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Noah’s eyes narrowed and he glowered "He didn’t want dinner"

"Yeah, that’s why I said no," she said

"You were blindsided," he said

"Yeah There’s so ain I did call hiuy He said there wasn’t ave al-defense office that did charity work He called thes us to today Hey," she said, "this is still part of the silence pact, right?"

"Absolutely, Ellie I don’t gossip"

"Because I’, but I’m not stupid All the stuff I’ve screwed up? I’ed pretty hard by people who don’t know me But it’s not even that--it’s the kids I don’t want theed because I--"

"Don’t worry," he said "Our conversations are private" He concentrated for a et as much appreciation as it deserved

Noah had a lot of experience counseling people ere down on their luck, many of them actually in need of food and shelter He’d seen worse than what Ellie was going through, but just the sahness, her fearlessness She wasn’t dependent on hi All she needed was a job chit to take back to that crooked judge in eighty-one days, collect her kids and get on with her life Meantilad he’d taken a chance on her

"I’ a bite of cake to her mouth He lifted his eyes to hers "The owner of the club--he’s a great guy who liked to take good care of his girls And the funny thing was, the ones who didn’t ht down to cracks and nipples weren’t always the most popular ones…"

One end of Noah’s uess I’htforward for you, huh?" she asked "Thing is, all I had to do iggle around with those poarter belt and I did just fine I think Madonna wore less on stage half the time than I did in that club The people were usually nice, the custoive us any trouble ’Course, we had a plus-size bouncer, just in case It was just work It paid the bills It’s not so I wanted to do forever I was always on the lookout for so better"

"You shouldn’t have lost your kids over that job," he said "Worst case, they should have been left with you with visits from Child Welfare They would have seen in no ti to the children That was crap, what happened to you"

She just looked at hiuess co fro aI know you don’t approve of that kind of place--or of the wo "Ellie, I don’t have an opinion about your last job There’s plenty about it to admire," he said

"Like?"

"Like ato take care of her kids"

"Well, be real clear about that, Rev If I hadn’t lucked into that job, I would have done just about anything When it coht, I’ remarkable

"Do you ever want kids?" she asked

"I did," he said quietly A bunch of theht away "I think this little town church is going to be ot with Arnie was just what I deserved I ht he was safe for , he was okay that I had children while a lot of guys run for their lives when they find out you come with kids I wasn’t attracted to him, I wasn’t in love with him So maybe that’s what I deserved, huh?"

Noah didn’t have to consider it "Never think that," he said "No one deserves cruelty of any kind Not on their worst day"

Just then, the door opened and Mel ca herself up to lean over the bar and give him a kiss Then she turned and looked at Noah and Ellie "Mel," Noah called "Got a minute?"

She walked over to their table "Mel Sheridan, this is Ellie Baldwin She’s helping out in the church for a while"

"Nice toout her hand "Jack said there was so over there?"

"It’s ly," Ellie said honestly

"Well, it’s notthan I’ve ed in the last week She’s a ind"

"Good for you Very cute top, by the way"

Ellie looked down, then lifted an eyebroard Noah before she said, "Thanks Target Under twenty bucks"

"Really? I need to get over there one of these days They usually have good buys So, Ellie--where do you live?"