"It's going to be all right, bear," I assure Gemma. It's taking everything in me to finish up grocery shopping with a screaming baby. She chucks her pacifier on the ground. I pick it up and push the cart a few feet only for her to drop it on the ground again.
"Someone is not happy," Libby says. I'm surprised to see her again. I never expected to really. But there we are both sober and standing in the middle of the grocery store. She hands over the pacifier.
"Tell me about it," I pocket the thing before she tries it a third time. "How are you?"
"Good." She runs a hand through her hair. Long, dark, shiny hair. I'm not sure why I notice. I see girls all the time. I think the fact it reminds me of Hope's hair is the issue. And it makes me angry. "How are you?" She pushes up on her tiptoes smiling into Gemma's car seat. "She is so cute, Slade."
I watch her gush over Gemma. "Yeah, she's pretty amazing." These words sound so fucking strange coming out of my mouth. But that's what kids do to you.
"She has your eyes," another hand running through her hair, god damn her and the hair. I focus on something else before I get myself in a mess. "Nice necklace."
She grabs the stone with her hand and eyes me. "Thanks. I guess I should let you finish shopping."
I nod, well that ended horribly. I mentally note my lack of game anymore as I round the corner of the aisle. Gemma starts to scream.
"What?" I ask her. "Do you see it too?" She babbles at me. "Daddy has no game anymore."
I toss a loaf of bread in the cart and head for the check out. And practically abandon the cart, there she is again.
"Are you following me?" She is leaned against her cart, one foot on the damn thing exposing just enough of her ass cheek. "Because I would be really flattered if you were." She grins.
She throws some can goods on the belt and drops another on the floor, it rolls right to my feet. I bend down and pick it up and hand it over. "Canned soup?"
"Yes. It happens to be my favorite," she insists. "And I hardly have the time to cook with how busy I am."
I help her unload the water at the bottom of the cart and set it on the belt. "Busy with what?"
"I am working two jobs to pay off these college loans. Otherwise they will call me and drive me mad until they get their money." She shrugs. "That's life though right?"
I grit my teeth. The girl is innocent enough. "We are looking for an assistant."
She raises an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me?"
I shake my head. "I wish I was." I hate having people in my business but the company insist. And I would rather have the choice in the matter than someone they choose. "The job is yours if you want it."
"You didn't even say what it pays," she tilts her head and pretends she is thinking it over. But I know as well as she does she wants to work with me.
"It pays enough," I tell her. "Enough to let you cook."
She grins. "Then count me in." She hugs me before I can object.
I hardly hug her. I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea.
