Page 4 of Close to Heaven

“Mary already told me the basics, but go ahead.”

He looked at her, confused, and she chuckled.

“I arrived early, and while you were meeting with the previous candidate, I quizzed Mary about the job.”

Clever, smart, and beautiful. This was a disaster! How could he discourage her from taking the position?

“The job entails more than just taking reservations and greeting people. Since we don’t have an accountant on site, Mary’s been handling that too. She pays the bills, meets with vendors, balances the books—”

“If you’re trying to talk me out of this, it’s not going to work,” she said, flashing her pearly whites at him.

“I’m just being honest with you. Working at a resort isn’t as glamorous as it might sound.”

She cocked her head and eyed him intently. “I don’t need glamorous, Jax. I need to be close to my dad, and I want this job.”

He silently warred with himself, acutely aware of the wall clock ticking and her staring at him with those big, beautiful eyes. For a multitude of reasons, he’d sworn to himself that he wouldn’t hire anyone who was connected to his family. He’d be better off hiring a stranger since, if he had to fire the person, he wouldn’t feel so bad. Firing people was one of the things he hated most about being “the boss,” and no matter how many times he’d done it, it never got easier.

Of course, one could argue that Avery would be perfect for the job. She was intelligent, confident, honest, and, in her words, “good with people.” Plus, her motivations were pure. He could never fault someone for wanting to take care of their family. After all, he’d done the same thing.

“So, am I hired?” she asked, breaking the silence.

He inhaled deeply and, against his better judgment, said, “Welcome to Sawyer’s Ridge.”

She broke into a huge smile that lit up her entire face. “Thank you so much! I promise you won’t regret this!”

But he already did.