Page 21 (1/2)

"That is so sweet," Brayden said "And here we thought the food was for us"

"God, that sood," Jake said "Do you mind if we eat them? I really don’t think Astrid wouldsoed I didn’t want them to eat her pancakes, but I didn’t want to look like an idiot, either Or like I cared

Jake took the plate from me, and he and Brayden fell on the pancakes like they were starving to death

"These are fantastic!" Brayden said, his mouth full "These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had"

"It’s all Batiste," I said "Turns out he can cook"

"Jeez," Jakehis mouth on his sleeve "What’s for lunch?"

And there they were at lunch, lined up with all the other kids Sahalia was right behind Jake, trying to start a conversation with hinored her but was pretty nice to the other kids, joking around and ruffling Max’s hair

Niko walked into the kitchen and saw Jake and Brayden there and paused in his stride Then he just picked up a tray and got on line

Lunch was less of an immediate hit Curried tuna fish on toast The curried tuna had slivered almonds and currants in it (who knew they sold currants at Greenway? Organic, no less)

Batiste told everyone they would like it and, true enough, once they started eating, they loved it

"Where did you learn to cook?" Chloe asked hi, I saw Niko approach Jake and Brayden’s table

"Hey, guys," Niko said

"Niko" Jake nodded

Brayden just kept eating

"Jake, I was hoping you would take on an assignment--Head of Security," Niko said all in a rush "I want so and capable to check the store andis safe"

The little kids prattled on, eating their curried tuna and slurping their juice boxes, but Josie and I shared a look: Would Jake fall in line? Would he help us or were he and Brayden going to be a problem?

"I’ll think about it," Jake said

Niko let out his breath

"Good"

Niko took his tray over to Josie and sat with her

As Batiste went around and gave out the dulce de leche cupcakes we had spenton, I watched Jake relax He walked over to Chloe and complimented her on her hair accessories, which were nuot Max and Ulysses excited about the idea of starting a little football tea with Jake, but he see, in his uneasy way, to flirt with Josie

And, out of the corner of his eye, Brayden just watched

The "secret" assigniven Josie to do, while the little kids were all busy doing their aisles, was to ih the store looking for the coziest, safest-feeling space in the store

It turned out to be the dressing rooainst the wall

One of the things that made them feel homey is that the rest of the store had a cold, linoleu roo rooms shared a co dressing roo six by ten feet--handicapped accessible) when you first entered, then beyond it there were eight dressing rooms, four on each side of a fairly wide hallway Each s room was a paltry four feet by four feet

I know this because that afternoon Josie asked me to help her take down some of the walls Her idea was to have the little kids sleep together in the two big dressing rooht-by-four sleeping berth by taking doall separating two of the s rooms There would be four of these berths in the ladies’ rooood with carpentry," I told her as we studied the spaces

"Well, you’re better than ood job at this," I said

I don’t know I felt for the guy It was clear, to ht as well set him up a bit

Josie rolled her eyes

"Niko is…"

"What?" I asked

"He’s so uptight and foruess I could see that," I said

"Soon the wall "We each want privacy and also to be able to stretch out"

"Have you guys seen Jake?" ca roo there, his hands ja in his eyes and he looked down at his feet

"We haven’t seen hi his job," I said, going back into the dressing roo in there?" I heard Brayden ask Josie

"We’re taking down so areas for everyone"