That’s about all I can afford right now, and it will have to do to get me through however far we can make it today before the sun starts to go down.
Caffeine can work wonders, help me push through the long days on the road and handle the constant fear that keeps me looking over my shoulder.
I hope it’s enough today.
She nods slowly as her eyes skim over me. “Of course, dear, but I have to ask…”
My back stiffens, bracing for another round of questions. “What?”
“Well, I know you told Liam that you weren’t planning on staying, but I could use help here in the diner. One of my regular waitresses quit last week to stay at home with her granddaughter, and I thought we’d be able to handle it without her. But then, with the crowd that came in for the Memorial Day Festival and people likely staying for a few days after, I think it’s going to get very busy, very quickly.” She scans the diner, as if anticipating a massive rush even though it’s relatively quiet this early. “Any chance you know how to waitress?”
The hopefulness in her voice tugs at my heart.
It weakens my resolve to walk away from this place so easily.
“Umm…I can.”
Her warm eyes brighten, and she offers me a pleading look. “Would you want to stay, at least for a few days, to help? You could start right away. I’ll pay you cash.”
Cash.
That is what finally gets my attention away from the quickest route out of McBride Mountain.
No filling out paperwork.
No handing over IDs.
No government involvement.
Just cold hard cash I can stick in my pocket when I leave here.
“Of course, but”—I lift Gizmo slightly—“I have him and nowhere to leave him while I’m here.”
Plus, the thought of being away from Gizmo after the terror of last night is too much for me at the moment…
Liam clears his throat. “I could hang out with him while you’re working here today and bring him back when your shift is over.”
That voice again.
That deep, rumbling, yet somehow soothing sound comes from the man standing behind me who has already unnerved me more than anyone has in a very long time.
I turn to face him again, and I allow myself to assess him one more time. From the dark coppery-red hair, the hard muscles, the exposed tattoos, and the large, calloused hands. Handing over Gizmo to him would mean I would have to see Liam McBride again, and staying very far away from this man seems like the safer option. “I…”
He holds up his hands, approaching slowly with heavy booted steps that seem almost tentative, like he’s used to handling wild animals and doesn’t want me to bolt. “I know you had a scare with him, and you just got him back, but I promise we’ll be all right. We’re buds.”
I swallow thickly, glancing down at Gizmo, who stares up at Liam with his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth happily. “Where would you take him?”
Liam offers me a half grin that makes me weak in the knees. “My brothers and I own the lumber yard just outside town, at the base of the mountain. I’ll be there all day. I’ll bring him back around closing time, and if you get done earlier, Elaine knows how to get ahold of me. He’ll be fine. Killian and Connor will keep him busy if I have to do anything where he can’t tag along.”
“I told you, he doesn’t usually do well with men.”
At least, no men I’ve met since I got Giz…except this one.
He chuckles and reaches out to scratch the top of Gizmo’s head. “Trust me, he’ll be fine. Worst case scenario, he can trot around the lot with me all day if he doesn’t want to stay in the office. It’ll be fine, I promise.”
Promises are nothing more than empty words.
That’s a reality I’ve lived with for far too long.
