Page 33 of Whiskey and Regret

“I’m waiting for a principal harpist position to open on the philharmonic. In the meantime, I’m here. I take the harp very seriously. If I don’t get in at least eight hours of practice then my day was a waste. I try not to waste more than two days a year.”

“Ayear?” He balked. “Jesus, Xari. You’re a drill sergeant. Where’s that discipline when it comes to your finances?”

“I don’t know,” I frowned. I checked the time again and started calculating how much time I’d have left to practice if I got back to my apartment in the next twenty-one minutes. “I’ll see you later, Evander. I have to go. If I don’t leave in the next three minutes, my practice will be thrown off.” I didn’t say another word to him. I rushed out of the house and got in my car.

I couldn’t be alone with him anyway. He did things to my body. He made me curious. If I got too curious, I’d do or say something reckless. I already came close when we were in Frankie’s room.

I seriously asked him if he felt something between us. He was my boss and I blurted out exactly what was on my mind without a second thought. I had to get my shit together.

When I walked into my apartment, I went straight for the candles and lit them so I could breathe easier.

When exactly had it gotten so hard to breathe? I sat at my harp and put my phone ondo not disturbthen I let all the stress trickle out through my fingers while I plucked Sunshine’s strings. The hairs on my arms stood on end and I let my eyes fall shut.

I was in my happy place.

When my alarm went off at 2:45 telling me to pick up Frankie, I snapped out of my practice session and decided it was time for a break after nearly five hours playing.

I started the painstakingly slow process of protecting Sunshine for the move tomorrow. I wrapped her in thick foam sheets then wrapped her in bubble wrap. I finished up by boxing her in a huge cardboard box that I had to construct around her. Before I went to bed, I’d stuff the corners of the box with packing peanuts.

…

When I got to Evander’s house, Frankie wasn’t there and neither was her mother. The house was empty. I walked around to every room to make sure. I called Evander when I came up empty-handed.

“Hey, did Frankie call you yet?” I quizzed the moment he answered.

“No, but she sent a text telling me Alexis was late picking her up. She should be home in the next ten minutes. Thank you for checking on her, Xari.”

“No problem. So, are we officially on a first name basis? Calling you Mr. Freeman sounds so stuffy.”

“Goodbye, Xari.” I heard a subtle smile in his deep voice.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Yes.” He ended the call and I let out a small victory squeak. The real question was why the hell did I get so excited over something so trivial? Whatever the reason, the excitement bolstered me and gave me the extra boost I needed to start on dinner.

Lemon pepper wings, mashed sweet potatoes, and a huge garden salad. I’d seen Evander’s routine a couple of times and the man looked like he never missed a workout. I knew he wouldn’t go for fattening foods all the time.

By the time I finished zesting the lemon peel to make lemon pepper, Frankie and her mother were coming through the door. “Xari!” Frankie gasped, rushing me with a big hug. My heart swelled seeing her happy face.

“Hey, girl! How was school?” I hopped up on the counter and waited for her response but Alexis sliced through everything.

“Go upstairs, Francesca.” Her voice was like a whip cracking through the air. Frankie shot me an apologetic glance, her brown eyes soft and even a little sad before she darted out of the kitchen.

I tightened the apron strings around my waist and blew out a controlled breath.

You need this job Xari. Don’t fly off the handle.

I clenched my teeth and rolled the tension out of my shoulders and neck. It felt like I was about to head into battle.

“Nanny,” Alexis called. I barked out a laugh before I could stop myself. I still refused to meet her cold onyx eyes. I didn’t know who the fuck she thought was named Nanny. “I know you hear me talking to you.”

I tried to ignore her like Evander told me but my skin prickled with the need to chew her up and spit her out. I moved to the counter and began crumbling the lemon zest then grinding cracked black pepper.

“I guess you can only hear when Van is around, huh? Figures. You probably only speak after his dick has been in your mouth.”

My eyes narrowed involuntarily and my fingers stiffened, slowing the grinding motion. “Anyway, tell my husband I’ll call later to discuss your employment. You might want to find a backup, sweetie. I’m sure some man would be more than willing to be your sugar daddy. You wouldn’t even have to pretend to like his kid.” She adjusted the Chanel bag on her shoulder then moved toward the doorway.

“Ex,” I said so she could hear me. The sound of her stride paused.