Chapter 3
Harper
I poke my head into the garage, wincing when I’m met with a blast of country music and machine sounds. Paul is standing off to the side, talking to one of the other mechanics, but he looks up when he sees me and starts to make his way over.
“Morning,” he says.
“Good morning. Any news yet?”
He rubs the back of his neck, and my stomach drops. Somehow I just know whatever he’s about to say is going to be bad.
“So here’s the thing,” he starts. Nothing good ever starts like that.
“Diagnostics showed that your car needs a hell of a lot of work. Not even to get it back in top shape, but just to get you farther than a few miles down the road. We could do it, if you wanted, but the parts wouldn’t be in for at least two weeks. ”
My head starts spinning. Two weeks? What the hell am I supposed to do for two weeks?
But Paul isn’t done, apparently. “Now, it’s up to you if you want to go that route.
I’ve got room to keep your car here until the parts come in, or we can tow it wherever you want within reason.
But… if you want my opinion? This car ain’t worth that.
The parts and labor alone would be more than what your car’s worth.
You’d be better off just finding something used and going with that.
I can point you toward some places if that’s what you wanna do. ”
For a moment I can’t do anything other than stare. Standing in the dusty garage, I feel my carefully constructed plans crumbling around me.
I’ve barely got enough money for a few more nights at that sketchy motel, let alone expensive car repairs or a new car altogether.
I have no idea what I’m going to do.
“Can I… have some time to think about it?” I ask through numb lips. There’s not really anything to think about, but I need a minute to wrap my head around all of this.
Paul nods. “Take your time. You know where to find me when you’ve decided.”
I trudge back through to the waiting area with Cora. My breakfast sits like a lead weight in my stomach now, and I sit down heavily in the chair, barely resisting the urge to put my head in my hands.
Cora doesn’t say anything, but she has to be able to tell that something is wrong. She just leans into me while we sit there, and I stare at the cracked linoleum floor, trying to come up with a plan to get us out of this.
Sitting just makes it worse somehow, and we end up walking back outside to where Lettie is parked in the grass now, looking as run down and used up as I feel inside.
An hour later, I’m still there, trying to think of something—anything—that can help.
That’s where Cash finds me when he pulls up and gets out of his truck.
He’s in dark wash jeans again, and I notice that they’re a bit dusty, maybe from working on a ranch or whatever it is he does for work.
His sleeves are rolled up to the elbow, showing off tanned and muscular forearms, and his hat is pushed back, letting the sun-golden highlights of his hair spill across his forehead.
Even feeling as low and worn-down as I do, it’s hard not to notice how fucking beautiful this man is. I’m depressed, not blind.
He shoves his hands into his pockets when he spots me and comes walking over. I can tell he’s trying to look casual, like he just happened to be here at the same time I was, but there’s probably no real reason for him to come here unless he was looking for me.
“Hey there,” he says as he approaches. “And hello to you too, little miss.” He tips his hat to Cora. “What’s the word on your car?”
As if he can’t tell from my face that it’s not good news.
But I guess at least he asked and didn’t assume.
That’s something, even if it does mean I have to come up with an answer.
And really, there’s no reason to lie. It doesn’t take a genius to see that Lettie isn’t up and running, and Paul would probably tell him if he asked.
“Not good,” I reply. I give him the short version of what Paul said. “And it’s not like I can afford a new car or the repairs and parts right now. So I’m stuck.”
Cash takes his hat off and runs fingers through his hair. I’m briefly distracted by the way he smells—his unique scent layered under the smell of grass and warm body—and the way his hair catches the light.
“So you’ll be sticking around,” he says.
I shrug. “I’m either here until the parts come in or here until I can get a way to leave. I don’t have much choice.” Just saying it out loud makes the pit in my stomach get even more intense. I hate feeling trapped. I hate having no options.
“How do you feel about bartending?”
“What?” I stare at him, confused.
“I co-own a bar,” he explains. “And we’ve been looking for another bartender for a couple weeks now. The job’s yours if you want it.”
I keep staring at him, turning his words over and over in my head. “Just like that?” I finally ask.
He shrugs a shoulder. “It’ll help if you have experience with bartending or food service or something like that.”
“I do,” I say before I can think better of it.
“I’ve done both before.” My brain finally catches up with my mouth, and I shut it before I can give too much else away about my past. It’s bad enough I’ve already said so much, and worse that Cash has seen me like this. That he knows how desperate I am.
Cash gives me a little smile, just the corner of his mouth tipped up crookedly. It makes his already handsome face even more appealing, and I didn’t think that was possible. “Just come and see the place,” he says. “Check it out, decide what you think from there. No pressure.”
Of course he can be casual about this. It’s not his life on the line if things don’t work out. But at the same time, I appreciate that he’s leaving this up to me. He’s not pushing, not telling me I’d be stupid to turn down the offer of a job when I’m already at the end of my rope.
Cora squeezes my hand, and I glance down at her. She’s my biggest concern right now. I haven’t been separated from my niece for long since I picked her up from the hospital and fled. The thought of leaving her with strangers so I can work makes my stomach clench with dread.
But if I don’t have money or a car, there’s not much I can do for her either way. She has to eat. She has to have a place to sleep at night that’s warm and safe. Whatever shit I could handle until I get back on my feet, I can’t put Cora through hardship like that. It wouldn’t be fair.
I need options, and Cash is giving me one. I have to at least see if it could pan out.
So I take a deep breath and nod. “Okay. I’ll check it out.”
He grins at me, lopsided and bright. “Beautiful. We can go now, if you want.”
“Can I bring Cora?”
“Of course. Wouldn’t dream of leaving the little miss behind.” He shoots her a little wink and doesn’t seem bothered in the slightest when she doesn’t respond.
For the second time in as many days, we pile into Cash’s truck. I wish I could have driven us, just to keep some distance, but if I could do that, then I wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.
It’s not a long drive, but then, it doesn’t seem like a long drive to anywhere in this town. Cash pulls up in front of the bar, which isn’t open for the day yet, and I step out into the dusty parking lot before helping Cora down from the truck.
Cash unlocks the door and lets us in.
It’s pretty much what I would have expected from a small town bar.
Not big or lavish, everything in polished dark wood and glass.
The bar itself stretches from one side of the room, halfway down to the other, and there’s one large TV on the wall behind it, angled to face the majority of the seating area.
Bottles line the shelves, and there are the usual taps for beer and soda water off to one side. It all smells like wood polish and lemon cleaner, and I take it in, trying to imagine myself here every night.
Then I hear voices, coming from a room off to one side. I turn my head just in time to see a door open, and then the last two people I wanted to see come stepping out and into the main area of the bar.
Okay, that’s an exaggeration because there are definitely people I want to see less than the two Alphas from the diner, but my stomach still sinks at the sight of them.
Cash smiles when he sees them. “Didn’t know you two would be in this morning,” he says.
“Inventory,” Everett replies, glancing at me and Cora. It’s a struggle not to shy away from the intensity of his gaze, but I manage it.
“And accounting,” Lincoln adds. He didn’t talk much at the diner, and his voice isn’t as deep and gruff as Everett’s.
But it still sends a shiver down my spine.
This close, I can see how devastatingly handsome he is, even though he seems like he shies away from the spotlight, not playing any of it up.
Also this close, I’m hit in the face with the intensity of their scents. At the diner, there were other smells to drown it all out, and they kept their distance, but here, with the three of them within arm’s reach practically, I’m nearly drowning in it.
Cash’s scent is becoming familiar, which is a problem. But in addition to his brandy and apple smell, there’s the scents of coffee and cedar, whiskey and woodsmoke. It’s all a heady mix, and I have to swallow hard, trying to steady myself against the torrent of feelings.
“Harper,” Cash says, getting my attention. “This is Everett Kane and Lincoln Daniels. They’re the other owners of the bar.”
Of course they are. As if the universe hasn’t taken enough of a cosmic dump on me by now. The two Alphas who bought me breakfast when they could see I was broke, just an hour or so ago, are here to see me asking for a job like some kind of charity case.
I can’t decide if it’s better of them to turn me away or not. At least I wouldn’t owe them anything else. But at the same time, I do need this job. Badly.
I can’t help but be wary though. These are three powerful Alphas.
They might not be CEOs or city businessmen, but it’s clear they hold a lot of sway in their sphere.
They’re successful, well known, and well liked.
And here I am with my broken car and empty wallet.
They could take advantage of my desperation.
Make me do all kinds of things to prove how badly I want this.
The fucked up part is, with so few options, I might not have much of a choice.
Alphas never do anything for free. Why would they? It’s just a matter of what they ask for to decide if I give in or take Cora and run like hell.
Cash is still talking to the two of them when I zone back into the conversation. “I was thinking she could solve our bartender problem,” he’s saying. “It’s kinda a win-win, then.”
“Sure,” Lincoln says. “That works for me.”
Everett nods when Cash looks to him, and that’s… it.
Neither of them ask me about my qualifications or anything else. There’s no hesitation even. They’re just… on board. Either they trust Cash’s judgment that much, or they’re that desperate for someone to get behind the bar. Or some third thing I don’t really want to think about too hard.
“Um, I have a question,” I say, speaking up for the first time. “Well, more like a problem, I guess.” I squeeze Cora’s hand, hoping the gesture will reassure her that I’m not calling her a problem. “I’d need somewhere for Cora to be during work hours. She can’t stay on her own.”
All three of them look down at Cora, and to her credit, she doesn’t flinch away from their glances. She leans closer to me, holding on to my hand and her stuffed elephant, staring back at the three men.
“My sister could help,” Lincoln says. “She loves kids, and she works from home part time. Jewelry business. She could help out by watching Cora. Or she can hang out in the back sometimes while you work. Whatever you want.”
He says it like it’s no big deal either way, offering practical solutions to the issue.
Again, the thought of leaving Cora with strangers makes me feel sick, but at the same time… I don’t have much of a choice. This is probably the best offer I’m going to get, and even though there are a couple of choices in front of me, I’m still backed into a metaphorical corner.
I can get out of it, but I’m going to need to give in to get there.
I take a deep breath and let it out, hoping the three of them can’t tell how big of a decision this is for me. “Okay. I’ll take the job.”
Everett and Lincoln don’t react much. They’re both hard to read—especially Everett with his gruff intensity. But Cash beams, looking genuinely pleased.
The arrangement makes my stomach flutter with nerves, but even I can see it’s the best thing I’ve got going.
Cora can’t grow up in the back of my car, I know that.
She needs something even approaching stability.
And full meals. At least this is just temporary—just until I can get my car fixed and figure out our next move.
I can live with that.