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Emma shimmied her way through the crowd to the kitchen. She always enjoyed their shift, because it meant first dibs on the treats. By the time Hannah made it there, Emma had already finished her second cookie.
“No more.” Hannah pointed a finger at her.
“Mrs. Curtis said I could have some,” she argued.
Hannah held her breath and counted to five in her head. It was not her daughter’s fault that she was on edge.
She began passing out cookies and making sure the carafes were full of hot water, coffee, and milk. When most people had been served and the crowd started to dwindle, she spotted him. He stood with his mother and another couple she had seen in church but didn’t know well. She opened the hot water carafe, then turned when she heard someone approach.
“Hi Hannah,” Julia Ryland said.
“Hi.” Julia had also been Olivia’s closest friend for many years. Their relationship had always irked Hannah. Julia had everything a teenage girl could dream of. She’d even begged her daddy to buy her a horse, just because Olivia had one. She got a fancy red sportscar the minute she turned sixteen, and was sure to tell everyone how much it cost. She only dated the coolest, most popular guys. And she was bossy. She was always in the middle of the biggest dramas, knew everything that was happening in and out of school, and spread it around as fast as she could… including telling everyone about Hannah’s pregnancy.
“How are you?” Julia asked.
“Good, you?” She wondered if Julia was still feeling jilted by Jesse. They’d had a little something that had ended with Olivia’s return to Prairie Valley.
“Oh, you know, hanging out.” She grabbed a paper cup and dropped a tea bag in it. “I heard you’re working as a nanny for Olivia and Jesse?”
Hannah nodded.
“That’s nice.” She poured hot water in her cup and the conversation suddenly ended, making Hannah extremely uncomfortable.
“I heard you’re good with paperwork and stuff,” Julia said suddenly.
“Excuse me?” Was this family for real?
“My dad runs a construction company, and well, he’s got all these files everywhere, from like, the last thirty years.” Julia kept talking, completely unaware of the change in Hannah’s demeanor. “It’s a mess. If you think Jake’s paperwork problem is bad… Anyways, I wondered if you might want to pick up some extra work, putting the files in order electronically.”
“Your mom already offered me a job today.” She looked back at Mrs. Ryland, then at Jake. Her heart pounded against her ribcage.
“Well, if you need some extra cash, I’d really appreciate the help, even just a few hours here and there,” Julia continued.
From the corner of her eye, she could see him approaching the coffee station. “I’m too busy right now, but thanks.” And she left Julia and went back into the kitchen.
“Thank you so much,” Pastor Anita said to them.
“Anytime.” Emma smiled.
“Emma, do you mind if I have a minute alone with your mother?” she asked.
“Is everything okay?” Hannah asked when Emma had gone out to the hall, no doubt to forage for any remaining sweets. Had she done something wrong?
But the pastor surprised her by saying, “I wanted to know if you needed any extra support.”
Hannah couldn’t explain why, but all these offers of help just seemed to make her more and more anxious, rather than less. “We’re okay. Thanks.”
“There’s no shame in asking for help,” the pastor said gently. “I’ve seen you work your heart out for the Hooley’s, and I’m just sick that they would let you go.”
Had Jake told the story to every… single… person… in town? Why didn’t he just rent out a billboard?
* * *
“You’ve hardly called me all week,” Allison complained. Her voice sounded like a guitar string that was just about to snap. Kind of how Jake’s last nerve felt.
“I’ve been really busy.” He didn’t want to fight. Again. “I’m trying to get this ranch up and running.”
“But now you’re working at Broken Eagle Ranch, too?” She rolled her eyes. “When are you evernotgoing to be busy?”
