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“I appreciate that,” I finally managed.
“Nae bother. Get lucky last night?”
His words were casual, but I winced all the same.
“No. I have a daughter. She’s staying with friends while I get established here. She’s had sleepovers with them in the past, so I’d hoped she’d be okay being away from me, but she needed me last night.”
Valentine tilted his head, his gaze taking me in. “Makes sense why Daisy had us busting a nut to fix up that house yesterday. How old’s your bairn?”
“She’s four.”
“And she’s having to stay away from ye?” Something ticked over in his vision. “Christ. And ye didn’t bring her because you’re sleeping in a shared space? That isnae right.” He took up his phone and tapped out a text with sharp jabs of his finger.
An icy chill slid through me.
I’d done the best I could for my little family. I hated being away from Tobi, but we’d left with almost nothing. I needed to earn money, and that meant being here, with the job I’d found. To bring her to the hangar with all its dangers felt risky, particularly when I’d had the generous offer of a warm pullout bed and a home with toys.
But Valentine’s horror at my actions panicked me.
“I know it isn’t right.” I crept a few steps deeper into the room. “But she’s only two hours away. I can get to her when she needs me. I wouldn’t do it if I had another option. Please, who are you contacting?”
“Ben. My boss, I mean. I’m asking if we can start early on the home repairs. We’ve got training this morning, but other thanthat, I’m going to crack on with your wee home. It’s nae good ye getting up at four AM to drive to work.”
His phone dinged. He squinted at the screen.
“Jackson’s down. Raphael, too. Ben has a meeting, but he’ll show up later. I’ll see who else I can round up.”
He sent a reply while all I could do was try to breathe.
Daisy had shown me the house yesterday, but it hadn’t really sunk in that it could be my new home. People didn’t just offer up houses, nor was it habitable. I’d figured that once I was done with work for the day, after going to the preschool to register Tobi, I’d be house-hunting.
A knock came at the bunkhouse’s door.
Daisy poked her head in and smiled when she sighted me. “Good morning. Oh hey, Val. Mia, are you good to go?”
Shit. I hadn’t even changed yet or brushed my teeth.
“Can I have two minutes? So sorry. I just got back.”
“No problem. I’m early because I was going to get us a coffee for the road. The first job involves a drive up into the mountains. Go get ready. I’ll wait.”
“I’ll be as quick as I can.”
I darted into the dorm room and snatched up clothes and my toiletries bag, then ran for the bathroom. My strip-wash and teeth-brushing took a minute, then I combed my hair out, tying it into a high ponytail to keep it out of my way.
Even in the midst of first-day nerves, I couldn’t help stealing a glance at the shower.
The image of Valentine in there was permanently embedded in my brain, and I wasn’t mad about it. It also solidified how I couldn’t bring Tobi into such an adult environment. The hangar was dangerous for a little one, and the bunkhouse had its own hazards.
Done, I dashed back to the dorm room and grabbed my cleaning caddy, then returned to Daisy.
She and my roommate were having some kind of in-depth conversation which ended with my arrival, Valentine’s lips pursed and his dark eyebrows drawn together.
One guess what their topic had been.
I swallowed. Had to make a good impression, and I was already slacking. “I’m ready. I apologise for the delay.”
Daisy waved off my concern and ushered me outside. I gave a hurried goodbye to Valentine, not meeting his eye.
