flashback from her childhood popped into her brain. Her mother coming home ragged and frayed, but doing her best to help the girls with their schoolwork. Would she be like her mom, working herself to death to keep her family from being poor? If ragged was what it took to make it, then she’d play ragged.
Ontario didn’t exactly have lots of opportunities. She glanced out the window at the bridal shop across the street. Working there wouldn’t be so bad. She could use her connections and hook the brides up with deejays, florists and musicians from the college to play at the ceremony. Besides, the daycare next door had a reputation for being one of the best in the tri-county area.
The sign in the window at the bridal shop read Help Wanted . She grabbed the receipt. She’d have to sweet-talk Marty into giving her different hours, but soon Maya would be able to open her own bridal shop. Having Nicky around never afforded her even the thought. Unless he managed to get her into yet another financial issue, she’d be able to save up for her dream. Finally. Maybe single life wouldn’t be so bad.
Eight hours later, Maya untied the strings of her apron. Her feet ached from being on them for most of the shift. Her stomach growled, and no wonder. With the street fair going on, people kept wandering into the diner for a quick bite. She’d barely had five minutes to herself, let alone time to eat. The baby wanted to be fed.
Maya scrubbed the back of her hand across her forehead. The queasy feeling came over her once again. Damn. She strolled into the kitchen of the diner and picked up a handful of wrapped crackers. Stupid lack of breaks and morning sickness coming in the afternoon. Her belly hurt, and the salty crackers seemed to help.
“Hey, Maya?” Rose ducked into the kitchen. “Marty said you wanted a hot guy or two to come into the restaurant. He’s white, but he might fit your bill.” She opened the door just a crack and pointed. “Him. He’s like a pro-wrestler-looking, Thor wannabe but with short hair.”
Maya snorted. Rosie loved wrestlers, so everyone had a touch of pro wrestler to them. She looked in the general direction Rosie pointed. She paused. Sure, most of him was hidden in the booth, but the parts she saw were indeed half pro wrestler and half Thor wannabe. Under the hat she noticed his shaved head. The muscles in his arms bulged and stretched the T-shirt thin. She didn’t see any tattoos, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t sporting ink.
“He’s in your section and worth staying over an hour. What have you got to lose?” Rosie dug her elbow into Maya’s side. “Get him. You’re single.”
Single? Check. Ready to mingle? Not quite, once the hot guy realized she was preggo. But she did have a job to do. Maya grabbed her pad from her apron and headed in the direction of the sexy man’s table. “What can I get you?”
When his gaze met hers, sparks shot through her body. He didn’t just look at her. His gaze consumed her. She shivered and gripped her order tablet tighter.
“I’ll have a cola, fish sandwich and chips.” He tapped the menu on the tabletop. “I’ve never been here before. Hope it’s good.”
She jotted down his order. “The sandwich is good. I’ve had it a couple times. The chips here are all homemade and to die for.” She grinned. “I haven’t seen you around town. Glad you stopped in.” She sashayed from the table, a spring in her step. He might have been flirting with her. She wasn’t sure.
“He seems to like you,” Rosie murmured. “I went over there and he acted like I wasn’t there.”
“I’m sorry about that.” Maya filled the glass with ice and soda. “Maybe he had a lot on his mind?”
“You’ve been around Nicky too long. You’re making excuses.” Rosie picked up her order. “He might be interested. Might not, but don’t let him or anyone else walk all over you.”
As much as Maya hated to admit it, Rosie had a point. Nicky seemed to
Ontario didn’t exactly have lots of opportunities. She glanced out the window at the bridal shop across the street. Working there wouldn’t be so bad. She could use her connections and hook the brides up with deejays, florists and musicians from the college to play at the ceremony. Besides, the daycare next door had a reputation for being one of the best in the tri-county area.
The sign in the window at the bridal shop read Help Wanted . She grabbed the receipt. She’d have to sweet-talk Marty into giving her different hours, but soon Maya would be able to open her own bridal shop. Having Nicky around never afforded her even the thought. Unless he managed to get her into yet another financial issue, she’d be able to save up for her dream. Finally. Maybe single life wouldn’t be so bad.
Eight hours later, Maya untied the strings of her apron. Her feet ached from being on them for most of the shift. Her stomach growled, and no wonder. With the street fair going on, people kept wandering into the diner for a quick bite. She’d barely had five minutes to herself, let alone time to eat. The baby wanted to be fed.
Maya scrubbed the back of her hand across her forehead. The queasy feeling came over her once again. Damn. She strolled into the kitchen of the diner and picked up a handful of wrapped crackers. Stupid lack of breaks and morning sickness coming in the afternoon. Her belly hurt, and the salty crackers seemed to help.
“Hey, Maya?” Rose ducked into the kitchen. “Marty said you wanted a hot guy or two to come into the restaurant. He’s white, but he might fit your bill.” She opened the door just a crack and pointed. “Him. He’s like a pro-wrestler-looking, Thor wannabe but with short hair.”
Maya snorted. Rosie loved wrestlers, so everyone had a touch of pro wrestler to them. She looked in the general direction Rosie pointed. She paused. Sure, most of him was hidden in the booth, but the parts she saw were indeed half pro wrestler and half Thor wannabe. Under the hat she noticed his shaved head. The muscles in his arms bulged and stretched the T-shirt thin. She didn’t see any tattoos, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t sporting ink.
“He’s in your section and worth staying over an hour. What have you got to lose?” Rosie dug her elbow into Maya’s side. “Get him. You’re single.”
Single? Check. Ready to mingle? Not quite, once the hot guy realized she was preggo. But she did have a job to do. Maya grabbed her pad from her apron and headed in the direction of the sexy man’s table. “What can I get you?”
When his gaze met hers, sparks shot through her body. He didn’t just look at her. His gaze consumed her. She shivered and gripped her order tablet tighter.
“I’ll have a cola, fish sandwich and chips.” He tapped the menu on the tabletop. “I’ve never been here before. Hope it’s good.”
She jotted down his order. “The sandwich is good. I’ve had it a couple times. The chips here are all homemade and to die for.” She grinned. “I haven’t seen you around town. Glad you stopped in.” She sashayed from the table, a spring in her step. He might have been flirting with her. She wasn’t sure.
“He seems to like you,” Rosie murmured. “I went over there and he acted like I wasn’t there.”
“I’m sorry about that.” Maya filled the glass with ice and soda. “Maybe he had a lot on his mind?”
“You’ve been around Nicky too long. You’re making excuses.” Rosie picked up her order. “He might be interested. Might not, but don’t let him or anyone else walk all over you.”
As much as Maya hated to admit it, Rosie had a point. Nicky seemed to
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