“I’m sure you’ll find a nanny for her,” Brooke said. “I know it’s tough right now, but the right person is out there, and she’ll show up when she’s supposed to.”
Noah didn’t agree with Brooke’s optimism, or her belief in woo-woo stuff, but a part of him hoped she was right. He thought of Jenna—he didn’t even know her last name—and his impulsive offer.
He didn’t know anything about her, but he’d been going to the diner long enough that he knew she was conscientious and kind. He’d once watched her pull money from her own pocket to pay for a slice of cake that an elderly man ordered and then couldn’t pay for. Didn’t make her a saint, but he was pretty sure she wasn’t a psychopath either.
And then there was that moment when she’d reached over to touch his hand. His skin had sparked, awareness prickling through him in a way that told him it’d been too long since he’d gotten laid.
“I’ll keep looking,” he said. “It’s only been a few days.”
By the time they finished eating, Alice was awake. Brooke gathered up her things, stuffed them into the diaper bag, and handed it to Noah. “We worked on potty training a little today, but I think she’s probably going to be in diapers a bit longer,” Brooke whispered. “She’s a smart girl, but I believe all the changes in her life are holding her back at the moment.”
A wave of anxiety washed over him. He’d had to learn how to change diapers, and he’d had to learn all about nighttime diapers versus daytime ones. He had a potty chair now, and he’d had to get a crib that would eventually convert to a toddler bed. If he thought about the changes in his life in one week, the overwhelm threatened to crush him. He was ill-equipped for taking care of a kid.
“Thanks, Brooke. I don’t know how I can ever repay you, but if you think of anything, I’ll do my best to get it done.”
Brooke shook her head with a little smile. “You were part of the team that rescued me and little Amy in Colombia. You don’t owe me anything.”
Saint stood behind her, hand on her back, that haunted look he got when he was reminded about her abduction marring his features. Noah met his gaze and they exchanged a look that said everything about their job and how important it was for those who needed them.
“Still,” Noah said softly. “If you think of something.”
Brooke stood on tiptoe and tugged him down so she could give him a sisterly kiss on the cheek. “You’re sweet, Easy.”
Noah bent to swing Alice into his arms, said goodbye to his friends, and went to buckle her into the car seat so they could go home. It hit him as he worked on the straps and buckles that he should go back to the diner and thank Jenna again for her help.
And maybe ask her one more time if she’d consider letting him hire her to take care of Alice. The little girl looked at him with wide blue eyes, but she didn’t say anything. She rarely said a word in fact. She could talk, but she just didn’t.
Trauma.
“I understand, baby girl,” he said as he snapped the last buckle into place. A thought occurred to him. “You want to go get some ice cream?”
She nodded.
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the Jeep. He didn’t know if Jenna No-Last-Name was working tonight, but he’d soon find out.
“You were late again, Jenna.”
Jenna had just finished cleaning the trap beneath the sink because the damned thing had clogged yet again, and she’d managed to splash stinky water all over her apron, along with some unidentified slime, and she was in no mood for Allison’s OCD tendencies.
Still, she swallowed her retort and made herself respond calmly. “I know, and I’m sorry I was ten minutes late. I was talking to Mrs. Warner in the parking lot about her new roof. She wanted to tell me.”
Allison popped her hands on her hips, frowning. “I don’t pay you to talk to the customers in the parking lot, Jenna. I pay you to wait tables and serve them.”
Jenna didn’t bother pointing out that being kind and friendly to the diner patrons whenever you saw them was serving them. It was letting them know they mattered, and that made them feel good. It would also bring them back for more meals in this very place.
Allison eyed her with disdain. “And now you need to change. That’s disgusting.”
“It’s your sink, Allison. I was fixing it because no one else ever seems to want to clean the trap.”
Allison’s eyes narrowed. “You know, I’m beginning to think you aren’t the right fit for this restaurant. Perhaps you should collect your paycheck and find another job.”
Jenna’s heart throbbed. It wasn’t that she liked working in the diner, but she had few options right now and needed the money. She had to buy a new battery for Lola, for one, and she had to pay the rent. The entire rent since Tami claimed to be short again. She was still waiting on Tami to pay her half from last month, but she feared that Tami had rolled it up in paper and smoked it.
She wanted to find another place to stay, but how was she going to do that with no money for a deposit? Then again, maybe it was time. Maybe she needed to cut her losses, grab her belongings, pack them into Lola, and move on.
Not that she’d get all that far with a sketchy battery and no savings, but it wouldn’t be the first time she’d lived in Lola. She could drive south, find a roadside motel somewhere, and clean rooms. She knew from experience that it wasn’t the best job in the world, but if she lived in the car, she could save enough to get the battery and move on again.
“If it’s about the ten minutes, I’ll make them up,” Jenna said, because though her mind always went into disaster planning mode, it wasn’t a done deal yet. Allison had said similar things before. The only difference was that she’d hired a new waitress today. One with experience, which meant she wasn’t going to hold up the operation while she trained.
Allison studied her. “You’ve been disrespectful almost from the start. I’ve ignored the sarcasm about it being only a few minutes each time you’re late, the innuendo that you’re too good to do things like clean sink traps—so I should be extra grateful when you do—but I think I’m done with that. I don’t need your attitude, Jenna. You’re a decent server, but you aren’t the only one in the world. You can finish your shift. I’ll have your check ready tomorrow morning.”
She turned on her heel and strode away, leaving Jenna staring after her with a sinking heart. Jenna wanted to rip off the apron, toss it on the floor in a dramatic fashion, stomp on it for good measure, and then stalk out of the diner with her head held high.
But she needed the money tonight would get her, and she needed a plan. She could ask the other servers if they knew anyone looking for help. No job was too menial. So long as there was money in it, she’d do whatever it took. There was also a chance that Allison would change her mind by the end of the shift if Jenna did the best she could and made a lot of tips. That would indicate the customers valued her, wouldn’t it?
Jenna removed the apron and went into the bathroom to clean herself up. She sniffled at her reflection, her eyes reddening. Damn it.