“How do you know I’m the one who was wrong?”
“Because you’re the guy. Just don’t, you know, get too serious with her.”
“That’s not going to happen.” He would never replace Serena. He couldn’t. She had been the love of his life. Why would he want to fall for someone else?
“So you’ll call?” Brittany asked.
“Maybe.”
“You should. Nicole’s great.”
She was, he thought as he walked down the hall again. Thinking about it now, their argument had been pointless. He knew his daughter and trusted her completely. End of story. Nicole didn’t understand that, but that was okay.
“Are you calling?” Brittany yelled.
“Get off me, kid.”
She laughed and he smiled.
JESSE PULLED INTO the small parking lot to give herself a chance to try to get a grip. She was crying too hard to see the road, which made driving dangerous.
She knew she had no one to blame for her current situation but herself, which didn’t make her feel better. She’d blown it totally. Everything she’d loved, everything that was important to her, had been lost.
As she brushed away tears, she told herself to get it together. She had to make a decision about what she was going to do with her life. Or at least how she was going to survive the next few months. She was broke, low on gas and three hundred miles from Seattle in Spokane. Now what?
As if answering the question, someone tapped on her window.
Great. Just what she needed. Interference.
She lowered the window a few inches, but didn’t bother looking at the person. “What?” she asked sharply.
“You okay?”
It was a man’s voice. He sounded concerned, which was just great for him, but wouldn’t do her any good. She needed the chance to go back in time and fix all the problems in her life, which wasn’t going to happen.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
She turned to look at the guy. He was old, like grandpa age, but kind-looking, which made her want to tell him everything. Except the shock of her story might give him a heart attack and she didn’t need one more thing to feel guilty about.
“Go away,” she told him.
“That’s not very polite.”
And there came the guilt. She rubbed her eyes. “I didn’t mean it that way. Look, thanks for asking, but you don’t want to get involved.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you’re not really interested in my life. No one is-not even me.”
“Sounds like the first line of a country song.”
Of all the insensitive things to say, she thought, willing to burn off the little gas she had left by driving away. Then part of her realized he was right and she started to laugh, only to have the tears take over again.
“Okay, that’s not good,” the guy said and opened her car door. “Come on, young lady, let’s get you inside. You hungry? The food’s not fancy, but I cook a mean burger.”
Before she knew what had happened, she’d been led into a dark bar. The man flipped on lights, then pointed to the bar. “Have a seat.”
She settled on a stool. He passed her several paper napkins and a glass of water.
“Start at the beginning,” he said. “What’s wrong?”
“Everything.”
“Is that true?”
He was nice, she told herself. She should be nice back. But what she said was, “I’m pregnant. My sister thinks I slept with her husband, but I didn’t, only she won’t believe me. My boyfriend
She blew her nose. “I had a big fight with my sister and with Matt and I left Seattle. I don’t have any money or anywhere to go and I don’t have a job or a place to stay. Is that enough for you?”
“It’s a start,” the old man said. “So get a job.”
She glared at him. “Doing what? Do I look skilled to you?”
“You must be able to do something. Everyone can do something.”
She could bake, Jesse thought grimly. She made perfect cakes and cookies that were so good, people cried when they ate them. But the recipes all belonged to the bakery and using them herself seemed wrong. Not to mention the last time she’d tried, Nicole had thrown her in jail.
“Nothing,” she said at last. “I can’t do anything.”
“How old are you?”
She glared at him. “Excuse me?” Was he coming on to her? That was disgusting. Beyond disgusting. “I’m outta here.”
He held up both hands. “Don’t get all high and mighty with me, young lady. I wasn’t asking for any reason you’re thinking. You’re young enough to be my granddaughter. Besides, I like my women with a little age on ’em. They have more to talk about and don’t take crap. I like women who don’t take crap.”
He pointed at the sign on the wall. “Bill’s Bar.”
“This is my place. If you’re old enough, I can offer you a job. Something temporary until you get your feet under you.”
“I’m twenty-two,” Jesse said, not convinced he meant what he said. “I have ID.”
“I believe you.”
No one believed her. No one had for a long time. “Why would you do this? Why would you offer a total stranger who’s a complete mess a job?”
“Trying to talk me out of it?”
“No. I’m just curious.”
“One of my girls quit on me last night. I haven’t gotten around to running an ad. You’ll save me the time and trouble, not to mention the money.”
“But you don’t know anything about me.”
“It’s serving drinks. It’s not that hard. Besides, you’re pretty enough that the customers won’t care if you screw up.”
She didn’t feel pretty. “You know I’m pregnant, right?”
“You mentioned that. Don’t worry. No one smokes in the bar.”
She wasn’t worried about that, although she should be. She meant that she wouldn’t be appealing once she started showing. But she didn’t say that. A job would give her time to think.
“I’ll take the job,” she said. “By the way, I’m Jesse.”
“Good to meet you, Jesse. I’m Bill.”
She smiled. “I got that from the sign. The alliteration is nice.”
“Just lucky. You need a place to stay?”
She nodded cautiously.
“You can rent a room over at Addie’s place. It’s like an old-fashioned boardinghouse. Nothing fancy, but the rent is cheap and she provides two meals a day.”
“Are you for real?” Jesse asked. “Is this a joke?” How could this man just show up and offer her everything she needed?
Bill stared at her for a long time. “Somebody hurt you bad, little girl, and I’m sorry for that. This isn’t a joke. I’m being neighborly. That’s what people do. Help each other out.”
“Not in my world.”
Bill nodded slowly. “A few years back, I got in some trouble. Someone helped me then. Now I’m helping you.”
Was it really that simple? “My luck’s not that good,” she told him.
