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“Funny thing, I was coming to talk to you about a desk job.”
He smiles. “Great, you start now. But don’t worry about putting in a full day’s work. An hour will do. Take some time to get acquainted with things. You can officially start next shift, and we’ll figure out daytime hours for you.”
I arch a brow. “And this wouldn’t have anything to do with your talk with Ridge, now, would it?”
“Nah.” He stands, eluding my gaze and looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable.
“Oz, I need to get paid. I can’t afford to work only an hour. And if you want me in the office for nights, that’s cool. Ridge doesn’t call the shots.”
He barks out a laugh and stares at me like I’m naïve. “You can work whenever, and remember, I promised you work out from behind the bar longbeforeRidge called. But just so we’re clear, I ain’t takin’ on your man.”
I spring to my feet. “He isn’t my man.”
A hard rap at the door interrupts us and the door swings open. My heart stops and nausea swirls in my stomach.
My mother shuffles into the room on shaky legs, disheveled and strung out.
Fuck my life.
I haven’t seen her in months and I’m good with that, but it could be worse. Otis could be with her. At least my father isn’t here.
“Hi, Oz. Could you leave us alone?” Arlene scratches at her rail-thin arm, the flesh sallow and pockmarked as her gaze lands on me. “I’m here to talk to my daughter.”
“We don’t have anything to say to each other,” I blurt out at the same time Oz says, “Sure thing, Arlene.” He looks at me long and hard. “Lacy, you good?”
My shoulders sag. “Yeah. It’s fine.”
The door clicks shut behind him and Arlene coos, “Hey, baby, how are you?”
“What do you want?”
“Don’t be like that. Even if I didn’t know you were expectin’, I could tell.” She points a bony finger at me, dirt embedded under her jagged, paper-thin nail. “You’re glowin’. I was the same with you.”
I snort, trying to ignore the bubbling wave of dread rising within me. “Spare me your lies.” I sharpen my gaze to match my tone. “I’m only asking one more time. What. Do. You. Want?”
I don’t like that she knows about the baby, but I’m also not surprised. Prospect is a small town, and I can no longer hide my pregnancy. Word is spreading around the club, and likely the whole damn town is talking.
The real mystery is the father and so far, no one’s figured it out, although it’s only a matter of time. Maybe Mommy dearest will be the first. Nowthatcould be a problem.
When my parents find out the father is a Kincaide, all they’ll see are dollar signs. Shit. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?
“I want to help. Raising a child on your own is hard, but a baby also means a fresh start. You’ve always wanted out of this town. What if we left together? We’d help you raise our grandbaby.” She forces her biggest and brightest smile.
“You must be fucking high. There’s no way in hell I’d let you anywhere near this baby.”
Arlene and Otis Hallman don’t have a parental bone between them. I’d sooner leave a newborn in a lion’s den than with them. They must know about Ridge, and like sharks, they smell blood in the water and aren’t going anywhere until they get dinner.
“Lacy, I was a good mama, and your daddy loves you.”
Vomit claws its way up my throat. How can she call Otis daddy? More like bully or abuser. She makes me sick with the pretty picture she paints of a childhood I never had.
She twirls a finger coyly around a dirty, matted clump of hair. It looks like it hasn’t been washed in weeks.
“Baby girl, we’d be good for the baby. For you. We could go to Bozeman or Missoula or leave the state.”
“What the hell is going on? And don’t lie to me. Why are you here?”
A nervous titter skates past her dry, flaky lips and her arms fold across her middle, nails digging into her forearms. “Just listen. This is our chance to leave this place. Start over.”
