Anxiety swirls within my belly. “She’s my whole world.”
“Nothing will happen to her here. I promise you that. Well, nothing bad.”
“You’re not helping.” There are way too many teenage boys wandering around the street. “Shouldn’t these kids be in school?”
Maddox smirks. “It’s a Saturday.”
“Don’t these kids have jobs?” Of course they don’t. They’re kids.
“One more of them will on Monday.” Maddox nods to where Everett is chatting with a girl.
“Don’t remind me. Send him to my house.” Maybe I can scare some sense into the kid. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll invite my dad and uncles.
Everett pulls the door open as Hope steps out.
“I’m going to kill him.”
Maddox laughs.
“Just wait until you have a little girl.”
“Not happening. I have enough kids that I’m already responsible for.”
That’s not the same. And now I’m sounding like my meddling nonna. “You might have one less.” I stand up, glaring at the boy who’s smiling down at my baby girl.
“You know we don’t allow violence on Willow Street.”
Pesky rule. “Unless you’re the one doling it out.”
“Exactly.”
As Hope steps away, Everett gives her a smarmy grin. “That kid is a menace.”
“Yup. And now he’s your problem too.”
Maddox strolls away like he didn’t just drop a bomb on me. And now I have to pretend to be happy for my exuberant daughter. Who clearly got the internship that I desperately wanted her not to get.
“Dad, guess what?” She bounces over to me.
I’ve loved that smile ever since the first time I saw it on her little baby face. Hope’s smile could light up the world. “What?”
“I got it!!! I got the internship!” She wraps her arms around my waist for a brief moment. “I’ll be working five days a week.”
Five days a week!
“Starting next week. And it’s a paid internship.”
Like money matters.
“But I was thinking I could donate the money I earn to their community improvement fund. What do you think?”
Five days a week! “That’s wonderful. We should celebrate!” And I need to make plans…to avoid a woman and thwart all the teenage boys wandering around this street.
Everett Jaymes
Max
“Nonna, how do I look?” Hope spins around in her work uniform, which includes a pair of her own black slacks and a Sweet Dreams Bakery t-shirt.
