AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It will help you and your mother.” Abby smiled. “Family is all we have, right? Do you have siblings?”
Family. She and Abby were half sisters. But she couldn’t say a word. Never tell anyone who your father was. Mamá’s words echoed in her head. She’d imagined horrible things would happen if anyone knew. “It’s just Mamá and I. Daddy died years ago.”
“Stay here.” Abby added, “I’ll have Marion get the cleaning crew in tomorrow for a touch-up. Don’t worry about soap and shampoo and those things, we’ll stock from the B and B. Let me show you the bedrooms and bathroom. There’s a washer and dryer. You can stay starting tomorrow.”
“You would…” Carolina started to walk but her legs wouldn’t move. She burst into tears. “…for me?”
“I can’t imagine what it would be like if my mamma was in the hospital.” Abby’s hand pressed against her chest. Then she hugged Carolina. “I want to help.”
Carolina tried to hold in her sobs. She’d thought Abby would be cruel. “I… I can’t afford rent.”
“No charge.” Abby patted her back, murmuring soft words. No one had ever been this kind to her.
“Thank you.” Carolina pulled away, brushing the tears from her cheeks. “Thank you so much.”
Abby looked at her. “You even cry pretty.”
“What?”
“When I cry, my skin goes all blotchy. You just look gorgeous.” Abby pulled toilet paper from the bathroom and handed it to Carolina. “I always wanted curly hair like yours.”
Carolina wiped her face and blew her nose. She couldn’t reconcile the Abby she’d imagined with the woman standing in front of her. If Abby knew they shared a father, would she still be this kind?
Her boss wouldn’t learn that from her.
“I’ll get you a key tomorrow.” They headed back to the restaurant. “Time to work.”
What would her mother think about Abby’s kindness? Her breath caught. She could never tell Mamá.
* * *
“I’LL MEET YOU for dinner.” Sage wanted to say no, but Kaden would probably come over and pull him out of his condo by his ear. Something his brothers had done when he was little. He sighed. “What time?”
“Contain your enthusiasm.” Kaden laughed. “Call when you get to Fitzgerald House. We’ll figure out where to eat.”
“Will do.” Over the last two days he’d taken a few more walks. He knew the placement of all the benches in a ten-block area. Unfortunately his vision still sucked. Which aggravated his constant headaches.
Before pocketing his phone, he checked for a message from Carolina. Nothing.
They might have kissed, but she hadn’t reached out. Hadn’t responded to his last text. He’d almost called too many times, but finally stopped. Obviously she wasn’t interested. Time to stop pining over Carolina Castillo.
Sage took a pill and headed out. He should have told Kaden to come to River Street. There were plenty of restaurants.
At the elevator, he headed up to Bay Street. He and two senior citizens. Great. At the top, he waited for the couple to move ahead of him. They were walking so slowly, even he could pass them.
Should he walk or hail a cab? Damn. He wanted to punch the guy who’d shot him. Or the dog who’d knocked him down.
Cab it was. When he saw Kaden, he wanted to look healthy. Kaden might be reporting his condition to their boss.
He caught a cab at the Hyatt, fuming as the cabbie took him to Fitzgerald House. He should be able to walk the stupid ten blocks.
After entering the Fitzgerald House courtyard, he sat at the first table and sent Kaden a text. In courtyard.
He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Something smelled good. He squinted as he opened his eyes. Hell, he’d collapsed at the same table where Carolina’s magic hands had eased his headache.
Kaden texted him back. Head to restaurant. I’ll be 15 mins.
Restaurant? That must be where the great smells were from. He followed the scent, moving past a patio teeming with people drinking, eating and laughing. The sign on the door said Southern Comforts. Inside, he whipped off his sunglasses.
A hostess asked, “Can I help you?”
“I’ll sit at the bar and wait for my friend.”
“Sure. Let me know if you want a table.”
“Thanks.” He found a couple of empty seats at the end of the bar.
He boosted his butt onto the stool, moaning like he was Gramps after being in the saddle for a day.
Two women with their backs to him, worked behind the counter, drawing beers. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths.
“Sage?”
