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The food arrived, giving me blessed seconds to decide if I wanted to open this can of worms. Levi seemed so innocent across from me that it would be easy to open up again, just like it had been the first time.
Fuck it, I decided. It wasn’t like there was anything else for me to lose.
“My brother fired me recently from the family company. He might have had some valid reasons, but now I’m at risk of losing my house, and I’m honestly anxious about it.”
Levi had lifted one of the tacos and paused as I spoke. “Does your family usually do those kinds of things to each other?”
“Kinda. It started when I got the house in the first place. Technically, I stole it from him, but Calvin haseverything,and I don’t know why Gram left it to him in her will.” I blew out a frustrated breath. I’d never know now that she was gone. “Anyway, I don’t want to lose the one thing I have of Gram, so I need a job. And technically, anything will pay me more than my last job did.”
“How much were you paid?” he asked. When I told him, his jaw dropped. “That’scriminallylow.”
I shrugged. “My degree wasn’t in a useful field. Apparently, the English language is dead.”
“There are many people on my staff who have an English degree and make more than that.”
“Yeah, but it was easier to take the shit salary and do nothing all day.” My eyes widened as I realized what I said. “Not that I would do that at your company, I mean.”
“This lunch is still off-the-record.”
“And I’m still going to shoot my shot. Calvin treats every day like a business opportunity. Maybe I should ... be more like him.” I couldn’t help the grimace that escaped me at the thought of being more like my twin.
“You wear every emotion on your face.”
“Shut up,” I said, taking a bite of my avocado taco. I was distracted momentarily by the incredible flavor on my tongue. God, could I be a professional food taster and earn a living? Could I do anything else but be trapped in an office forever?
“Most people have that same reaction when eating here,” he said.
“I find that good food makes me forget my problems, even if only for a second.”
“Would you have problems if you got a job here?”
“I should say no, right?”
“You should say whatever you want.”
Another bite of taco gave me the bravery to say the truth. “Honestly? I hate working. It’s not for me. I’d rather be in the garden or reading all day, like a housewife with a super-hot husband. But considering my dating history is as abysmal as my bank account, I don’t see that happening anytime soon, so here I am.”
His chewing stilled again. “That’s what you truly want?”
“You asked for honesty, and you don’t get to judge me.”
He shook his head. “I’m not judging you. I’m only thinking.”
“About what?”
“About how to give you exactly what you want.”
“There’s no job in your office that’s like that, and it’s okay. I’m fine doing what I need to.”
“I wasn’t talking about ajob,”he said. “I had something very different in mind.”
“And what’s that?”
He put down his food and brushed off his hands—a casual move that didn’t match the shocking words he said next.
“Marry me, Amy. And I can make all of your problems go away.”
Chapter Five