8. Lucy #2
She touches a few spots and asks questions about soreness and how often I change injection sites. Then she nods as she stands. “You’re doing a good job with it. I just hate that you’ve had to poke yourself so much. Between the shots and your glucometer, you’re basically a human pincushion.”
I sigh and shake my head. “I know. I wish I could get an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor, but with my useless insurance policy, it would probably cost more than rent each month.”
Reese shakes her head. “I’m so sorry, Lu. Have you had any luck in the job search?”
I blow out a frustrated groan, finish my insulin dose, tensing my jaw to hide my grimace at the pinch of pain, and put my things away.
“No. I’ve been turned down from almost every school district I’ve applied to.
Apparently, they only need teachers in grades outside my licensure.
I knew I should have gotten my degree up to sixth grade.
I was so sure I wanted to stay in the pre-k to third-grade range.
I still do, but at this point, I just need a job. ”
“Oh!” Skye exclaims and claps her hands. “I almost forgot. I found the perfect summer job for you. You still haven’t found one, right?”
I slump into my chair as Reese places a cup of coffee beside my brownie. “Nope. No luck there either. You were right about all the businesses around town hiring their own kids.”
She nods. “Yes, but it doesn’t matter, because I have the answer to your summer job problems.”
I raise my brows and nod, encouraging her to continue. “Okay. What is it?”
She purses her lips and scoops a bite of brownie onto her fork. “How desperate are you?”
My eyes narrow as I pick up my fork, ready for my first bite of fudgy brownie. “Pretty desperate, but I thought this was the perfect job for me. Why do I need to be desperate?”
She tilts her head back and forth as she chews her brownie. “You’d love the job, but you might not love the ‘boss.’”
My brows scrunch in a frown as I chew the delicious treat, but Reese is too impatient to wait for me to swallow. “What do you mean? What’s the job and who is the boss?”
Skye sighs, scooping up her last bite as I sip my coffee. “He said he’d call you this afternoon.”
“Who?” I exclaim.
At the same time, Reese rolls her eyes and says, “Stop being so cryptic, Skye.”
My phone rings from my bag on the living room couch, and my brows rise.
Skye chuckles. “Man, he’s got good timing.”
“Who?”
She tilts her head toward my ringing phone. “Go answer it and find out.”
Shooting a glare at her as I walk by, I cross the room to my bag and dig my phone out from the depths of the canvas tote. The number on my screen is unfamiliar. I answer with a frown. “Hello?”
“Lucille.”
My shoulders drop, and I scoff. “Nathaniel?”
He blows an incredulous chuckle. “Wait. Do you not have my number saved? We’ve known each other forever, and you haven’t added me to your contact list?”
I roll my eyes and plop onto the couch, sinking into the fluffy white cushions. “I’ve never had a reason to save your number. Come to think of it, I don’t think you’ve ever called or texted me before now.”
“Hmm. I guess you’re right.”
“What do you want, Nate? I’m expecting a call from someone else.”
“Oh, really? Who?”
“I don’t know. Someone that Skye is being shady about. It’s not your business anyway.”
“Uh-oh. Is she setting you up on a blind date?”
“I’m hanging up if you don’t tell me why you’re calling.”
“Skye told me to.”
I frown and sit up, turning around to look at Skye over the back of the couch. Reese and Skye are both sipping coffee and watching me intently.
“She did?”
“Yep. Surprise, Luce. I’m your blind date.”
I feel my nostrils flare as I draw a deep breath. “What?”
He chuckles. “I ran into Skye at the grocery store earlier. She told me your boss cut your hours, and you’re looking for a job for the summer.”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Well, turns out, I’m looking for a babysitter.”
I tilt my head and chuckle. “Aw, Nate. You’re a little immature, but I don’t think you actually require adult supervision.”
“Ha ha, you’re hilarious. Not for me, genius, for Quinn.”
My brows scrunch in a frown again. “What do you mean?”
He sighs. “I mean, I have to go back to work next week, and I need someone I trust to take care of Quinn while I’m gone.”
“Your parents aren’t keeping her?”
He’s quiet for a beat, and I replay my question, wondering what tripped him up. “No, they’re not. Vi and Landon made me Quinn’s guardian. They wanted Mom and Dad to be her grandparents, not some parent-grandparent hybrid.”
“Oh.”
He clears his throat, and I can picture him scratching the back of his head like he does when things feel awkward.
“Yeah. So, I’m going back to work on Monday, and I can’t take Quinn with me.
Mom is busy at the bakery, and Dad is hauling a load to Texas.
I’ve called a huge list of babysitters and daycares, and no one can work with my schedule.
I know you’re only available for the summer, but that gives me time to find a permanent arrangement.
If you’re not interested, I understand. I just thought since you work with kids and you like Quinn—”
“Sorry. Yeah, I’m interested. And I love Quinn. I was just… wrapping my head around things.”
“Yeah. I’ve been doing a lot of that, too.”
I bite my lip as my heart squeezes in my chest. He’s had to cope with so much over the last couple of weeks. I clear my throat. “You work long hours, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I’m on duty for twenty-four hours, then I have forty-eight hours off.
So, I’ll work Monday and Thursday this week; Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday next week; and Tuesday and Friday the week after that.
I need to leave home around six in the morning on shift days, and I’d be back the following morning around eight. ”
I nod as I dig my planner from my bag and pull it into my lap. “Okay.”
“Do you think your boss at the preschool would work around your schedule with Quinn? I’d hate for you to miss out on more hours there to help me out.”
I pop the lid off a pink felt-tip pen I found in my bag and mark the days he mentioned with little pink Qs. “I’m sure I can work things out with her. She kind of owes me after putting me in this mess in the first place.”
I hear Quinn fussing in the background, and Nate makes a soft shushing sound. “It’s okay, Quinndolyn. Give me a second.” He clears his throat. “Luce, I’ve got a hungry baby begging for a bottle and a nap. Do you want to keep her, or should I keep looking?”
I nod, even though he can’t see me. “I want to keep her.”
He sighs as Quinn continues whining. “Okay. Thanks. Text me your hourly rate, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Okay. I will.”
“Talk to you later, Luce.”
I end the call and stare at the phone, processing.
Nate is Quinn’s guardian.
Nate is a parent.
And now I’m working for him.
I hold back a wince and close my eyes. Can I stand that much interaction with Nate Walker? If I didn’t need this job so desperately, I might reconsider. I do love Quinn, though. I might agree to the job even if I wasn’t desperate, just to have an excuse to play with her.
The couch dips beside me, and I open my eyes to find Skye sitting next to me and Reese on the arm of the chair beside the couch. Skye raises a brow. “So?”
“So, I guess I’m working for Nate.”
Skye smirks, and I roll my eyes. I can practically see her mental wheels turning. But taking this job doesn’t mean anything. It’s about surviving the summer.