Bailey tripped over one of Leo’s shoes and almost crashed into the sofa.
Leo giggled. “Do it again, Mommy.”
She grabbed the offending shoe, the cutest little sneaker in the world, and shook it at her son. “I am not here for your entertainment.”
He giggled again. “Again, Mommy.”
“Fine.” Lately, Leo had really been into physical comedy. She’d discovered it by accident of course when she’d smacked herself in the face with her sunglasses. Leo had laughed his tail off and tried to copy her with his own tiny pair.
“Ready?” she asked her son, and he clapped his hands.
“Weady.”
Tossing the shoe a couple of feet away, she made a big production of walking through the middle of the room without looking where she was going. And just like that, her toe caught on his shoe. Down she went, rolling to one side. This time, pulling Leo to her.
“Got you!”
He grinned and wrapped his chubby little arms around her neck. “Got you, Mommy.”
There was a knock at the door. “Guess who’s here?” she sang to Leo.
His brown eyes grew wide. “Jess.”
“Yep, and she’s early. Mommy has to work for a little while, but I’ll be back in time to put you to bed.”
Leo patted her neck. “Pwomise?”
She held out her little finger. “Pinky swear.” He wrapped his around hers, and she kissed the tips of both. “Let’s go get Jess.”
Swinging Leo to one side so he could rest on her hip, she made her way to the front door. Her house was modest in size, but had a huge yard that Leo loved to run in. The only downside was the heavily traveled road in front. But the large fence she paid dearly to have installed eased some of her worries.
Or it had until she and Jess had discovered that Leo had figured out how to lift the latch and slide it. Now, he was a regular escape artist until she could get the correct lock. She and Jess watched him like a hawk when they went out into the backyard.
She opened the door and stared in disbelief at Jess…and Apple McCoy. “Hey Jess.” Leo lunged for her and Jess caught him easily.
“How’s my man doing?” Jess asked.
“Let’s play,” he said.
Bailey ruffled his hair. “Go on in with Leo and I’ll be there in just a minute.”
She stepped to one side to allow them through and then turned her attention to Apple.
Crossing her arms, she asked, “Anything I can help you with?” Yes, it wasn’t very nice, but Apple had been the one to print that stupid story about Lucas and from the gossip she heard in the diner, no one would hire him because now everyone remembered why he went to jail in the first place.
“Well, I came to offer my babysitting services for Leo, but some teenager beat me to it,” she said haughtily.
“Jess is Leo’s regular babysitter when my parents can’t watch him,” Bailey said. “So thanks, but no thanks.” She stepped back and began to close the door, but Apple shoved her purse inside. “What in the world are you doing?”
“Sacrificing a spectacular purse to the god of love.”
She’d always thought their momma was strange for naming her three daughters after fruit, but this took the cake. Slowly, Bailey eased the door back open and said, “Okay, I’ll bite. Why are you willing to sacrifice your purse?”
“Because you need a date.”
“I’ve needed a date for the past four years, but it still hasn’t happened,” she pointed out. Not to mention she didn’t have time to date. And she wasn’t sure what to do with Leo once she did date. Plus, her track record with men sucked. Leo deserved better than that.
So did she.
“That’s because you don’t have time to date,” Apple said as she brushed off her purse. “I thought I could offer you my babysitting and dating services.”
“Why would I need either of those from you?”
Apple sniffed. “It’s a well known fact that all McCoy women have a way with men, but a lesser-known fact is that we are exceptional matchmakers.”
“Bet no one knows how modest you are either, not even your mirror,” Bailey said. The McCoys were nice, but they were also full of themselves—well, all of them but Lemon. That girl had the most unfortunate name.
Bright red lips thinned. “There is no need to be rude. I’m here to help.”
“Then help me by not printing anymore stories about Lucas.”
Apple’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you care what’s printed about him? It’s all the truth.”
“Because he’s paid for his crimes.”
“You always did have a thing for bad boys. Guess Leo’s dad was hard to resist.”
“And this conversation is over.” Bailey attempted to close the door again, but Apple stopped her with two words.
“I’m sorry.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry. I’m not very good at this like my sisters are. I try very hard to be nice to people, but sometimes it comes out wrong.” She gave Bailey a wry smile. “Like now.”
“You’re forgiven. Now, if you’ll really excuse me, I have to give Jess instructions for the afternoon.” Bailey smiled at Apple and gave a little wave. “See you around.”
“If Jess can’t babysit for you one night, then I’d still like to offer my assistance.”
Good Lord, the woman was persistent. “Why?”
“Because I think we should be friends, and friends help each other.”
Clearly, the bleach in Apple’s hair had gone straight to her brain. “Yep. They sure do. I’ll give you a call if Jess can’t make it. Okay?”
“You have to promise, Bailey.”
Bailey suppressed an eye roll. “I promise.”
Apple seemed pleased by this, so pleased that she caught Bailey up in a hug. “We’re going to be very good friends, Bailey.”
Bailey stood there, waiting for Apple to let go of her. But she didn’t. So she patted her on the back. “I really have to go. Work and stuff.”
“Of course you do. You’re a businesswoman like me.”
Yeah, Bailey was exactly like her—from her straight, brown hair to her short legs and discount-store wardrobe. Raising a kid and paying bills on her own wasn’t cheap. Plus, her parents were still on payroll at the diner and she paid her waitresses more than any other restaurant around. It kept turnover low and her costs of having to train more people down as well.
“Good seeing you, Apple.” This time the woman let her close the door the entire way.
With a shake of her head, she moved to the living room where Jess and Leo were playing paper, rock, scissors.
“Man, you beat me again,” Jess complained with a mock pout. “One time you should let me win.”
“Nope.” Leo made a popping sound and giggled like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.
“You two,” Bailey said affectionately before she turned to Jess. “I’ll only be there until seven at the latest. Give him a bath and put him in his pjs if I’m not home by seven thirty.” She ruffled Leo’s silky brown hair. “I’ll be here in time for bed. You’ll go home early since it’s a school night.”
Jess patted her backpack. “I brought my stuff with me just in case.”
“Thanks.” She kneeled in the floor and gave Leo a hug, bussing his cheek as she stood. “See you tonight, buddy.”
“Tonight, buddy.”
Bailey smiled and shook her head. “Such a little magpie.”
Ten minutes later, Bailey pushed through the back entrance of Yates’ diner and tied on her apron. She was covering a shift for one of the waitresses who had come down with a stomach virus.
“Order up,” Charles said, ringing the little bell on the line.
“I’ll take this.”
“Your section, anyway, sugar,” Charles said matter of factly.
“Yes, sir.” She quickly washed and dried her hands before jumping in. Glancing at the ticket and she balanced the tray on the palm of her hand, she memori
zed the table number and headed to the front.
She dodged swinging doors and a few kids running around the arcade section. Everyone called out to her and she answered them all with a wave and a smile, asking how their family was doing—if they weren’t there—taking a mental note of the most popular menu item being served.
Until she got a good look at her table, that was. His dark blue eyes met hers, and butterflies began to form in her stomach.
“Hey, Lucas,” she said, unable to contain the smile on her face. Why should she? He was in her diner, and she smiled at every customer.
But not every customer made her knees weak.
“Bailey. Hope you don’t mind, but I was hungry.”
She slid the plate in front of him, checking to make sure his glass was full and that he had all the flatware he needed. “I told you to come see me if you were. You’re always welcome here.”
He glanced around the dining room. “Even though I took your parents retirement money and made a bad investment with it?”
Glancing around the room, she made sure all the tables were covered before she sat down. “Yeah. Even though you did all that.”
He laughed, but it wasn’t full of humor. It was hollow sounding. “Don’t know if I’d let the man who robbed my parents step foot in my place.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” She tucked the tray beside her and rested her head on top of her hands. “I think you would let them because you understand that people sometimes make bad decisions that seem like really good ones at the time.”
“Speaking from experience, huh?”
“Yeah, I might have some experience with that,” she agreed, thinking of Leo’s dad. “But I learned from it, too.”
“What did you learn?”
“You really want to know?”
He took a bite of the hamburger steak and gave her a pointed look while he chewed.
She tilted her head to one side. “I learned not to hold grudges or make the same mistake again…That’s not to say I wasn’t pissed at you for doing what you did or at Leo’s dad for taking off, but it’s been five years, Lucas. That’s a long time to hold a grudge, and it’s not like you didn’t pay for your crimes.”
She blew out a breath. “Leo’s dad, on the other hand…some child support would be pretty nice.” But they had to find him first. Not only had he skipped town, he’d skipped the entire state. No telling where he went. He’d been drifting through Jessamine when Bailey met him, and he had never shared much about himself.
Not that she cared at the time. She couldn’t see anything beyond his tattoos, devil-may-care attitude, and motorcycle until it was too late.
“I’m learning that people won’t give me a job.”
“That’s tough. I’m pretty sure I’d be in the same boat as you if I didn’t work for my parents.”
“But will the parole officer come after you if you’re not gainfully employed?”
“No, but bill collectors might,” she said with a laugh, then turned serious. “What kind of job are you looking for?”
“One that pays.”
“You could always work for your parents,” she suggested, her heart going out to him. It couldn’t be easy to be in a town that had a long memory…and a newspaper to remind them of it.
“I work for them to pay for my room and board,” he said, shocking her.
“They’re making you pay to live at their house?” Wow. Even her parents hadn’t been that hardcore when she finally told them about the pregnancy.
“No. I insisted, and I don’t live with them. I live in the apartment in the barn.”
“With cows?”
He grinned and nearly took her breath away. “No. They’re party animals, and I need my beauty sleep.”
She laughed so hard that it seemed like everyone turned to look their way. Figuring Lucas wouldn’t want the attention, she quickly sobered. “You know we do have an opening for a jack-of-all-trades kind of guy. Someone who can help manage the place and pitch in to help when we need it.”
His grin slipped. “You’d give me a job?”
“Why not? You’re overqualified and I can’t afford to pay you what you’re worth, but you have no choice. Seems like a win-win to me.”
She waited to see if he’d take it. She waited to see if she would change her mind and say just kidding.
“When do I start?” he asked.
“Tomorrow.” Oh crap, she thought. Her parents were going to kill her.
Chapter Three
‡
“No. Absolutely not,” Arnold Yates shouted.
“Keep your voice down,” Bailey hissed. “Your grandson is trying to sleep.”
“That boy will not be working in our diner,” her dad said in the loudest whisper she’d ever heard. “We worked too hard to hand it over to some criminal.”
“Lucas won’t be running the place. I will. Besides, what happened to the whole ‘we’re not going hold a grudge or read the paper’ sentiment y’all had over breakfast?”
Evelyn Yates gave Bailey a look. “That was before you hired him. I don’t see how you can’t see this is a very touchy—”
“You gave him five thousand dollars to invest, not your entire life savings. Yes, he was wrong, but he’s paid for his mistake, and you’ve already made back what he—”
“Bailey, I’m not going to argue with you over the amount compared to what we have for retirement. He was wrong—plain and simple.”
“Then give him a chance to prove you’re wrong,” she cried.
Her mother laid a hand on her knee. “What’s gotten you so worked up about this? This isn’t like you at all.”
“Maybe it’s because I know what it’s like to screw up when you come from a family that the entire community views as least likely to screw up. Or they’re waiting for you to screw up. I’ve been that girl. Heck, I am that woman.”
Her mother looked at her in complete amazement and confusion while her dad crossed his arms, his mouth thinning. But she didn’t care. She had told them truth, and they both knew it.
“You certainly haven’t had it easy, but you can’t compare becoming a single mom with turning into a criminal,” her dad pointed out.
“Both require a certain set of bad decision-making skills—for me at least,” she said. “Though I don’t regret having Leo. I love him,” she said fiercely. “Just for once, will you please try trusting my judgment?”
“If we didn’t trust your judgment, then you certainly wouldn’t manage the diner.”
Tilting her head to one side, Bailey pursed her lips. “You micromanage everything. You’re always double-checking my stock orders. Calling vendors to make sure our bills are up to date,” she said. “You even check the schedule after I make it. That’s hardly trusting my judgment.”
Her parents had the grace to blush. Both of them. They were equally guilty of what she accused them of doing.
Her dad glanced at her mom, an unspoken conversation flowing between them. Great. She was going to have to fire Lucas before he even started.
“He can stay. For now, but if anything…so much as a grain of salt goes missing, I’ll call the sheriff,” her dad warned. “I mean it. Not a toe out of line.”
“No, if something goes missing, I’ll investigate it first, not accuse anyone without justification. We can be sued for that, remember?”
“She has a point,” her mother said softly.
“We’ll do it your way, baby girl. But whatever happens, you’ll have to deal with the consequences.”
She gave them a wan smile. “Haven’t I always?”
*
Lucas stopped by Brody’s house on the way home. Okay, so it wasn’t exactly on the way home, but since Yates’ was one of his brother’s favorite places to frequent, he felt like it was right to warn him.
Knocking on the front door, he waited for him answer. His stomach roiled. He looked around, suddenly hoping that Brody wasn’t home and he wouldn’t have to deal with listening
to yet another lecture.
“What do you want?” Brody said as he opened the door.
Lucas gazed at his feet. He couldn’t face the betrayal that lived in his brother’s eyes when he was around. “Wanted you to know I got a job.”
“They couldn’t report about it in the Daily?”
Five years ago, Lucas would have known whether or not his brother was joking. But it wasn’t five years ago. It was today, and he had no clue.
“It doesn’t sell as many stories, I guess,” he said, opting to go with a non-joking brother.
“Why are you telling me?”
“You like to eat at Yates’ diner.”
Brody’s shoved him a little, and he stumbled back. “Look at me when you’re talking.”
Lucas lifted his head. “Better?”
“Worse.” Brody’s jaw worked. “So you’ll be working there, huh? Guess I’ll have to give the guys at the station a head’s up. In case you took their parents money.”
He deserved that. He really did. Brody had tried to warn him that his job was too good to be true, that no one started with a salary that high. But Lucas hadn’t listened. He’d laughed in his brother’s face and told him to stop being jealous.
That was the first time he’d ever seen his brother pissed enough to hit him.
“You do what you have to do. I didn’t want to surprise you, is all,” Lucas said. “Have a good night.” He turned to walk down the stairs, wishing like hell his brother would invite him in for a beer. Or at least to talk, like they always did before.
But the door closed behind him, and he heard the turn of the deadbolt right after.
“Someday, I’ll make you proud of me again,” he vowed.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and began to walk home.
“Lucas! Wait.”
He turned to find Sydney chasing after him, one hand on her pregnant belly. That couldn’t be good for her or the baby.
“Slow down. I’m coming to you,” he called out, jogging to her.
She smiled in thanks, breathing a little hard. “Thanks, but I’m fine. Brody and I go running every morning that he’s home. Doctor approved, of course.”
He smiled, more than a little relief flowing through him. All he needed was for Sydney to get hurt while trying to talk to him. “Congratulations. You and Brody left before I could tell you,” he said, glancing at her belly. His niece or nephew was in there. The first Lawson grandchild for his parents.
Love So True Page 3
