are worthy of consideration. It feels . . . nice. Very nice.
“I don’t mind it, actually,” he says. “It’s amazing how much work I can get done when it’s quiet, and it’s so quiet at the house and the inn. Especially when Penn isn’t around.”
“He’s loud,” I say.
“Loud,” he mouths, his eyes growing wide. He leans forward again. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Sure.”
“It’s also kind of fun to be out there. Usually I’m cooped up in an office with reports and statements—which I love—but it’s nice to get some fresh air and dig around in the dirt.”
“See?” I say, pointing at him. “That’s what I want. I want to do something I can’t wait to do every day. Something that brings me real joy and makes others happy.”
“You want a unicorn job.”
“Yes. And I think there’s one out there for me.”
“Me too.”
We sit back as Alexis puts drinks in front of us. She glares at me when Trevor doesn’t give her the time of day. I smile back.
“I just need to figure out this stupid résumé,” I say, pulling the book back to me. “It can’t be as hard as I’m making it out to be.”
I flip through the pages, skimming over examples of what you should include in your cover letter and pointers on interviews. The information makes my head spin.
“For the love of God,” Trevor mutters.
He’s staring at his phone. His jaw is locked as he swipes over the screen with his thumb.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Liz.”
“Okay. Who’s Liz?”
“An ex . . . not girlfriend, really. An ex-acquaintance is more like it.”
I bite my tongue to keep from responding. Of course he has an ex-acquaintance. Probably a lot of them. Maybe even some current ones that he’s not bringing up. And none of them are my business. So why I feel a little prickly about this right now is beyond me.
“She’s called me six times since I’ve been sitting here,” he says. “I feel like an asshole not answering her, but every time I do, she takes it as a sign I’m interested. I’m not.”
I fold my hands on the book and take a deep breath. “Maybe she’ll get the picture.”
“She’s texted me forty-one times in the last twenty-four hours.” He lifts a brow. “Does it seem like she’s getting the picture to you?”
“That’s a lot,” I admit.
“No shit.”
“Did you date her long?”
“I saw her over three, maybe four, months. It wasn’t serious. Not to me, anyway.” He tosses his phone on the table. “Got any insight?”
I laugh. “On what? Liz?”
“Yeah. I don’t want to hurt her feelings. I just don’t want to be with her. How do I handle that without telling her to just fuck off?”
“Telling her to fuck off wouldn’t be very nice,” I point out. I think for a minute. “Okay, question: When was the last time you actually talked to her?”
“I don’t know.” He grabs his phone and scrolls. “Three days ago. Via text.”
“That’s your problem,” I tell him.
“I shouldn’t have texted her back. I knew it.”
“No, you should’ve. You should text her right now, actually.”
He looks at me like I’m nuts. “You’re not understanding what I’m saying, Haley.”
“No, you’re not understanding what I’m saying, Trevor. You’re just making it worse when you ignore her. In your mind, you’re putting up a boundary. In her mind, you’re playing hard to get.” I release a breath. “People want what they can’t have. The longer you go and then text her back here and there is a little crumb tossed her way, keeping her strung along. Trust me. Guys used to do it to me all the time, and I was as ready to eat it up as Liz.”
He cocks his head to the side. His brows are heavy, pulled together by a crease in his forehead.
I twist in my seat, wondering why in the heck I just shared all that with him. It clearly came from a sensitive spot in my heart, and he’s not stupid—he’ll know. He’ll know I’m sensitive, too, in my own way, and he’ll probably run for the hills.
The big hill. The one with the massive house on it.
“If you knew it, why did you do it?” he asks.
“Because when you like the guy, it feels like hope. Like maybe they’re reconsidering.” I shrug. “Pathetic, I know. But I don’t make the rules.”
He shakes his head and takes the fries from Alexis. She tries to make small talk with him. He expertly wiggles his way out of it and