But passing up any cash right now would be a massive mistake. I need it if I want to any farther north, if I want to put more space between me and my past.
I glance back at the kind woman behind the counter, who offers me another smile.
She nods toward Liam. “You can trust the McBrides.”
For some reason, those simple words from someone I don’t even know settle the anxiety I have about not having Gizmo with me.
Think about the money.
I’ll need it to get out of McBride Mountain. Cash will help me do that.
Otherwise, I’ll be hitting the road broke.
Stepping toward Liam slowly, my hands shake as I pass Gizmo over to him. Giz lifts his head immediately to lick Liam’s jaw, apparently excited to see his new friend again.
Liam runs a large hand up and down his back. “See? We’re good. I’ll see you at close unless I hear otherwise?”
He raises a brow at me, and Christ, it shouldn’t be so hot, but the way it arches above his emerald-green eyes makes my heart skip a beat. It takes a moment for me to process that he asked me a question and is expecting an answer.
I nod almost numbly. “Okay.”
“Elaine, throw that on my tab?” He inclines his head toward the table, waits for her to nod her agreement, then moves to the door. Turning back toward me, he offers another bright smile. “Don’t look so worried. We’ll be fine.”
Liam steps out of the diner with Gizmo in his arms and climbs into the truck parked in front of it. I watch him start it up and drive away, staring far too long out that window until a throat clears behind me and I whirl back around.
“I’m Elaine, by the way.” The older woman extends a hand, and I take it and shake. “I own the diner. My husband passed away two years ago, but my son, Matt, is usually running the kitchen.”
“Just let me know what you need me to do.”
She grins, her eyes bright and welcoming. “That’s the spirit. You said your name is Lucky?” I nod. “Well, let’s hope you are, because I have a feeling as soon as that sun fully comes up, it’s going to be a madhouse in here. Did you enjoy the festival?”
“The what?”
One of her brows rises. “The Memorial Day Festival. You said you were in town for it.”
“Oh.” I nod, smiling in a probably vain attempt to cover my lie. “Yeah, it was uhh…cool.”
And if she asks me anything else about it, she will know for sure that I’m lying.
Thankfully, she just wipes her palms on her apron and moves over to the register, ushering me toward it with the wave of a hand. “Do you think you can work this?”
“Umm…” I stare at it, my hands trembling. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, I’ll stick you on the tables and whenever someone has to pay, I’ll take care of it so you don’t have to worry about it, okay?”
I nod, my throat suddenly dry.
This woman just met me, doesn’t even know my full name, and has already offered me a job and access to her cash register without question. And I handed off my best friend in the world to a man I don’t know.
Something about McBride Mountain is causing me to make very bad decisions.
3
LIAM
The office door swings open just as Gizmo goes careening across the wood floor, chasing the tennis ball I found for him, and almost slams into Killian’s leg.
Killian freezes and glances down as Gizmo snags the ball that ricochets off the wall and races back to me, then sits and drops it at my feet. One of Killian’s blond brows rises, and he offers an incredulous look. “You got a dog?”
