He hesitated. “Possibly. Look, I’ve got shit to do. Let me know what you plan to do.”
“Wait,” I barked out a humorless laugh. “That’s it?”
“If you want, I can talk to Liam, see if he has some work for you. It won’t be what you’re used to,” he grinned. “He’s building cabins.”
“Fucking perfect,” I muttered, not thrilled at the idea of working in this weather.
Slapping the bar, he got up to leave. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”
“Yeah,” I grunted, wondering what the fuck I was supposed to do now.
I almost forgot about Lizzy in the kitchen until I put the broom away. I didn’t know what the hell I was supposed to do about that. I had no fucking clue what to do about a woman in tears.
“Hey,” I said, pushing the kitchen door open. “Do you want me to call someone?”
“Uh…no.” Brushing the tears from her cheeks, she pulled herself together and started hustling around the kitchen. “I just need to get on with work.”
But even as she grabbed a new set of glasses, her hands shook and her movements were jerky.
I really didn’t want to get involved, but I’d been around enough damaged women to know when they were on edge. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on or why, but she was being kind enough to let me stay in her rental. I couldn’t walk away now.
“Let me get the bar set up. I’ve been around enough of them to know what to do.”
“I really couldn’t ask that,” she said, but even as she denied me, tears filled her eyes again.
“You’re letting me stay in your rental. Think of it as me paying rent.”
Huffing out a laugh, she swiped at her nose. “You’re saving my life,” she whispered.
“Hardly. Tell me what you need done and I’ll make sure it’s ready for when you open.”
Taking a shaky breath, she started rattling off a list of things that needed to be done. About the time she started to shut down, I shoved a chair back under her and got to work.
I briefly considered calling someone for her, but I didn’t know a damn person in town other than my neighbor, and I wasn’t so sure her peppy attitude was what was needed at the moment.
I was just taking the last of the chairs off the tables when the door opened and the first customers started coming in for the day. I glanced at the clock, noting it was already ten o’clock.
“What can I get you?” I asked the guys as they strode in.
“Who the hell are you?” the first man asked, his eyes narrowing on me. Dressed in a sheriff’s uniform, I sighed internally. The last thing I needed was the department on my ass.
“JR.”
“Lizzy didn’t tell me anything about hiring anyone.”
“And you are?”
“Her brother, Michael. This is Jeff.”
Nodding, I wondered if I should tell them about their sister, but something stopped me. Maybe it was the way she kept drifting off or the absolute devastation on her face, but either way, I kept my mouth, choosing first to see if she was okay.
“I’ll go get her.”
“You still didn’t answer my question,” Michael called out.
Turning, I shook my head. “I’m just helping out this morning.”
When I shoved the kitchen door open, Lizzy was still sitting in her chair, but now there was a cook at the stove who kept looking over his shoulder at Lizzy.
