Chapter 10
Two nights’ tips weren’t enough to bankroll an ant. If she was going to flee again, she’d need a lot more than that. Big Al had called that morning, explaining he was calling all his employees to warn them it would be weeks, maybe months before he was able to operate. Like all the other former employees of Jack’s Grill on the Water, Jewel once again put on a skirt and a short-sleeved blouse and hit the pavement in search of another job.
She left Colton asleep and headed into town in the relatively cool morning. Still, by the time she’d walked the distance, her light cotton blouse was plastered to her back.
Still, she went from one restaurant to another, filling out applications and participating in cursory interviews.
No one was interested in hiring her. Finally, the manager at the local Burger Barn told her why. “Trouble seems to follow you,” he said. “Your house burned, then Jack’s Grill was wrecked. No one wants to take a chance they’ll be next.”
She might as well have worn a big scarlet letter on her forehead, maybe aTfortroubleor aCforcursed.
Outside, the sun beamed brightly, birds sang in the trees, and weekenders, as the locals called the city dwellers who came down to spend the weekend in their lake houses, strolled the streets in brightly colored shorts and sandals. In the few hours she’d spent looking, the heat had climbed, approaching triple digits.
A typical summer day in a lake town. She eyed a laughing family of five eating ice-cream cones and wondered what the hell she was going to do.
For now, she’d better head back to Colton’s before the thermometer showed one hundred.
In preparation, she bought a diet soda with lots of ice. If she kept to the shade, the long walk might not be too bad. She could always jump in the lake to cool off.
“Jewel! Wait up.”
Jewel turned, the sun blinding her. “Reba?”
Shading her eyes with her hand, she watched as the other woman hurried across the parking lot.
“It’s so hot, even breathing is painful. What are you doing outside on a day like this?” Short of breath, Reba fanned herself. She wore an orange pair of cotton capris and a yellow, green and orange patterned tank top.
“Trying to find another job.” Jewel took a long drink and shrugged. “I’m not having much luck. They all seem to think I’m jinxed.”
“Ah, honey let all the fuss die down. After a week or two goes by, they’ll forget all about it.”
“I don’t have a week or two.”
Reba frowned. “I don’t know what you mean, but you may be right. I was looking for you. We’ve got to talk. Remember what I told you last night? About Colton?”
Squinting at the other woman, Jewel nodded. The sun beat down unmercifully. Beads of perspiration ran down Jewel’s back. “Please. Not this again. I have enough problems.”
“Iknewyou didn’t believe me,” Reba crowed. Then sobering, she waggled her finger at Jewel. “But you will now. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Is this person willing to hire me?”
“Not hardly.”
“Then why do I want to meet him? I wasn’t kidding when I said this isn’t a good time.” Moving into the limited shade offered by a spindly oak tree, Jewel thought she might throw up. The heat was unbelievable.
“Not him, her. And believe me, you’ll want to meet her.”
“Right now, all I want is a cold shower and some iced tea.”
“Jewel,” Reba’s no-nonsense tone matched the gleam in her eye. “You have to meet her.”
With a sigh, Jewel drained the last of her drink. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why?”
“Remember what I told you about Colton?”
“That he’s abusive? Yes, I do. And I’ve seen no evidence that would make me ever believe that of him.”
“You know what?” Reba shook her head, her eyes sad. “I thought the same thing until the man I’ve been seeing introduced me to Bettina. You really need to meet her.”
