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“I don’t know. Maybe?” And therein lay the problem. It seemed Paisley had barely loosened the bonds enough to escape her mother’s sphere years ago. What would happen if she returned to Phoenix? She could already feel herself being sucked into the vortex.

But Mom was sick. Maybe dying.

Because she’d gone back to drugs after being clean for three years.

Three years in which Paisley had not returned to encourage her mother, because everything felt too fragile. And it had been just as delicate as she’d feared, but maybe it had nothing to do with her.

Or maybe it did. Who knew?

“The thing is…” Paisley picked another bit of pineapple out of the muffin. “I don’t know if they’ll give me the time off.”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Nadine lifted her coffee cup.

“Because that’s how it goes with seasonal jobs.” And there had been clauses in her paperwork that wouldn’t be the same as anything Nadine might have signed as a Sullivan family member.

“Hmm. Well, I’m sure they’ll be reasonable about it.”

Paisley would like to think so, but she had her doubts. This was a busy place, and the Sullivans needed employees who were present and working hard. If she wasn’t here, she’d probably be replaced.

Did she even dare ask? She didn’t feel that brave as she managed a few bites of scrambled eggs and half of a sausage.

“Nadine? What would you like done with the rest of the muffins?” Emma called.

“I should go.” Nadine patted Paisley’s hand. “You finish up that breakfast and talk to the Lord some more before you make any irreversible decisions.” She gathered her dishes and left the table.

If Nadine thought they’d hold Paisley’s job, she wouldn’t have mentioned the word irreversible, would she?

Either way, finishing breakfast was impossible, and she’d done little but pray all night. Okay, fine, she’d also tossed, turned, and relived Weston’s kisses.

That’s what she wanted to dwell on. She’d finally made inroads with the hottest cowboy she’d ever met — the only guy whose attention she’d ever craved — and then Mom had to ruin everything and remind Paisley which side of the tracks she’d been raised on. All the bounce Paisley was known for was a sham, just an act she’d put on to hide who she really was.

Broken.

Scatterbrained.

Not someone worth holding a job for.

There wasn’t any use in even asking to return.

Chapter

Seventeen

“What do you mean, she’s gone?” Weston stared at Cindy.

“She handed off her notes to me right after breakfast and said she didn’t know when she’d be back.”

“No.” Weston rubbed his temples as he stared at Paisley’s second-in-command. He hadn’t seen Paisley yet today, so he’d headed to the small office she shared with Cindy. He’d fully expected to see her neck deep in planning out the next week of activities. Or making phone calls to the vendors or performers for Independence Day.

He had not expected to find her missing. Had he scared her off last night by kissing her?

She’d sent him away.

He’d gone.

He shouldn’t have walked away. He should have known she’d do something rash. Even for Paisley, though, this was crazy. Reckless. It was like she’d caught him as a joke and now needed to run to escape an actual relationship.

But her mother. She wouldn’t have made that situation up, would she?