"Are you really not coming with us?" Loraine's voice was soft but persistent, carrying that note of gentle insistence.
"No," he replied flatly, not even glancing up from the papers spread across his desk.
"You should give yourself a break. Christmas is just around the corner—your mother went through so much trouble to make this vacation special. You deserve to enjoy it, too."
His pen paused mid-sentence, but only for a beat. "And you know what?" he said, a wry edge creeping into his voice. This is my idea of enjoyment—work."
I sighed quietly where I stood just outside the slightly ajar door, half-hidden in the hallway's dim light. Eavesdropping again. Yes, I know it's wrong, but I couldn't help myself. The kitchen was too loud, too bright, and being around the others—being around her—f
