Page 30 of The Unwilling Bride
She stretches out next to me and props her chin on her hand.
With her dark hair, green eyes, and slim figure, she’s striking.
We are opposites. I look like our mother, and she takes after our father. I’m impulsive and she… She used to be more spontaneous, until Freya came along.
But our eyes mark us out as sisters.
In the four weeks since I joined The Edge, I’ve complained about him almost daily to Briar.
That is, on the few occasions I've seen her. I normally leave home when she and Freya are still sleeping and make it back home after they're in bed.
Having Tuesday off means I get to spend some time with them in the mornings.
"He keeps testing me. It’s almost like he’s waiting for me to give up and leave the job."
"Why don’t you?"
“Umm, because it pays twice my previous role?”
She frowns. “Money isn’t everything.”
"It is when I can use it to pay off my student loans, and I have enough for additional drawing classes for Freya.”
If I were making more, I would pay for her to attend the Royal Drawing School.
That’s my goal.
We’ve had this conversation before. Briar thinks I should use the money on myself or save it. I’ve been trying to convince her it gives me far greater pleasure to use it for my niece’s education.
I am not disappointed.
"I told you, I won’t hear of it. You’ve already done so much for the both of us.” Her gaze grows troubled.
"Don't be ridiculous. That kid is the love of my life. And she’s incredible.Her paintings, her imagination, all of it is exceptional. With her almost genius level IQ, you owe it to her to ensure she goes to a school where her talent is nurtured.”
She firms her lips. "That’s not fair. You’re using Freya to get your way with me."
"You know, I’m right. She should be in school today, instead of refusing to go for fear of getting bullied.”
She rubs at her temple. “I didn’t want to force her to go. She was on the verge of tears, and Freya never cries, so I knew it was serious. Thankfully, I can drop her off with Mrs. Fisher next door who’s agreed to babysit, so I don’t have to miss a day at work.”
She looks so exhausted that my heart melts.
“With the money I’m making, you don’t have to work two jobs,” I say lightly.
Her mouth tightens. “No, absolutely not. I won’t hear of it.”
“If you were less tired, you could spend more quality time with her, instead of falling asleep at the dinner table.”
She frowns. “Now you’re making me feel guilty.”
“That wasn’t my intention.” I sit up and lean against the headboard. “All I’m saying is, I have the means to help the both of you. And I want to do it.”
She throws up her hands. "Think about yourself for a moment, woman."
"I am." I take her hands in mine. "Let me do this, Briar. Let me give Freya the opportunities we never had. You get your life back, and I get a seat at the table of one of the leading chefs in the world. It’s a head start. The fastest way for me to earn my own kitchen someday. The way I see it, I’m getting a really good deal here."
“Except you hate working with him.”
