Her eyes welled up with tears and sympathy washed over me.
“Fine. I won’t tell him you are living in the car, but you have to tell him about your kid. He will understand.”
“But-”
I grabbed her hand.
“Trust me. He’s a good guy. I can’t lie to him.”
She chewed her lip and nodded.
“Okay. I guess I’ll just… finish my lunch.”
I smiled sadly. I knew she hadn’t eaten a damn thing. I knew because I was a mother myself and that’s what I would have done if I was in the same shoes.
“Everything will be alright. I promise.”
I walked away, praying that I was right.
Chapter Eight
Mason
“A kid?”
Cassie nodded. I knew she wanted to talk about Connor but I was too shocked to do more than repeat myself over and over.
“She’s proud, Mase. She’s really been through something. Please don’t be mad at her.”
Cassie wasn’t telling me everything, I could tell.
“I’m not mad. I just… so there was a kid out there all night last night? Damn.”
“Yes. And I don’t think…”
“What?”
“Well, I don’t think Michelle actually ate any of that lunch.”
I stared at her. Of course. She was feeding her kid. I felt something inside me break a little bit at the thought.
“Dammit.”
Cass exhaled.
“I know.” She hesitated. “Did she leave an address on her paperwork?”
I frowned.
“No, why?”
She shook her head, looking worried.
“No reason.”
“Okay. You want to stick around and talk? We never got to.”
She shook her head.
“I’ll just ask him. These hormones are making me crazy.”
“I think that’s a good call.”
I walked her to her car and kissed her cheek. Then I ran back inside and grabbed some highlighters and permanent markers and walked all the way to the back.
Michelle was sitting in the driver’s seat of her rickety looking old car with the door open, looking just about heartbroken. The girl had the weight of the world on those delicate shoulders.
Dammit.
I felt my guts twist at the sight of her. Cass said the girl had been through something… I was starting to see what she meant.
She had only been with us a few days, and she was the best damn waitress we’d had in years. Not to mention the absurd schoolboy crush I had on her.
I cleared my throat and she flinched. Jesus. I was going to fix this. I had to.
“So, I could use some help.”
She looked up at me, looking terrified.
“You… do?”
I held up the markers.
“I’ve got all this extra paper. I could really use some new artwork in my office. If only there was someone to help me draw some pictures.”
A bright blond head popped up from the back seat. Cute kid. Looked happy enough, even though she was hanging out in the backseat of a car. I smiled, then looked at Michelle.
“What do you think? Is there anyone around here who could help me?”
Her eyes filled up with tears. She wiped them away and nodded with a heartbreaking smile. Goddammit. Had life really been this cruel to her? A little kindness shouldn’t make her cry.
That pissed me right the fuck off.
I held out my hand and a tiny little hand reached out to shake it.
“I’m Mason.”
The little girl grinned and my heart melted all over again.
“I’m Paton. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It is very nice to meet you too.”
I glanced at Michelle who was staring at the ground.
“Well, come on then. The walls aren’t going to decorate themselves.”
I was half afraid she was going to disappear. Just drive off, never to be heard from again. But she didn’t. She locked up the car and took Paton’s hand. Then she nodded.
Damn if I didn’t feel like I’d just won a great victory.
Chapter Nine
Michelle
“She’s conked out on the couch.”
I chewed my lip. It had been a little over a week and I was still overwhelmed by Mason’s kindness. He seemed to love kids, especially considering the frown he usually wore.
But he was a really good man, despite it all. The tats. The leather. The long hair and full beard. He was a kind person deep down.
The older bad boy I’d had a crush on had turned into a regular knight in shining armor.
Paton was happy as a clam, spending every day drawing on Mason’s desk and reading on his couch. Mason even bought real crayons for her. I’d checked on her constantly throughout the day. Mason went so far as hanging out down here so she could have the room to herself.
Though I noticed that he checked on her quite a bit too.
And the food. He’d made her so much food. Even stuff that wasn’t on the menu, like an ice cream sundae.
The man was pretty much a saint.
I swallowed and gave him a smile.
“Thank you, Mason. For the job. And for… well, everything.”
“We’re kind of like a family here. If you need anything you just holler, you hear me?”
I nodded, blushing. It was a good thing he didn’t know what I was thinking. Because what I really wanted was his arms around me.