Free On the Move by Pamela Britton

a…difficult relationship, complicated by the fact that Elaina VanCleef wasn’t really her mom. Oh, Elaina had raised her, but Vicky’s real mom had died when Vicky was only two. Her dad had remarried with surprising haste. Such haste, in fact, that Vicky had always wondered if there hadn’t been a little hanky-panky going on between her father and Elaina when her mother had been alive.
    “I know it’s not New York,” Vicky said. “But it’s actually really pretty here. I’ll be doing a lot of traveling to Charlotte in the future.”
    If she could find another job with a sports agency.
    “Honey, I know you’ve momentarily convinced yourself that you want to be an agent, but do you really have to move there? The Met’s benefit is next week. There’s a big gala at the zoo. Fashion Week is just around the corner. I know you won’t want to miss that, right?”
    Actually, she did. That was the difference between her and Elaina. Elaina loved clothes. Vicky barely tolerated shopping. Elaina enjoyed weekly manicures. Vicky bit her nails. Elaina entertained. Vicky hid in her room. It’d been a source of stress between the two of them for years.
    “Mom, I hate to disappoint you, but I’m really committed to my new job.”
    “Yes, but you can do that job from New York, right?”
    “I have to go where I’m needed.”
    “ I need you, pumpkin.”
    That was so typical of her mom. When all else failed, try guilt. But Vicky knew better than to fall for it. Her mom didn’t really need her. She never had. Even though Vicky knew she loved her, and Vicky loved Elaina, there was still a part of her—a tiny part of her—that wondered if it was all an act. Her mom and dad had never had any more kids. Vicky had overheard Elaina explain once that she didn’t want the hassle of another child. That had stung. Even though Elaina had always treated Vicky like her own, there was still a sort of…distance between the two of them.
    “Mom, I know you miss me, but I’ll be back home for a visit soon.” Probably sooner rather than later.
    Another long pause, and then a sigh followed by, “Fine. Just remember, if it doesn’t work out, there’s always the firm.”
    “I know, Mom. Thanks.”
    Another sigh. “Call me when you’ve found a place to live.”
    You can move in with me.
    Vicky winced at the memory of Brandon’s words. “I will.”
    The phone snapped closed with more force than Vicky intended. Why had she answered it? She should have known her mom would only muddy the waters of her mind.
    Call Scott now, she told herself.
    Instead Vicky just sat down on the end of the bed. She knew Scott wouldn’t lose any sleep if she quit. And if she told him she didn’t want to work with Brandon anymore, which was another option, she had a feeling he’d tell her that SSI didn’t want to work with her, either.
    “Crap,” she muttered to herself.
    But working with Brandon…
    What if he kissed her again? What then?
    Let him.
    After all, she’d resisted him once. She could do so again. It wasn’t as if he was serious. He was just playing some stupid game, although why he’d decided to play it with her, she had no idea.
    The phone rang again. She checked the display. It was Scott. She pressed the no button when the display asked her if she wanted to take the call. But two seconds later, the walkie-talkie feature kicked in with a chirp.
    “Vickyyyyy,” drawled a seriously irritated voice over the microphone system that allowed her to hear her boss speak. “Oh, Viiiick-yyyy.”
    Drat it all. She’d forgotten about Direct Connect.
    “Look,” she heard him say. “Brandon told me what happened and I have a feeling that’s why you’re not answering my calls.”
    Brandon had told Scott about kissing her?
    “You don’t have to be afraid to tell me you need to go home. I might be your boss, but I’m not completely inhumane. I mean,” he said, “I can’t imagine what your mom must be going through.”
    Wait. What the hell