Joel thought back over the last couple of days, trying to discern why Chess would be this upset.
Relief flowed through Joel when the front door opened and Brooke walked through. She closed it behind her and turned to greet them. The tense half-smile on her face fell immediately when she noticed Chess. “Who died?”
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Chess pushed away from the bar. “The least you could have done was text us and let us know you were going to be out late.”
“Are you kidding me?” Brooke observed Chess, her mouth partway open. “I didn’t think you’d want a play-by-play of my date.”
Chess strode to stand in front of her, clearly not about to back down. “It’s late, Brooke. Don’t you have to be up for work at five in the morning? This is unlike you — to be out half the night.”
Brooke’s eyes flashed. “Back off, Chess.”
Joel cringed at the exchange. The two tended to butt heads from time to time. But still, getting this upset at each other was rare.
Brooke shrugged off her jacket and threw it at Chess. “It’s late and I’m tired. I’m going to bed.” She offered Joel an apologetic look and went upstairs towards her bedroom.
Chess tossed the jacket onto the couch and moved to follow her.
Joel stepped forward. “Let me talk to her. I don’t think …”
“…she’s going to open the door for me. Yeah.” Chess held back and Joel followed Brooke.
He took the stairs two at a time and finally knocked on the door to her room. “Brooke, it’s Joel. May I come in?”
There was a moment of silence before her voice filtered through. “It’s unlocked.”
Joel found her sitting on the edge of her bed. She peered up at him, her eyes filled with tears while her fists clenched and unclenched in her lap. He joined her, sitting close enough to extend comfort but not quite touching her.
“Are you okay?”
“He makes me angry! I barely step inside and he confronts me like I’m a child.”
Joel had seen it, too. Chess had been protective of all of them since they’d joined as a family. But it was especially true of Brooke. “He was worried about you.”
“He’s obsessed with being in control. I’m tired of it.” Brooke let out a long breath. “Do you know where I was tonight?” When Joel shook his head, she continued. “I was supposed to meet Paul at the movie theater. He never showed. I spent all evening nursing a cookie and reading at the bookstore. Because I didn’t want to come home and have you all feeling sorry for me. How pathetic is that?” She sniffed.
“That was messed up, Brooke. I’m sorry.” Joel clenched his fist. You don’t do that to a woman, much less one you’ve been dating for six months. It wouldn’t do any good to express his thoughts to her now, though. “You deserve better. I hope you realize that.”
“Would it have killed Chess to ask if I was okay first?” Her shoulders sagged, and a tear slipped down her cheek.
Joel put an arm around her and she rested her head against his shoulder. “Are you?”
She shrugged. “Paul’s going to call it quits. Why else wouldn’t he show up? I’ll be fine — I’ve been through worse. I’m going to get some sleep.”
He gave her a hug. “If you need anything, holler.”
“I will.” Brooke gave him a watery smile as he stood and moved towards the door. “Thanks, Joel.”
He winked and left, closing the door behind him. It was a good thing he didn’t run into Paul right now or the guy might be limping his way out of the house.
Joel withdrew his dad’s folded knife from his pocket and found comfort from the weight of it in his hand.
Chess waiting for him in the living room. “Is she all right?”
“Yes. She’s going to bed.” Joel tossed the knife into the air and caught it. “She had a rough night. Paul stood her up and she didn’t want to seem pathetic. She’s been sitting at the bookstore all evening. She was already on edge when she came home.” He didn’t say he thought both Chess and Brooke had overreacted towards each other. He stamped down his frustration at the situation. “I’ll let you go so you can get some rest.” He waved his farewell and went to his own room.
As he readied for bed, memories of the many fights he’d witnessed in foster care came to the surface. He would turn up the music and pretend like he couldn’t hear the damaging words fired back and forth. That particular placement lasted a long eight months. It’d been a relief when he’d moved. At the time, he didn’t care where he was going.
Even now, he cringed when those closest to him yelled at each other like Chess and Brooke had… It was one of the few things Joel couldn’t stand. He mentally pushed down the bile that had risen after the confrontation. “God, help Chess and Brooke smooth things over. And please protect Brooke’s heart.”
His eyes focused on his pocket knife sitting on the side table. The memories of watching his dad use it to transform a piece of wood into something intricate usually brought comfort. Even still, it took time before he could relax enough to fall asleep.
~
The next day, Joel got off the phone with one of his suppliers. It was Friday and not one of the best days of the week to get a situation sorted out. The music Courtney was playing was loud enough that he’d had to take his paperwork and step outside. He didn’t mind, though.
Courtney’s singing floated to his ears the moment he stepped back in. That was nothing unusual. It was the second voice that joined hers which struck him right in the chest. Anastasia. Her normal speaking voice was quiet. The strength he heard while she sang surprised him. He let the notes wash over him until the song was over and a commercial break came on.
He’d only seen a handful of small smiles from Anastasia since she started working there. She had dimples in both of her cheeks. He’d caught little glimpses of them on occasion. But most of the time, she approached everything with quiet contemplation.
He hoped the fact she was singing with Courtney was a sign she was beginning to relax.
This was Anastasia’s third day working at the diner and he’d noticed she never talked about herself. Which had him more curious about what brought her here. He had to admit he was looking forward to having his employees over Sunday. Maybe being in a more casual setting would help her open up a little.
He noticed the first day that she took her burger and fries and left the diner for the entire hour she had for lunch. Yesterday, he’d seen her maneuver her way across the parking lot to a van. She sat at a picnic table and ate, a large white dog at her feet. Interesting that she was bringing her dog with her. If she was staying at a hotel, she probably wasn’t allowed to leave him in the room alone.
The sound of plastic clattering to the floor echoed through the building. Joel jogged around the corner to find Anastasia staring down at a sea of lettuce around her feet.
When she spotted him, she flinched. “I’m sorry. I should have dried my hands before trying to carry the bin and dropping it. I’ll gladly pay you for the lettuce I’ve ruined.”
Joel glanced from Anastasia to Courtney and back again. Was Anastasia scared of him? From the way she was breathing quickly and the wide eyes, he thought she might be. Losing a whole bin of lettuce wasn’t great, but it could be much worse.
“It’s just lettuce. Accidents happen.”
Anastasia’s hands shook. There was something else going on. Joel turned to Courtney, who seemed as surprised as he was. He pointed to the lettuce. “Will you dump that in the trash? I’ll be right back.”
She agreed.
Joel motioned to the front of the store. “May I speak with you a moment?” He waited until they’d reached the dining area. “Are you all right, Anastasia? You seem shaken.”
“It’s Anna.” Her voice was scarcely above a whisper. Her face was pale. She stared through the window at the park beyond.
Joel didn’t comment.
She reached for a section of her ponytail, wrapping the hair around a finger.
To her credit, she raised her chin and met his eyes. Determination swirled with apprehension in their depths.
Joel had a sudden urge to pull her into his arms for a hug. Instead, he sat on the corner of a table in order make himself about the same height as she.
She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. She didn’t speak and Joel took a deep breath. “It was an accident. They happen. If you think that’s bad, I once dropped an entire stack of hamburger patties.” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t expect you to pay for something you dropped. In the few days you’ve been here, you’ve proven to be one of my hardest working employees.”
She digested that information and her shoulders sagged a little. Disbelief flashed across her face.
Joel watched her closely. What just happened here? Had someone been unkind to her in the past? The idea made him angry.
“Thank you.” Her words were quiet. “I’ll go prepare another bin of lettuce right away. I’ll make sure I dry my hands this time.”
She was watching him as though trying to figure something out. He half expected her to ask a question, but she turned and left the room.
Joel exhaled slowly. The vulnerability on her face when he’d walked in on the mess flashed in his mind. There was something about her that triggered his protective instincts. He may not know her well, but he’d seen enough to make it hard to imagine why anyone would want to hurt her.
The rest of the day went smoothly. Anastasia was a little more quiet all afternoon and left quickly when her shift was over at six. Joel watched her walk across the parking lot to her green van before returning his attention to the customers coming in the door.
At the end of the night, he finished closing up with the help of a manager. He was heading to his car when he identified Anastasia’s van still sitting in the parking lot, barely illuminated by the streetlights.
Concern flared. Had something happened to her after she got off work?
His throat constricted as he jogged across the parking lot, praying everything was okay.
Chapter Six
Anna was using a flashlight to illuminate the book she was reading. She’d gone to the library in hopes of getting a card. But they insisted on seeing ID or a piece of mail showing her local address. Something she didn’t have. Thankfully, a bookshelf in the lobby had paperbacks available to borrow, keep, or add to. She grabbed a few titles to help her pass away the evenings.
This particular novel was holding her interest a lot better here in the van at eight thirty in the evening than it probably would have otherwise.
A tapping sound on the driver’s side window threw Anna’s heart in her throat. She lurched upright as Epic filled the van with his deep barks.
Anna shined her flashlight through the window and lit up Joel’s face. She pressed a fist to her chest in an attempt to calm the tremors that ran through her body. “What are you doing here?” she asked through the glass of the window.
Joel’s eyebrows shot up. “I might ask you the same thing.” He moved his head in an attempt to see around her. “Are you having car trouble?”
Epic stopped barking and whined softly, his log of a tail whacking the back of her chair.
“No, we’re fine.” It was probably too much to hope that he’d take her word for it and move on.
Joel cupped his hands around his face and peered into the second window down. When he came back, his face was filled with concern. “You’re sleeping in your van?”
Anna groaned. There was no way to dig herself out of this one. Not at this point. She rolled the window down and then had to elbow Epic’s head out of the way when he tried to step over her lap to welcome Joel.
“It’s only temporary. But yes.”
Joel opened his mouth as if to stay something and then closed it again. She saw the muscles in his jaw working. “How long have you been living this way?”
She considered trying to direct the conversation away from her situation. One glimpse of his eyes and it was clear that wouldn’t work. “About a week. Give or take a couple of days.”
If possible, his eyes widened even more. “You’ve been sleeping out here since you started working for me?”
Epic had moved to the next seat back and was trying to shove his head in the space between her seat and the side of the van to get to the open window.
“Oh good grief,” Anna muttered. Why couldn’t Joel see she was okay and not push the issue? She chucked her book onto the dash, unlocked the door, and clambered out. Epic followed her and the moment his giant paws touched the pavement, she pointed to him. “Sit.”
Epic obeyed, his whole body quivering with his barely-contained need to greet their guest. That he had even calmed down surprised Anna.
Joel must have taken pity because he held a hand out to Epic and then proceeded to scratch his ears. The dog closed his eyes, his tongue hanging out, as he groaned with joy.
Anna blinked at her dog. Epic had hated Liam and wouldn’t let the guy anywhere near him. Now here he was, practically falling all over himself to get Joel to pet him.
Anna made sure no one else was around and allowed Epic to wander in the grass nearby.
Joel shifted his weight and seemed willing to wait her out for more information.
“I’m fine. We’re fine.” She jerked a thumb in Epic’s direction. “Do you think anyone’s going to mess with me when I have him by my side?”
He tipped his head in acknowledgment of her point. “Still, this isn’t a good idea.”
“Good idea or not, I have no choice. And I’m saving up my paychecks to rent an apartment or something. Another three weeks at the most.” Anna was getting a headache and didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “Did you just close up the diner?”
“Yeah. I noticed your van. I was worried something had happened since it was still here over two hours after you got off work.”
He was watching her closely and Anna was suddenly self-conscious. He was too observant. She hadn’t realized he even knew which vehicle was hers. So much for staying at the edge of the lot near the park to keep from being noticed. “Your concern is appreciated. But I promise I’m fine.”
He didn’t look convinced. A breeze kicked up and Anna crossed her arms against it. She wished he’d go and let her get back inside where it was warmer.
Joel pulled his phone out and checked something on it. He frowned and shoved it back in his pocket again. “The temperature’s supposed to get down to thirty-seven.” He seemed thoughtful. “I’ll get you a hotel room for tonight. We can figure something out tomorrow.”
We? Was he serious? “Absolutely not. I’m not going to have you or anyone else pay for a hotel. They’re not going to let my dog in anyway.” She snapped her fingers when Epic wandered too far. He trotted back to her and sat by her side. “One paycheck, maybe two, and I’ll be able to search for something else.” She smiled, hoping to set him at ease. “Thank you, though. If you don’t mind, I’m going to get back inside.”
~
Oh, Joel minded. Maybe it wouldn’t technically freeze tonight, but it was still way too cold for her to be sleeping out here in the parking lot. He knew firsthand how dangerous exposure to the weather could be.
He shoved memories aside and focused on the pretty woman in front of him. She was shivering.
“I’m not comfortable leaving you here like this.”
Anastasia sighed and leaned against her vehicle. He had no doubt she was getting annoyed with him. Her dog went to stand next to her. His shoulder came up to Anastasia’s chest.
Joel blinked at them. “No wonder you own a van.”
Anastasia reached over to rub the dog’s ear. “I know. He’s a monster.” She barely had to bend down to hook an arm under the dog’s chin and rest her cheek against his head.
“What’s his name?”
“Epic.”
Joel laughed loudly. “Fitting. He seems friendly.”
Epic moved to lick his hand. Anastasia grunted. “Apparently he is to you.
”
What did she mean by that? He straightened and pointed behind him. “Will you please come with me to the diner where we can talk? It’s warmer.” No reply. “Anastasia?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s Anna. And get in. I’ll drive us over.”
Before she changed her mind, Joel jogged around the van and opened the passenger door. Anastasia was ushering Epic inside and the dog promptly planted himself on the seat in front of Joel.
She grinned, a dimple appearing in each cheek. “You’ll have to sit in the back. That’s Epic’s spot.”
Joel might have thought she was kidding except for the way Epic kept his eyes straight ahead as though waiting to be driven by the chauffeur. Joel chuckled and did as she’d suggested.
He pointed at the steering wheel. “Can you see over that to drive?”
Anastasia lifted herself up to her full height. “Are you taking a jab at my short stature now?” She jerked a thumb at him. “This coming from the giant who may or may not be able to get out of my van without hitting his head.”
Joel tipped his head back and laughed loudly. “Touché.”
They drove across the parking lot. Joel unlocked the front door of the diner and turned the interior lights on again. After being outside, the warmth felt wonderful. He waved to one of the corner booths. “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
He returned with sodas: A root beer for himself and a cola for Anastasia. She took a swig from the straw. “Thank you. How’d you know I like cola?”
Joel shrugged. He’d caught himself watching her multiple times since he’d met her. He had no intention of going out with her like Brooke suggested. But he’d have to be dead to not admire her beauty or her spunk. “It’s what you get to go with your lunch, isn’t it?”
He slid into the horseshoe shaped booth and sat almost across from her. He had two of these booths in his diner. They reminded him of something he’d have seen in the fifties with red cushions and backings. He’d completed the theme with silver accents. More than just a business, the diner was also his hobby.
Safe In His Arms (Life Unexpected #1) Page 4
