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Xavier’s teaination There doesn’t exist a teaive me that artistic freedom
Fiona’s perfectly styled blonde head popped up on the screen “So how’s Dad doing?”
A wave of bitterness washed over h school, and not just to go to college She’d rounded half the globe to start a new life in Australia She’d run frorief, from mine, perhaps even from her own, only a few months after our mother had died We’d never been as inseparable as other twins but I’d thought we’d always stay close to each other
“He’s seeing someone”
Fiona’s green eyes greide “He’s dating?”
I gave a shrug I’d felt the same incredulity as Fiona when he’d told me Mom was dead for a little less than three years and Dad had found a replace so much better because of it” Part of me knew these words were true, yet the other part childishly held on to the idea that Dad would continue living with only the ain Mom would have wanted him to move on
Fiona bit her lip, probably not noticing she was ruining her lipstick “I suppose He’s been so broken up after Moain”
Fiona fell silent My eyes stung, and I could see hers glistening with unshed tears as well
“So,” she said in a more cheerful voice “Does that mean you are finally free to live your own life?”
“I’ve lived my own life these last few years,” I objected, but it wasn’t true I’d taken care of Dad since Fiona had fled the States, had chosen a nearby college so I could stay close to him and find time to watch out for him, even if his workaholic tendencies didn’t make it easy
Her nose wrinkled “You haven’t, and we both know it When was the last tiht?”
I htful face “That would be three nevers”
Fiona pointed her finger atthe cae that” She paused “You got your bachelor’s in ht?”
I frowned “Yeah I just finished” I didn’t mention today’s dismal job interview, or the manyyour foot into the h as nails
Her smile became wicked, an expression I knew from our childhood days that
“I have a job for you”
“A job? Where?”
“Here In Sydney Inpeople only care about your work experiences, so you need to get your foot in I have a job for you that will open every door for you It’s hot”
“Sydney,” I said slowly “You want me to come to Sydney?”
“You alanted to spend a year abroad This is your chance Dad is busy dating, and knowing hi for yourself You can live with Connor and h”
My nified way “You want me to live with you”
Fiona’s face became softer, hesitant It was a look I’d seldom seen in the past She hated to appear weak in front of others, even me “We haven’t seen each other in more than two years, Evie I ether, and your chance to have soain work experience”
I missed Fiona too, but I wasn’t the one who’d left and never returned I’d always known Fiona wascity, but I’d hoped she’d choose a city a bit closer to me, not on a different continent “Who am I supposed to work for?”
“Xavier Stevens” Her lips twitched in a way that made me suspicious It was a face she’d made when Mom forced her to eat Brussel sprouts
“You’ll have to give me a bit more than that I don’t knoho the dude is”
Fiona flashed rin “That’s exactly why you are perfect for the job, Evie Xavier needs soround he walks on, trust me”
“Okay,” I said “I still don’t knoho he is Do I need to Google him?”
Fiona rolled her eyes “He’s a rugby player, of course”
“Of course,” I said Fiona was dating a rugby player of the Sydney Tigers, she was a cheerleader for the saram star
“He’s a fly-half Absolute superstar Everyone knows him, every woone through more assistants than underwear”
A couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have had a clue what fly-halfConnor for alame to me on occasion I still didn’t understand them, but I remembered a few terms “So he’s like a quarterback”
“Yeah,” Fiona said
I wasn’t into sports I didn’t even grasp football Why would I bother understanding rugby? “What am I supposed to do for him? I have no clue about sports”
“You don’t have to Xavier needs an assistant A babysitter, really You kno to take care of people, and you won’t let him boss you around or blow candy up his ass Those are perfect qualifications”
I wasn’t sure howwould couy like that needed someone for public relations as well “Did you talk to him about me?”
“Connor is his best friend, and we told hiht know someone who could take over from his last assistant But you need to coo without an assistant for long”
The guy sounded like a major pain in the ass, but after today’s miserable job interview, I actually didn’t loathe the idea of tryingso in afirood in public That could be a good start for my career
“Come on, Evie Do it for ave et her way in the past “Or are you worried about
Dad?”
Surprisingly, I wasn’t He’d been trying to get et uilt, or perhaps because he felt unco as I lived under the same roof It wasn’t as if he didn’t kno to stay busy Fiona was right He worked froator and now spent irlfriend
“He doesn’t needAnd if I was being honest, I wanted a change of scenery, wanted to leave behind the host still seemed to breathe down each corner
Fiona s?”
“I am,” I said slowly
“Do you need ht?”
“No,” I said quickly I still had sos in my account, not much, but it should buy me a ticket to Sydney
When we ended our Skype call, I really let reality sink in I was leaving for Australia To becoby star I had never heard of and didn’t know anything about
That would change now, I supposed
I leftthe noise of dishes clanking Dad stood in the kitchen holding a plate in his hand while he looked down at his phone Work or his new girlfriend His frown deepened Work