Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“It’s paid from a town fund,” Cash says. “But it won’t work again. The woman is too smart. She got lucky too many times.”
“What’s her story?” Chase asks.
“She was married to Hux Kennedy,” Madison says, her voice low and sad.
“Aww shit,” Chase says.
“Shoot,” Cash corrects.
“Sorry,” the former hockey player says, but his eyes are still on the woman across the bar.
We all watch as Walker comes back up to her and hands her an application. She leaves immediately after.
“I know she gets some help from the Kennedys, but they can only do so much,” I explain.
Hux Kennedy was several years younger than us in school. He might’ve been a freshman the year Madison and I graduated, but everyone in town knows his name. He’s considered one of the hometown heroes. He lost his life not long after joining the Army. Claire showed up pregnant with nowhere else to go. Hux’s parents didn’t even know he was married, much less that he left behind a pregnant wife. The Kennedys love Larkin, their granddaughter, more than anything because she’s a part of their son, but they’ve always struggled to open their hearts up to Claire.
Noticing us all looking in that direction, Walker serves another drink before making his way in our direction.
“What’s up?” he asks. “Did the new waitress give you regular instead of diet?”
He looks at the drink Cash set down next to my first one.
“I’m sure it’s fine,” I tell him, even though I haven’t had the chance to pick it up to try it yet. “Was Claire here looking for a job?”
He shrugs. “She asked for an application, so yeah, I guess.”
“You need to talk to her.”
Walker stares at Madison like she’s grown a second head since he walked up.
“What?”
“She’s struggling,” Madison says.
“I pay a living wage,” he says defensively, drawing Chase’s attention once again.
I swear the guy is a damn bulldog when it comes to Madison.
“She shouldn’t have to take a second job to take care of her kid,” Cash mutters.
“And what am I supposed to do about that?” Walker asks, sounding genuinely confused. “She’s not going to take cash. The woman is too prideful.”
“We just need to know what she’s lacking, so we can fill the need,” I explain.
Walker looks at every one of us before speaking again. “And because I was in the military, everyone automatically thinks that I’m on the same wavelength as her?”
He sighs when no one speaks.
“I’ll talk to her,” he grumbles. “But I’m not making any promises.”
“Before she starts to work here,” I say. “She’s got such little time to herself.”
“Maybe find out why she’s taking a second job during the interview,” Madison suggests.
“We don’t exactly do interviews here, Mads.”
“Then now is the time to start,” she says with a quick dip of her head as if her word is gospel.
He takes a deep breath, but instead of arguing, he simply nods and walks away.
“Maybe we just have another fundraiser after the cop/fireman one,” Chase suggests.
“She isn’t going to just accept that,” Cash reminds him.
“Maybe she will. It’s rude not to accept a gift someone gives you.”
“It’s how I ended up with that ugly plate collection,” I remind them.
Both Cash and Madison cringe, but Chase has never been in my house. He hasn’t seen the ugly plates lining the top of my kitchen cabinets.
“Your Aunt Mable isn’t dead yet?” Madison asks.
“Madison!” I snap, but, honestly, I can’t blame her. I told her once the only reason the plates are on display is because the woman is still alive. They will come down the second I can no longer be chastised for being ungrateful.
My friend grins at me, not a hint of regret for speaking her mind in her pretty features.
“We’ll figure something out,” Chase says. “In the meantime, I think I need a dance with my fiancée.”
Madison takes his hand when it’s offered as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Cash and I watch them walk toward the dance floor, the fast tempo of the song playing from the jukebox not deterring them from dancing close, both of them hearing something else as they hold each other.
A wave of green envy washes over me.
“What are you waiting for?” Cash asks. I don’t even try to fight the smile when I look over and see his proffered hand. “Let’s dance.”
I let him pull me out on the dance floor, and as my luck would have it, the song changes less than a minute in, a slower one echoing through the bar. Cash doesn’t miss a beat, pulling me against him. As much as I want it, I’m also very aware of everyone around us and what they might be thinking with us dancing so very close together.
“Stop,” Cash says, urging my face up to look him in the eye. “Forget everything just for a few minutes.”