Chapter 34

Evie

Awhirlwind of conflicting emotions runs through my mind as I face Adam. But the prevalent one is fear. I'm jobless. Unless I do something about it. Now.

It doesn't help that Adam appears not to be taking my situation seriously enough.

Exasperated, I ask, "Why does it feel like this is all a game to you?"

I hadn't intended to let out my frustration on Adam, but he obviously has no clue how the other half lives. "Not everyone is a self-made gazillionaire. This is my livelihood you're joking about."

Adam exhales audibly, then sits down on the edge of his perfectly made bed. "I'm dead serious, Evie. Please hear me out."

If I'm being honest, I've been hoping for something—anything—to keep me right where I am. In Yosemite with Adam. The few days we've spent together, getting to know each other, were some of the best I can remember. But Bill's call, unceremoniously laying me off, is a reality I can't afford to ignore.

I need to pack up and get to the airport before I miss the last flight out. The hold-up, thanks to Anna"s unexpected visit, is not helping.

But Adam is asking me to hear him out. I owe him at least that much. I gesture for him to continue.

He must see the near-panic on my face and frowns, then pats the space next to him.

I sit.

And swallow hard, trying to keep the tears from falling. The weight of being fired is hitting home.

Adam puts his arm around me. "It's going to be okay, Evie. I promise."

Something in the way he speaks gives me a sense of comfort. I rest my head on his shoulder, our breath the only sounds in the room. My heart flutters in my chest.

Adam whispers my name. I lift my head, meet his eyes.

He's going to kiss me. My breath comes faster with anticipation.

With all that's happening, I want nothing more than to be consoled by this man.

He leans his head down.

"Adam!"

I nearly fall off the bed.

Adam jumps up. "Don't move a muscle." He opens the bedroom door and calls out. "Yeah, Mom?"

"Where are the martini olives?"

"In the fridge."

We hear some movement, things banging in the kitchen. "Found them!"

Adam shuts the door. This time he remains standing.

"You were saying?" I ask, trying hard to recalibrate.

"Right." He too picks up on the mood shift. "After my app sold, I founded several startups. I've been planning to hire in-house counsel to handle all the legal aspects of the business."

"Okay. . ."

"How would you like the job?"

It's the last thing I expect him to say. I simply stare at him, waiting for the punch line. But Adam's face is serious.

"You can start after the wedding. It will require a great deal of negotiation with potential investors and?—"

"That's not my area of expertise. I'm a negligence lawyer."

"I'm sure you can learn most of it on the job."

It's ludicrous. "I live in New York."

"We have an office in Manhattan. You'll work on our New York subsidiaries."

"You have subsidiaries?"

He shrugs. "You'll be doing me a huge favor," he says. "I can't show up to my sister's wedding without Ronna. I will never live it down."

Having met Adam's mother for only three minutes, it occurs to me he may not be exaggerating. It feels like being dropped into a scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. "That bad?"

"It's what I've been trying to tell you all along. They are wonderful people but . . . overly involved. Now that my mother has met you in person, Ronna has to be you." He purses his lips, tilting his head. "Unless of course you have a twin sister."

I can't help but laugh. I shake my head. "No such luck."

"That's what I thought."

I note the twinkle in his eyes. "You're incorrigible."

"And irresistible." He grins.

"And desperate."

"Yes, definitely desperate." He feigns puppy dog eyes. "So, is that a yes?"

"I don't know . . ."

Adam asks, "Did you like your job?"

"Sometimes."

"Your boss?"

"Definitely not."

"Well, I'm offering you an alternative. And I'll up whatever you were making by ten percent."

I'm flabbergasted. "Why are you doing this, Adam? It can't simply be to save face with your family."

I don"t add what I"m really thinking. While Anna is a woman with a big personality, she seems kind and fun and most of all, she's Adam's mother. Why is he so set on lying to her?

As if reading my mind, he says, "I know how this makes me look but you saw how happy it made my mother to meet you. The whole family is ecstatic that I"m finally settling down. It"s what they"ve been wishing for since I graduated college." He looks at me pleadingly. "Please, Evie."

I'm certain there's more to the story. I have so many questions. But I decide to let it go for now. I can hear the ruckus coming from the kitchen. "What if I don't like working for you?" I say, jokingly but Adam appears to take the question seriously.

"If you"re not happy, you can leave at any time. I'll even help you find another position in New York. How does that sound?"

There's no way I'll make it to the airport in time. And anyhow, I know the odds of getting my job back from Bill the Bull are slim. Adam is throwing me a lifeline. I'd be a fool to reject his offer. It's manna from heaven.

"We have a deal."

In an instant, Adam's face brightens. "That's great!" He pulls me in for a hug. Clearly, this is a family of huggers. I could get used to that.

"Adam!"

Seriously?

I step back, calmer than I've felt since receiving the call from Bill. "What now?"

"Now we put all those hours of practice to good use with my mother . . . before she finds the vodka."

"I guess that means I'm Ronna, your adoring fiancée."

Adam nods, unsuccessfully hiding a devilish smirk. "Ready?"

I open the bedroom door. "Let's do this. It's showtime!"