Waiting for Willa (Big Sky, #3)(10)

“Wow!” Alex says, looking around the interior of the luxury SUV in awe. “Your car is super cool. Mom, look at all of the knobs!”

“I see them.” I smile over at Max, who’s just grinning at Alex’s enthusiasm.

“This car is way better than ours. We should get one,” Alex says, making me giggle with him.

“I think we’ll just get our car fixed,” I reply, not even wanting to think about how much the Mercedes costs. The boxy SUV is on my bucket list for when my store becomes a franchise.

A girl has to have goals.

Finally, the tow truck arrives, but when I move to climb out of the car, Max puts a hand on mine.

“You stay here and get warm. I can talk to him. Where do you want it towed?”

I give him the name of my mechanic, and he nods, then hops out and approaches the man. It’s begun to snow, of course, making it more difficult to see.

I’m exhausted. It’s been a long, long day. Alex came to the shop after school, and I had to help him with homework as I also assisted customers. My part-time help, Krista, quit on me. I’ve been battling a headache, and then my car died.

I just want to go home, get into my comfy clothes, and drink a trough of wine.

Max returns to the SUV and climbs in. “He’s good to go. Are you hungry?”

“I’m so hungry,” Alex says.

“Let me take you out to dinner. Pizza?”

“Pizza! Yes!” Alex says before I can politely decline.

“It’s kind of late to cook,” Max reminds me, and I nod.

“Pizza would be great.”

Max pulls out onto the highway, then turns around to head back into town.

“Are we interrupting your evening?” I ask.

“I was just headed home, and I saw you there, so I decided to rescue you.”

I laugh and shake my head. “I had a tow truck on the way.”

“And then what?” he asks.

“He would have given us a ride to his shop, and I would have called my mom.”

“Well, now you don’t have to do that. I’ll feed you and give you a ride home.”

I settle back against the buttery-soft leather seat and sigh. I won’t admit it out loud, but it feels ridiculously good to have someone else take the reins for just a minute.

I close my eyes, listening to Max and Alex talk about school and the little trip I plan to take Alex on for spring break.

I hope I can find more help at the shop by then.

“We’re here,” Max says, startling me.

“Did I fall asleep?”

“You were snoring and everything,” Max replies, making Alex giggle.

“No, you weren’t, Mom,” Alex says. “Come on, let’s eat some pizza.”

O’Donnel’s Pizza is our favorite place. They’ve been here for about fifty years, family-owned all that time, and their crust is the best in the world. The restaurant’s busy, even for a Tuesday evening, but we get a table right away.

Max and Alex decide on an extra large supreme, and I agree. I am hungry.

“Are you okay?” Max asks after he gives Alex five dollars for video games.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I say.

“The kid’s happy and occupied with Pac-Man—which I can’t believe they still have—and I can chat with his mom. It’s a win-win.”

I sigh and nod. Max has a valid point.

“I’m okay. It was a rough day.”

“What’s up?”

“Besides my car dying on the highway?”

He nods and sips his Coke.

“My employee quit today. Alex’s homework is of the devil, and he’s only in the third grade, and I’ve had a headache all day.”

“You need food,” he says.

“I need a part-time employee,” I answer.

“I’m surprised you don’t have more help.”

“I do during the holidays,” I reply. “And in the summer, I’ll hire a couple of high school girls. But it’s the off-season, and one person has been enough. I’ll have my mom come take care of things when I take Alex on vacation.”

He just nods, his wheels clearly turning. Max’s business is on a much grander scale than mine. He probably has ten employees who manage his money alone.

“I’m a small business,” I remind him.

“I totally get it,” he says. “I was just trying to think if I know anyone who might need some part-time work.”

“Well, if you do, send them my way.”

“Mom! I got the high score!”

“What?” I frown and glance over at the game to see HIGH SCORE flashing on the screen. “How is that even possible?”

“I’m brilliant,” he says as he sits in the booth next to me. The waitress arrives with our pizza, and we dig in, all of us sighing in happiness after the first bite. “This is so good.”

“So good,” I agree and move Alex’s glass away from his elbow, where I have visions of him spilling it all over the table. “Here’s a napkin. Don’t wipe your mouth on your sleeve.”

“’Kay,” he says happily.

It doesn’t take us long to fill up on the delicious pizza, then we load up to leave.