19. Think Things Through

19

THINK THINGS THROUGH

C rystal was putting dinner together when her phone rang. She walked over to see it was her mother.

Since dinner was sandwiches and chips, she answered her phone and started to walk upstairs. Phoenix was playing a game with Elsie at the other end of the house and she pointed to the stairs so that he could see where she went.

“Merry Christmas,” she said to her mother when she answered. She’d texted her mother early so hadn’t expected the call.

“You too,” her mother said. “Was it boring being by yourself all day or did you work?”

She let out a sigh. She should have figured her mother would start right in like that. Rather than be happy that her daughter found a job she enjoyed, her mother was going to find something negative with it. “I didn’t work, but I wasn’t by myself. I spent the day with Phoenix and Elsie. I was just putting dinner together when you called.”

“So you’re working,” her mother said. “I hope he gave you a nice bonus or something for that. It’s pretty sad you don’t even get holidays off.”

“Mom, I’m not working. I like them as people. I live in the house. They were alone too. Elsie thinks of me as family and it’s her first holiday without her mother. I was going to do everything I could to make it a good one for her. She came up to get me this morning, but I was planning on it anyway. We opened gifts and I made her favorite breakfast for everyone.”

“Sounds like work to me. Did they at least get you a gift?”

Her mother always went there first. “Yes. Just like I did for them too.”

“What did Phoenix get you? A cash bonus?” There was laughter there.

“No,” she said. She wasn’t sure why this still bothered her so much. Her mother always went for the money. She did the same thing with Taylor.

It’s like her mother didn’t think Crystal could do anything without being greedy or making a mistake to get where she was.

Sure, she and Taylor were more outgoing and maybe hung out in the crowds most likely to snag a wealthier man, but that had never been their plan. Ever.

Taylor learned the hard way what happens when you fall for a wealthy guy, and in her eyes, her sister just got lucky with Reed, as he was so down to earth.

That was how she felt about Phoenix too.

Yes, he owned a business that seemed successful, but she didn’t know for sure. It wasn’t open that long. At least the sale of the bags wasn’t. And it appeared he was having some issues running it, but didn’t everyone starting out have those things happen?

“Maybe now that you know you can be a nanny, you should try to go to a family that travels a lot and gives bonuses. Just think of how great that would be.”

“I love it here,” she said. “I’m not sure why you have to look at those things. Tell me how it went today.”

“It was fine,” her mother said. “The kids were wild and spoiled, but I expected that much.”

“Did you like the sweater I sent you?” she asked her mother.

She’d thanked her mother earlier for her gifts, but her mother never said a word about what they’d received.

“It’s fine,” her mother said. “I don’t have a reason to wear a sweater too much here.”

Her mother had complained she was cold for the past several months and that she had no nice shirts or sweaters to wear to work and didn’t like buying work clothes.

Crystal believed she was being considerate and thoughtful doing that. “What about the shirt with it?” she asked.

“There are buttons on it,” her mother said. “I’m not a fan of buttons.”

Of course her mother wasn’t. “Do you want me to email you the receipt so you can return it?”

“That’s a lot of work too,” her mother said. “I’m sure I’ll get some usage out of it.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s nice.”

She’d spent more this year on everyone than she had in the past. Her family was big and she had the money to do it. Everyone had texted her thanks, even her father, but the one person she carried on a conversation with didn’t care for her gift.

Crystal didn’t know why she was bothered so much about that but had to let it go.

She’d never be good enough in her mother’s eyes. She often wondered if she was good enough in her own and that just brought on more doubt about what she could have with Phoenix.

Did she ruin it by sleeping with him?

Was everything going to change?

Would he think she was after his money now?

Or worse yet, would he just ignore her and think of her as a bedmate when he wanted some relief?

Urgh, what was she thinking?

That was the problem. She didn’t always think things through.

Now that she lived in the house with him, he could just assume she was going to be a body for whenever he wanted a piece of ass and then just brush her aside when he was busy.

“I should let you get back to work. Hope you’re at least going out with some friends for New Year’s next week?”

She wanted to argue over the fact she wasn’t working. She’d rather be spending the time with Phoenix and Elsie than sitting in her suite doing nothing but watching stupid shows on TV.

“I don’t know yet,” she said.

“Get out and meet some guy,” her mother said. “Then you’ll have a reason to not be working all the time.”

“Have a good night, Mom.”

She hung the phone up and let out a growl. When she turned, Phoenix was standing at the top of the steps having just come up them.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes,” she said. “Sorry. My mother annoys me.”

“I think mothers always annoy their kids,” he said, grinning.

“Not like this,” she said. “She complains about everything. For months she said she didn’t have anything nice to wear to work for the cooler weather. Not that it’s really cold there. But I have more money this year than ever before. So I splurged on everyone.”

“That was nice of you,” he said.

“I didn’t go overboard and my family is big, but I did spend more than normal. I can bargain shop too.”

Phoenix hadn’t done that. At least with Elsie’s stuff. He just bought what she showed him without shopping around for a better price.

“I think it’s the thought that counts,” he said.

“It is. Everyone thanked me, but my mother said she’d have no reason to wear the sweater and that the shirt had buttons on it and she doesn’t like buttons. I mean, I never knew that. She wears button-down shirts all the time.”

“Sounds like she just wanted to gripe about something.”

“That is normally what it’s like.”

“She was commenting on you working today?” he asked.

Guess he heard more than she thought. “Again, complaining. She thinks everything should be given to people. I’m not sure why. She’s always worked and never gave us kids much. Now that most of us have a better life or make more than her, she thinks we should give it to her.”

“Sounds like you did share with her,” he said.

“She doesn’t get it. I love working here, I really do. Sorry if you thought otherwise.”

“I didn’t,” he said. He moved toward her and pulled her into his arms. “I snuck up here because Elsie is watching some cartoon and I needed a break. I figured I could get a smooch in.”

She laid her lips to his. “This is nice. Thank you for my earrings. I love them.”

She had them in her ears right now. She didn’t ever want to take them out.

“You’re welcome. I wanted to get you something special.”

Which was sweet because he had to have gotten them before they’d slept together. And that meant that he was thinking of her as more than a quick hit in the sheets.

“I appreciate it. Sometimes I do things and then have doubts.”

He ran his hand down the side of her face. “Don’t doubt me,” he said. “If that is something on your mind, don’t let it be. I’m not sure what we’ve got or how it’s going to work out, but I want us to tackle it together. This isn’t a fly-by-night thing.”

She let out a breath. “Thanks for that. I didn’t think so, but then I got talking to my mother and she pulled me back into this place where I hated myself as a kid. Or maybe hated what she pulled out of me. Not sure the full truth.”

“Don’t go back to that place. Stay in the one right here. We’ll figure it out.”

“We will,” she said. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Now I should finish putting together dinner before Elsie comes looking for us.”

They walked down the stairs and she rounded the corner to see the sandwiches all put together with chips and fruit next to them.

“I figured it was the least I could do since you cooked breakfast.”

She wanted to give him another kiss but didn’t because Elsie came running over. “My cartoon is done. Can we eat now?”

“We sure can,” Phoenix said.

They pulled their stools out and sat at the island and she’d have to say this might be the first time she’d felt like she belonged in a real family...too bad she was only the employee.