“Honey, you’ve got a job.”
I waved her off and started the car. “You know what I mean. A job that won’t end in a few weeks.”
“Are you still staying at Willa’s?”
I nodded and pulled out of the garage parking lot. “She’s at Jameson’s most of the time, so she’s happy she doesn’t have to pay full rent. But I have to find something soon. She lives in a one-bedroom apartment—and the couch is getting old.” The arrangement worked because Willa was on holidays for a few weeks with Jameson, finally travelling like she had always dreamed of.
We pulled up to The Grill and made our way inside. We used to go to the Donut Hole, but since Willa no longer worked there the place wasn’t what it used to be. Mainly we didn’t get a 20 percent discount anymore.
Today definitely called for something like a burger and chips. Or pizza. But then again, every day should be a pizza day.
We chose a booth at the back, hoping to go unnoticed. Humptulips was a small town, and most people knew us, especially since my mother decided to run for mayor this year. I really hoped she wouldn’t win, but money made the world go round, and she had enough of it to never need to get off the carousel.
“Tell me what’s going on with Oliver,” I said, opening the menu I knew back to front.
“What the hell happened with Mason?” she asked at the same time.
Maisie had her “don’t mess with me face” on so I didn’t even try to pretend I didn’t hear her question. “Fine. I’ll go first. Not that there’s much to explain. It’s simple really. Mason hates me. I hate Mason. We make each other’s lives miserable whenever we run into each other. He thinks I’m a spoiled brat, and I think he has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Rocky Mountains. We only have to put up with each other while I work at the garage, so hopefully there won’t be any casualties.”
Maisie started laughing and I scowled at her. “Hey, stop that. I wasn’t finished. I had a lot more to complain about.”
Her laughter turned into a chuckle and she shook her head. “Oh, Estrella, there is no way that guy hates you. And besides, he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. No way would he be mean to you. You sure you’re not overreacting?”
I put my hand up. “Don’t even go there. This is not a case of pulling someone’s pigtails because you like them. He is making my life miserable. And I’m beginning to think he has a point when he calls me princess. I did grow up in a mansion and never wanted for anything.”
Except affection and love. But anything money could buy I had which was starting to make me feel like the spoiled brat Mason thought I was.
Maisie put her hand up. “Stop. I know you. You are a good person and you work hard. You don’t expect handouts. It doesn’t matter where you come from. What matters is what you do with your life.”
I still couldn’t look at her, so I chose to study the ceiling instead. The paint was peeling, and it looked like there was a leak. “I know. It’s just hard not to feel like a failure. Especially when the only thing I own are my clothes and a car.”
“So, you’re just like a lot of other college grads out there. Don’t put yourself down like that.”
“Thanks, Maisie.” I finally looked at her. “You know I love you, right?”
“Of course you do. Why wouldn’t you? I’m pretty awesome. Now let’s order some food because I’m starving, and I already waved Leslie off twice when she tried to take our order. If I do it a third time, she won’t come back.”
We didn’t end up talking about Oliver but spent the whole time arguing about the ending of How I Met Your Mother.
“I’m not touching that,” I said and backed up a few steps and then a few more just in case.
“He’s really nice and soft. And he loves cuddles,” Landon said, boyish grin in place.
“That sounds like a case of famous last words. And I don’t care how cuddly he is, I’m not touching a spider.”
“Fine, just hurt his feelings, why don’t you?” Landon turned to the furry ball that was sitting in the palm of his hand. “Don’t listen to her Ralph, you’re beautiful just the way you are.”
I took a deep breath when I watched Landon put his furry friend back into the terrarium that was set up next to Mason’s workstation. Why they chose a spider as their mascot was anyone’s guess.
Impending spider attack averted, I went back to the reason why I came out into the workshop in the first place.
“Has anyone seen a container of baby formula?” I asked the guys.
“What’s it look like?” Landon asked.
“Like a container with the word formula written on it,” I said.
Today was busy, and the last thing I wanted to do was search for the missing formula. I promised Nora I’d bring some with me when I went over tonight, so I bought it on my way to work that morning and left it in the staff kitchen.
Landon avoided looking at me and whispered something to Clay. Never a good sign, but I’d give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, what would he want with baby formula?
Landon went behind his car and I hoped he wasn’t getting Ralph out of his terrarium again. “Is this what you’re looking for?” he asked, holding out a silver tin that I recognized immediately.
“That’s the formula. But why do you have it out here?”
“We ran out of creamer.”
“O-kay…but that doesn’t explain the formula.”
“We thought it was just like milk. So we
