Polyamory

The Kindness of Strangers

For those who skipped the note:
Please be aware that this book is currently going through the process of being published, as of July 22, 2022.
Once it is about to be released, it will become a sample here on Wattpad, and on Inkkit.

Please enjoy, and hopefully you'll buy a copy when it comes out.

Also, this isn't a show burn. Quit commenting about it. It's getting old.
~*~

"Alta Rose Jennings. Well, that's certainly a mouthful ain't it?" the manager of the diner asked with a chuckle.

"My mama is a fan of big names." Alta said. She could feel the flush creeping up her neck. She'd always hated her name. It was just another reminder of the 'privileges' she should have been proud to have, being raised in southern society. Her parents both came from old money, and both being only children had inherited everything to do with it early on in their lives. Alta had been a debutant, a pageant queen, a model student, and had done everything expected of her. Until about six months ago when her father had begun to talk about finding her a nice man worthy of her standing. Which she wouldn't have minded, if he hadn't wanted to pick the man.

She hadn't said a word against it. She hadn't said a word at all. She had simply stood from the couch and left the room. The life her parents expected her to live was not the one she had envisioned for herself. They wanted her to marry a high society man from old money, settle down, and raise debs and beauxs of her own, continuing the family legacy. That wasn't Alta's plan though. Alta wanted to find a man whom she loved and build a life together. She wanted to earn her place in the world, not have it handed to her on a silver platter.

So, that night, she'd packed her things, emptied her bank account of what money she had saved, written a note, and left. She'd been living in her car ever since. Nipping into motels or gyms to take a shower, washing clothes at the laundromat, and trying to find a job in any town she came to. It had been an extremely rough month, she was down to her last $300, and she was close to giving up and going home to beg her parents' forgiveness if this town proved as unlucky as the last five. "I see you haven't listed an address, Miss Jennings," the diner manager said, pulling her from her thoughts. "I'll need an address before I can hire you." Alta felt the tears prick her eyes. She'd known there was no way her luck would change.

"I don't have an address." she said softly, holding her head high despite the shame she currently felt. "If you could hire me, I would be able to get one soon. I just need a job and I'll be able to start getting on my feet." She saw sympathy in the man's eyes, but she knew that her plea hadn't helped.

"I'm sorry Miss Jennings." he said, "I wish I could help, but I just can't. Not without an address. Federal law requires it."

"I understand." Alta said. Clearing her throat, she went to stand from the booth they were seated in but was stopped by a large, warm hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," said a sweet, male voice from just behind her, "but I couldn't help overhearing. Did you say you don't have an address?" Alta turned and looked up into a pair of soft, brown, puppy-dog eyes looking at her from under thick black brows and lashes. Alta found herself lost in the pretty eyes and answered in a slight daze.

"No, I'm afraid I don't. I live in my car right now." She said, then suddenly snapped out of her trance and said, quickly, "I promise I won't be any trouble. I don't know why I told you that. I'm just trying to find a place to settle."