“Yes, I applied a week or so ago, and they just got back to me today.”
Sebastian sat up and set her back on the other side of the couch. “You applied to a job in Colorado without talking to me about it first?”
She looked confused at his obvious irritation. “I don’t have it yet, and I certainly would never accept a job without talking to you first. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I saw the ad online one night after you were asleep and I fired off my resume before I lost my nerve.” She inched back over to him and took his hands in hers. “I’m sorry, Sebastian, I should have told you sooner, but I didn’t want to get your hopes up if nothing came of it either.”
He let her appease him with soft words and touches, but deep down he couldn’t help but still be angry with her for making such a big decision without his input. No, it wasn’t the final decision that would send them packing up and moving, but it was the first step on that path, and she’d taken it without him, and he didn’t like how that made him feel one bit. Not at all.
Chapter 2
Nancy sat in her office chair, re-reading the email for the fiftieth time, as if that would make the words reorder themselves to take on a different meaning. Nope. They still said the same thing as every other time she’d read them. Corbin’s Bend Housing Board President, Brent Carmichael, had scheduled a second interview via Skype for the next evening at 7:00 p.m., and Sebastian was required to be in attendance. Required. Nancy chewed her thumb, wondering how in the world she was going to get around this new obstacle in her path to living the life of her dreams.
The first hurdle had been getting Sebastian to sign off on the application to live in Corbin’s Bend, but thankfully they’d sent all the paperwork at once, so Nancy just added that signature page in with the rest of the paperwork for their new home. He hadn’t once questioned signing the stack of papers she’d handed him while he was cooking dinner, simply asking her if she’d reviewed everything and if it looked okay to her. Nancy gave him a breezy “of course” while shoving the creeping guilt at lying to her husband back down into the black hole where it lived, tormenting her every day.
The second issue arose the day after she’d finally told Sebastian about her desire to move when she called Brent for the first interview. He hadn’t been thrilled that Sebastian wasn’t available to be on the call, but Nancy was truly at work at the time Brent scheduled it for, so he’d thankfully dropped the issue and conducted the interview anyway.
Now it was crystal clear that Brent wanted to talk to Sebastian, and based on the questions he asked in the first interview, the topic of spanking and domestic discipline would certainly come up. She was going to have to do some quick fabrication to make sure that Sebastian was unavailable tonight, or else everything would be ruined. If Brent asked Sebastian what his views on spanking were, there was no way they’d be approved to move there. At least she didn’t think so, and it was a risk she wasn’t willing to take. She just had to come up with a plan to make sure Sebastian stayed away from the office while she did the interview and have a rock solid excuse ready to explain to Brent why Sebastian wasn’t available. Good thing she had a whole day to figure it out.
The next night she’d sent Sebastian and Chloe to the park claiming she didn’t want to risk being interrupted during the interview. Sebastian had looked at her funny, but didn’t protest since Chloe was almost half way out the door in her excitement to go. When Brent hadn’t called at one minute after seven, she started to panic. She had an hour, at most, before Sebastian and Chloe returned, so the interview needed to start on time. Then a frightening thought struck her. What if Brent had meant seven o’clock mountain time? That would be nine o’clock her time and there was no way she could throw Sebastian and Chloe out that late in the evening. Not that they would interrupt her intentionally, but she worried Brent would hear something in the background that would make him question her excuses.
She tried to calm her breathing as another two minutes passed until finally her computer indicated an incoming call. Taking a deep breath, Nancy answered, pasting a smile on her face and hoping Brent wouldn’t see the sweat dripping down the back of her neck.
When the screen came to life, Nancy found blue-gray eyes studying her intently, clearly inspecting her and forming a first impression. “Hello, Mr. Carmichael, how are you doing tonight?”
“Hello, Nancy, I’m well, and please call me Brent. I told you that last time we spoke.” He smiled, a friendly, open smile that was probably meant to relax her, but she was so nervous it only keyed her up more. Even as he smiled, he seemed to be searching the screen, taking in everything in the background. “How are you doing this evening?”
“I’m good, but unfortunately Sebastian has been terribly ill and is finally sleeping after being up for almost twenty-four hours with a horrible stomach flu.” She’d decided to lead with the reason Sebastian was missing, rather than wait for Brent to ask. Putting it up front would make her seem more honest, she hoped.
Brent’s face instantly morphed from a friendly smile to displeased frown. “I assumed I made it clear that Sebastian would need to be present for this interview, Nancy.”
“You absolutely did, Brent, and if I thought he could be here, he would be, but he’s barely kept any fluids down and his body desperately needs to rest so he can be up to deal with our five year old in the morning when I go to work.” Brent’s expression didn’t change at all as she recited the excuse she’d come up with this morning, so she pasted on another smile and kept going. “Trust me, I’m a doctor, remember? That’s why we’re talking.”
After a long moment where Brent considered her words and appeared to be assessing their truth, he finally spoke. “This is very unorthodox and completely against community policy, however, we need you here as soon as possible and I’m not so heartless as to drag a sick man out of bed.” Nancy stopped herself before she collapsed back into her office chair in relief as he continued. “I’d say we should re-schedule this but I’m taking a trip to visit family so I’ll be out of town for the next few days.”
Brent paused, sending a stern glare her way. “I’ll conduct the interview with just you, but I will have to meet with Sebastian the day after you arrive in town, and Nancy, I mean that. I can’t break all the rules for you, not matter how much we want you on board. Do you understand?”
Nancy felt like a bug under a microscope as Brent’s eyes bored into her from a thousand miles away. She suspected there was no way that he’d relent on meeting with Sebastian right away, so she answered the only way possible. “Yes, I understand.”
“All right then, let’s continue with the interview, and please tell Sebastian that I hope he recovers from his illness quickly and look forward to meeting him.”
“I’ll do that, Brent. And thanks very much for your understanding.”
Forty-five minutes later Nancy finally allowed herself a deep breath as she powered down her laptop. The rest of the interview had gone well and Brent said at the end that she should expect a final email confirming acceptance in a day or two, but he didn’t anticipate any problems. He also made sure to reiterate that Sebastian’s interview upon arrival was non-negotiable, even if it was just a formality.
Just a formality. Nancy let out a wry little laugh at that. Sebastian’s interview would be much more than a formality. She suspected it would be an eye-opening experience for her husband, at the very least. At worst, it would turn out to be a total disaster and ruin everything she’d worked so hard to put together. Sure it was a little selfish of her to be orchestrating this move to Corbin’s Bend but, in her defense, it also had a lot of benefits for Sebastian and Chloe. A quieter community, better schools, and a slower way of life for all of them. Surely Sebastian would realize that it was the perfect place for them to settle down? She suspected it might take a little more convincing on her part for him to accept the spanking aspect of the town too, even with all the other positives.
She also had to find a way to prepare hi
m for his interview with Brent at some point on their cross-country trip. Possibly when they crossed into Colorado? That sounded like the perfect time to spill the beans about their new home.
“Daaaddyyy, I’m hot,” Chloe whined from where she kneeled, coloring with chalk in the driveway, just outside the open garage door. Sebastian was in the garage, sorting through toys and tools, attempting to get everything packed and ready for the movers that would be arriving tomorrow to pick up their things and move them cross-country.
“I know it’s hot, baby, but I have to finish packing up everything in here so we can move. I’m almost done.” He wasn’t, not by a long shot, but what else was he supposed to say to her? It sucks that your mother decided we had to move in ten days without even telling me? That Nancy cancelled their lease and gave notice within an hour of receiving the final job offer before she’d even spoken to him? No, he couldn’t say that to their daughter, even though he really wished he had someone around to vent to about all that had happened in the last several days.
He understood that Nancy was excited to have a new job, in a new town, and to be buying a new home, but she clearly didn’t understand how much work went into packing up an entire house and moving. She’d set a ridiculous timetable, trying to get them to Colorado in less than two weeks. That gave them ten days to pack and three to make the cross-country drive with Chloe. There was only one day left before the trucks would arrive, and he still had Chloe’s room and the kitchen to pack, along with the rest of the garage. Sebastian was at the end of his rope. Of course Nancy still had to work this last week, and while she’d helped in the evenings, the bulk of the packing fell to Sebastian.
“Daddy, I’m all sweaty. Can we go get a haircut today?” Sebastian looked up to find Chloe standing just inside the garage, damp hair stuck to her face and sweat dripping down her forehead.
“Come here and let me put in a ponytail so we can get that hair off your neck.” Chloe’s hair was just like Nancy’s—thick and long. However, while Nancy loved her long hair, Chloe hated her own. She’d been asking to get it cut since the weather turned hot a month ago but they’d discussed it before and Nancy was firmly against cutting Chloe’s hair. She would be very upset if he took Chloe without talking to her, and now wasn’t the time to fight that battle. The last time he brought it up Nancy shot him down, saying that Chloe really did love having long hair. Sebastian just didn’t understand.
Like hell. She wasn’t the one who watched Chloe suffer all day in the heat. Or had to brush it five times a day when it became a tangled mess.
“I don’t want a ponytail, they make my head hurt,” Chloe cried, clearly on the verge of a major meltdown.
Sebastian took a deep breath, so he didn’t bark at his poor, overheated daughter. They’d had this same conversation multiple times over the past few weeks and his frustration at the situation threatened to boil over.
“But if we put it in a ponytail, you won’t be so sweaty,” he reasoned, managing to keep a lid on his temper. It wasn’t Chloe’s fault that her mother had decided they were moving across the country this week, the hottest week of the year so far, and stuck him with most of the work.
“Can I go inside, Daddy, please?”
Sebastian sighed, not wanting her to go inside and spend another couple of hours in front of the television, like she had every afternoon for the past few days, but he didn’t want to force her to stay outside and be miserable either. When they got to Colorado, she’d be spending plenty of time outside with him, exploring their new town, so he gave in, but promised himself that he’d speak to Nancy about getting Chloe’s hair cut as soon as they arrived.
“Sure, baby, go watch a show.” She turned and ran to the door that led from the garage into the kitchen without a backward glance.
Just a few more days and this would be all over, and in the end their new life would be worth all the aggravation he was now experiencing. At least that’s what he told himself to stay motivated, because if it wasn’t as wonderful as Nancy promised, he wasn’t sure what he’d do.
Four hours later, Sebastian sealed the last box just as the doorbell rang with their pizza delivery. After finishing with the garage, he’d managed to talk Chloe into packing her toys and books while he did the kitchen. Luckily they didn’t have a ton of dishes or pots and pans, so the job didn’t end up being as bad as he’d originally estimated, and he had enough time to empty out the refrigerator and freezer; which also didn’t take too long since he threw almost everything out. They were going to bring one cooler of drinks and snacks for the drive, but the rest had to be tossed. Sebastian had tried to use up as much as possible over the last week, but he still put perfectly good food in the garbage. If only he’d had more time to prepare for this move, he thought for the fiftieth time that day as he hauled out the trash bags.
The doorbell rang again and Sebastian rushed to answer it before the kid left. Chloe pounded down the stairs, sounding like a herd of elephants rather than a small little girl.
“Is the pizza here, Daddy? I’m starving!” she yelled. “Did you get pepperoni? I want pepperoni!”
“Yes, there’s pepperoni,” Sebastian answered while waiting for his change. “Do I ever forget the pepperoni?”
“Well, you were busy today, so you might’ve forgot,” the little imp replied, knowing Sebastian would always remember her pepperoni. “I’ve been working hard, Daddy. I think I need three pieces tonight.”
“You do, do you?” Sebastian said, grabbing the paper plates and napkins he’d left out for them to use tonight and tomorrow morning. “Let’s start with one and see how you do. You can always have another one if you’re still hungry.”
“Okay, Daddy.” Chloe climbed up into her chair and started devouring her first slice of pizza. The way she went at it, Sebastian wondered if she might just have more than one tonight. “When is Mommy going to be home?”
Good question, Sebastian thought to himself, but said aloud, “Soon, sweetie.” He’d expected her to be home early since they were leaving in the morning, but it was already almost six o’clock, so apparently that wasn’t happening. After checking his phone to make sure he hadn’t missed a voicemail or text, he fought the urge to call and demand an explanation for her rudeness. Since it was her last day of work, he expected her to have a long day, but that morning she promised she’d be home early to help him finish up the last-minute packing. He assumed she’d be home hours ago, and while normally he let her go about her business without much questioning, tonight he became unusually angry.
It wasn’t too much to ask to expect a call or text if she was going to be late, especially with tomorrow being moving day, was it? Really, it was just common courtesy, and that was something Nancy had been sorely lacking lately. For the second time that day, Sebastian promised himself that he and Nancy would have a good long talk as soon as they arrived in Corbin’s Bend.
Nancy slipped through the door that connected the garage to the kitchen, closing it softly behind her. The overhead lights were off, leaving only the harsh green glow from the microwave clock, accusing her with the evidence of her tardiness. She meant to be home long ago, but despite her best efforts to close or transfer all her cases, it took much longer than she expected to make sure that each file was updated to her exacting standards. The last thing she wanted to do was leave her colleagues scrambling to piece together what had previously happened with a patient.
She may have gone slightly overboard in her effort to leave clear notes, rewriting a summary for every open file, but better to be safe than sorry. Of course, just as she was about to sneak out the door, Regan waylaid her and dragged her to the break room where her co-workers surprised her with a going away party. One hour turned into two before she realized it, and then all of sudden seven-thirty rolled around.
Now all Nancy wanted was a hot shower and to crawl into bed with her husband. Maybe they could even make love before falling asleep? That sounded like the perfect way to spend their final night in
this house. Plus, they definitely wouldn’t be able to have any ‘alone’ time for the next few nights since Chloe would be sharing their hotel room.
Dropping her bag on the floor and kicking off her work shoes, Nancy headed towards the living room. The muted television flickered against the now bare walls. On her way she noted that all the kitchen cabinets were empty, and every bit of available counter space held a box, sometimes two stacked on top of each other. Each labeled in Sebastian’s neat, school teacher writing. She passed ‘dishes’ and ‘pantry’, then ‘linen closet’ and ‘bathroom’. It looked like he’d finished everything and then brought it all downstairs to make loading up the truck tomorrow easier on the movers.
Her husband hadn’t been too thrilled that Nancy hired movers without asking him, and balked at the cost of having them drive their things to Colorado, then unload them before Nancy, Sebastian and Chloe arrived.
Admittedly it was quite expensive, even more than Nancy had initially expected, but she didn’t want to be stuck in an uncomfortable truck for a thousand miles, cross-country. Or worse, have to drive their vehicle herself while Sebastian drove the moving truck.
No, Nancy decided, she was right to hire the movers, and Sebastian would agree once they arrived and didn’t have to haul boxes or struggle with furniture all by themselves.
Nancy’s hopes for some loving before bed were dashed when she entered the living room and found Sebastian stretched out on the couch, sound asleep. This room was also littered with boxes, leaving only a narrow path between them. Nancy considered waking him, but knowing how hard he’d been working the past week and a half to get them ready to go to Colorado, she decided to let him sleep instead. There’d be plenty of opportunities for alone time once she wasn’t working so many hours or crazy overnight shifts. They’d get up together every morning and go to bed together every night. Chloe would love her school and everything would be blissful and perfect, Nancy just knew it.
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