Page 25 (1/2)

"Yes, ma’am Do you havelot when you pick up a shift It’s not safe for ladies to be walking alone at night"

I gave hilance "Have you met me, Drew?"

He chuckled "Once or twice" He paused while he decided if he was going to say the next part "I’d still feel better about it If you don’t mind"

"Okay I’ll call ahead"

He smiled, relieved "Thank you, Mrs Maddox"

"Caht, toward the entrance, and I went left to the east bar Shayla was already stocking beer in the coolers She was high-strung but worked fast enough to keep up with the east bar’s traffic

She sighed "Did Natasha call in sick again?"

"She did"

"Hank’s going to fire her"

"I doubt it"

"He an He tells us all the ti a bucket of ice into the last cooler

"I don’t bla with you, too"

I smiled It was nice to feel needed, even if I was spread a little thin the past few years with Ji his cane against the wall next to his bed and setting a cup of ice water on his nightstand Night-lights lit the way from his room to the bathroom, but I still worried Jim was like a father to me; he was the only one I had My alcoholic, abusive father had died years before from cirrhosis of the liver I didn’t miss him, but Mom moved to Ohio with my oldest brother and his family, and the rest of my brothers were scattered all over the country

I was lucky to have a family like the Maddoxes, but I was desperate to keep Ji as possible His health had declined in the past few years and had randchild and for him or her to know Jiave hi, how many walks ent on, or how healthy I cooked for hiht ti it He looked forward to seeing his wife again, and it felt self-serving to beg him to try harder

The DJ started up the sound syste me snap out of my stare off with the beer cooler