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I grab her weekly cash from my apron and hand it over. “Thanks, Ms. Rhea. Everything okay today? Emmaline didn’t give you any problems?”
“Of course not. We spent the day on an excavation mission, hunting for dinosaur bones in the backyard.” She sounds indignant, her sweet voice scandalized by my question.
Even after spending the day with my wild child, she’s still immaculately dressed and bewitched into thinking my daughter is a saint. But Em snuck out last night, so all bets are off as far as I’m concerned.
The older beta’s face bunches into a grimace, and that sinking feeling is back in my gut. She fiddles with the teardrop pearl in her ear and looks away from me. “I hate to do this to you, but they had to take my mother to the hospital this morning. Jefferson and I are going to head up north early. It’s almost summer, so we were closing the house soon anyway, and I need to help my brother take care of her.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat, my mind in full-on panic. I lock it away and take her hand. “How is she doing? Is she going to be okay?”
Her hand trembles in mine, and her eyes water. “It’s pneumonia, but at her age—” She doesn’t finish the thought.
Poor Rhea. I squeeze her to me for a hug, trying to focus on giving her comfort even though I want to cry myself. Can’t I catch a fucking break? How the heck am I going to find childcare by Monday?
“Momma?” Em returns to us, tugging on my dress, and Rhea steps back. “Can I have a milkshake?”
“Not before you’ve eaten dinner. With the vegetables,” I tell her, tucking her into my side and turning back to Rhea. “You keep me updated. Thank you for everything.”
Rhea gives us a final wave as my sister, Jeanie, trudges in with Benjamin.
“Sorry we’re late. The kids are in the car, so I gotta go. Long story.” Jeanie ducks her head, looking around me. “Where is he?”
My sister could be late because of anything. She’s prone to it. But the gleam in her brown eyes tells me she was hoping to have kept Trent waiting. She’s not above being petty to stick up for me in any way she can. And honestly, he deserves it.
I shake my head, trying to be subtle so I can have this conversation with my kids privately, but Ben catches it.
“He’s not coming?” my sullen ten-year-old asks, narrowing his eyes.
The air catches in my lungs, burning a fire right to my heart. “Not tonight. They had unexpected guests.”
Ben’s never been an unhappy child, but since Trent left, he’s been moody and quiet. I don’t blame him, but I want my little boy back.
My sister, all of five-four, snorts like a drunk elephant. “Right. The bastard.”
Benjamin looks between us, the freckles on his nose scrunching as his nostrils flare. “Yeah. Who needs him.” He takes Em’s hand, tugging her to the booth. “Come on. Let’s color. I’ll find us some crayons.”
My sister hugs me tightly, murmuring in my ear, “I can have Nic and the guys rough him up. You know he’s always looking for a fight.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and soak in her orange soda scent. It reminds me of summers out on the river when we were kids before life was this hard. “Thanks, but I’ll manage.”
“Don’t we always?” she asks.
“By the grace of dry shampoo and caffeine.”
“Don’t forget the power of carbs,” Jeanie adds. She pulls back and studies my face. “I want details about last night. Ben says the cops gave you shit and there was an alpha who helped save your ass. Don’t you dare fall asleep before you call me!”
“It’s fine. There is nothing to tell,” I say, shooing her away.
“Bullshit. Call me. Tonight.” She blows me a kiss at the door, then I’m left with the wreckage of Trent’s flake-out. Again.
I get the kids’ dinner order in and reiterate that their dad won’t be taking them for the weekend, trying my best to remain neutral. Emmaline bursts into tears, and Ben sits stoically, ignoring the conversation until I have to get up and tend to incoming guests. It’s a shitty situation, but one I don’t know how to solve.
The kids eat while I work. They chat with Cutter, who brings over slices of cake and cups of tea, letting Em arrange the stuffed animals from her bag for an impromptu tea party.
I get caught up in my shift, busy as the dinner rush starts. When I turn to check on the kids, I’m shocked to see the alpha from last night sitting at their table, serving tea to Em’s green stuffed dragon. My heart stutters at the sight, and I get momentarily lost in watching the way his brows furrow as he listens intently to whatever Em is telling him. The alpha says something, and Ben’s lips almost curl into a smile before he puts his scowl back in place.
I see red, furious at this man who makes me wish for things I’d thought I had and lost but still crave. I set down the pitcher for refills on the table I’m serving.
My regular Henry chuckles as I walk away. “Looks like the firefighter is about to catch some heat.”
