like your energy. You seem eager to learn. I like helping my fellow women. Jonah dropped your name in my ear, but that’s not the only reason I’m hiring you.”
“Still, thank you. And I’ll have to thank Jonah.”
A small twitch struck Vivienne’s brow. “My brother likes you.”
Shannon dropped her eyes and doodled on her notebook with a sigh. “We’re becoming friends.”
“I see that. And I love my brother dearly. I just—it’s none of my business.” Vivienne shook her head and clasped her hands together.
“What? I’d like to know,” Shannon probed.
“He’s dated lots of different women. It’s sometimes a mistake to get too attached. You seem like you’ve had some trouble in your life. I’d hate for my brother to be part of your trouble.”
Shannon lifted her chin and laughed. “Jonah, trouble? I’ve dated trouble, Vivienne. Real trouble. It’s not my first rodeo. Besides, like I said, we’re friends. That’s it. I don’t even have time for men.”
“Famous last words when it comes to love.”
“Look, I’ve spent most of my life chasing one man or another. First, it was Jeff. Then, that fell apart. Then, a slime trail of—sorry—assholes until I found my second husband, who I don’t even want to talk about. Jonah might be a playboy, but on his worst day, he couldn’t cause me as much trouble as the last guy.”
Shannon’s blunt response came tumbling out. For some reason, she didn’t think she needed to spend energy spinning her life for Vivienne.
“Your ex is that terrible?”
Shannon gritted her teeth. “You have no idea. I’m not relationship ready at the moment. I’m focusing on me for the first time in my life. But really on me, you know? Like what’s good for me.”
Vivienne leaned forward in her seat. “I get that. I know exactly what you’re talking about. I don’t know what Jonah has told you about me.”
Vivienne raised an expectant eyebrow.
“He said you’ve just come out of the closet.”
Vivienne grinned. “Yes. I spent my entire life afraid to face myself. It kept me from living the only life that could ever make me happy. I thought I was harboring this secret. As it turns out, everyone knew. Jonah. My parents. We just didn’t talk about it. Anyway, my parents did everything they could to keep it that way, but in the end, I spoke up for myself. Now, I live for me. Not selfishly, but for
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