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“Sherri saw them? Were they double dates or something?” Emily’s face was alight with open curiosity.
Alexis sighed loudly. “These would have to fall into the ‘or something’ category. Sherri was my wingman a few times. She’d go with me and sit at another table in case things went south and they often did. Like with that jackleg preacher,” she said with a shudder.
“How did you meet him and what went wrong?”
“Are you sure you’ve got time to listen to this drivel? Because if I try to tell you about each one it could take all day,” Alexis warned.
“I’ve got plenty of time. Todd is with Mama, helping her to organize the rest of the things she wants to move to Chicago. Closing a house you’ve lived in as long as she lived there is more than a notion. He won’t mind if we take our time. He adores Momma and the feeling is quite mutual. They just love each other. So if you can find me something to put my chubby pregnant-lady feet on, I’m good to go. After I pee again,” she said thoughtfully. “I think they take turns jumping on my bladder. They must be boys because sweet little girls wouldn’t do that to their mommy.”
Sherri looked wise and shook her head gently as Emily went to the bathroom once again. “Sydney got in a few good kicks from time to time,” she said, referring to her little girl. “She liked music and she’d dance whenever she felt like it. She also seemed to respond to football games because she loved marching bands. If a game was on, she’d be marching along in my belly like a drum major. As you know, I was sure she was gonna be a total tomboy but she’s turning out to be a regular little princess. She still loves football, but only from the stands. Soccer and dance are her main interests for now. And yep, she used to tap dance on my bladder with great frequency.”
“You don’t have to remind me,” Alexis said. “We were with you every step of the way, if you recall.”
Emily came back into the kitchen in time to agree with Alexis’s last statement. “Let’s elevate my mother-to-be cankles, please. And then I want the real deal, no more stalling!” Emily said firmly.
“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you, chick. These are some scary tales straight from the crypt of broken dreams. Don’t blame me if you have bad dreams tonight.”
After they retired to the comfortable living room and Emily’s feet were propped on an ottoman, it was story time.
“I guess I should do this in chronological order,” Alexis said thoughtfully. “That way you can see how my lovely hopes and dreams got smashed into bits on the ugly cliffs of reality.”
Emily had to swallow a laugh. “You’re still the queen of melodrama, aren’t you?”
Sherri assured her that she was. “Some things never change.”
“And you know this,” Alexis said with a spot-on imitation of a royal wave. “Now, if you harpies would quit picking on me I’ll tell Emily the sad tales of romance gone wrong. Sherri is my witness. I wasn’t going anywhere alone with a strange man so I would have the guy meet me and Sherri would be there, too, discreetly, of course. Anyway, the first guy was a cousin of a very nice lady from my church. You know they always say that, when you want to meet someone, you should let your friends know so they can hook you up. And what’s better than a church hookup, right? I was pretty sure that Mrs. Grice wouldn’t introduce me to a serial killer, you know?
“His name is Herbert and he’s a teacher. He’s also getting a degree in theology, or so he said. Not good-looking, not bad looking, just average. No real personality, but he was pleasant enough until he told me I was the darkest woman he’d ever dated. And how surprised he was at how pretty I am.”
Emily’s eyes got huge and her mouth fell open. “Girl, no he didn’t!”
“Oh, yes, he did. It was bad enough that he brought up the subject in the first place, but the dummy wouldn’t let it go. He kept talking about it like I was the eighth wonder of the world or something.”
Alexis was indeed the proud possessor of a complexion as dark as chocolate and as smooth as the finest silk. She was also extremely fashionable. She wore her glossy black hair in a short, chic style like Halle Berry’s and it showed off her features beautifully. Alexis wore sleek, contemporary clothes in dazzling colors that brought out her rich coloring and made her look like the best-dressed woman in any room she entered. To some, Sherri, Emily and Alexis made an odd-looking trio. Emily was tall and brown, Sherri even taller and very fair skinned and Alexis the shortest of the trio with her chocolate-brown complexion. She had a hard time getting her head around the concept of being color-struck but there were still folks who clung to the idea that lighter skin was more desirable. It was so silly to Alexis that she generally just ignored the idea and all it implied. When she did stumble over someone who voiced their preference in pigmentation, it was like meeting someone who thought the earth was flat or who believed in alchemy. Alexis rarely encountered the outdated concept unless she was talking to someone who was really dense like Herbert.
Alexis could remember the exact moment when she knew Herbert was going to say something ignorant that would get him placed in her little red book of losers from which there was no hope of return. They met at the restaurant, which was his pick. It wasn’t a four-star gourmet establishment, but it was nice enough for a first date, especially if the male wasn’t foolish enough to expect after-dinner sex. That wasn’t gonna be happening tonight or any other night, ever, no matter how needy she was. Alexis was her usual calm, reserved self, if she had to say so herself; she was ladylike and accepting of his humor; she contributed to the conversation in a friendly manner as long as it didn’t veer into the ridiculous. When she caught him staring at her as if she possessed the secret location of the Holy Grail, she knew he was about to blurt out something she’d regret hearing and sure enough, he did.
“All the women I’ve ever dated have been either light skinned or very pale brown,” he said.
Alexis wisely held her tongue because if she opened her mouth, she’d let go with a stream of vitriol that would land her on the local news at the very least, and quite possibly on the internet. Everybody had a cell phone these days; people who couldn’t balance a checkbook knew how to upload scandalous videos to the web. Instead of lashing out at him, she adopted the expression she used when dealing with social misfits like Herbert. It was a bland, patient expression that gave away nothing but covered a variety of unpleasant reactions. To Alexis’s delight, a large piece of lettuce had lodged itself between his front teeth and she wasn’t about to tell him. It was much too pleasurable to observe his stupid grin with the random bit of greenery adorning it. He just kept rattling on, unaware of the fury that was mounting across the table.
“I’ve never dated anyone who couldn’t go to a paper bag party,” he confided. “But you’re so pretty, they’d have to let you in even though you’re so dark. Your hair even looks good, but it would be better long. How come you don’t get a weave?”
Emily’s laugh was choked off by a gasp of horror. “Girl, no he didn’t! What an idiot.”
“That was the main reason, of course, but he also took my doggie bag,” Alexis said dryly.
“He did what?” Emily stopped in the middle of wiping away tears of laughter to stare at Alexis.
“We went to that Chinese restaurant that serves those huge portions. There was enough food on my plate for three people at least. I couldn’t eat it all and I asked for a to-go box. He promptly confiscated it and took it home with him!”
Emily looked totally stymied by this revelation. “Well, maybe he…”
“Don’t try to make excuses for him. He actually said something about how he paid for it and he should be the one to eat it. Sherri heard him because we were walking out to the parking lot and she was right behind us.
Sherri nodded her head vigorously. “Yes, he did, girl. He grabbed that thing like he had imminent domain or something. Latched on like there was a winning Powerball ticket in it and hurried to his car as if somebody was going to take it from him. But not before he tried to get a little sugar from the lovely Alexis.” Sherri tried not to laugh when she said it, but a few giggles crept out, anyway.
Emily made a face. “He tried to kiss you? Ewwww!”
Sherri couldn’t contain her laughter anymore. “He tried and succeeded, didn’t he?”
“He mumbled something about ‘gettin’ a little sugar from his sugar’ and before I could react his mouth was on me like a vacuum cleaner hose. I’m sure the memory of that impromptu embrace is going to haunt me for the rest of my days,” Alexis said glumly. She brightened up and added, “But he’s gonna remember it, too, because I kneed him right in his party favors. His little favors.”
Sherri was howling with mirth and Emily had joined her, but Alexis didn’t care at that point. It was a funny story, although it wasn’t a testimonial for dating in a modern world. After a few minutes, Alexis reminded Emily that she had more tales to share.
“Well, when the friends-and-family intro program didn’t bear fruit, we tried speed dating,” she reported.
Emily gave a Sherri a surprised look. “Sherri, you went speed dating?”
“No, no, no! You know I’m not going to date until Sydney is at least fifteen. I don’t have the time or the inclination to try and incorporate a man into our lives right now,” Sherri said firmly. Sydney had just turned six and Sherri was determined not to complicate her child’s life with an entourage of strange men. Alexis often told her that a few dates were hardly a parade but Sherri wouldn’t change her mind.
“Sherri didn’t participate in the speed dating. She just dragged me there and loitered around until I had to bolt,” Alexis said. “And before you ask, yes, I absolutely had to get the hell out of there.” She shuddered theatrically as she thought about the night in question. The event was held on a Wednesday evening at a popular restaurant/nightclub. The tables were arranged so the aspiring daters could face each other. In Alexis’s mind it was sort of like what purgatory would resemble.
A couple of the men she talked to seemed nice, but they didn’t strike any chords with her. One man she recognized as the husband of one of her clients. He had no idea who she was, but she definitely knew him. There was no way in the world Alexis could face sitting across from him, so she kept a keen eye on his progress. The bell rang to signal it was time to change partners.
“So I’m barely over the fact that a married man had the gall to show up at a public affair for single people when another guy sat down. He was tall, dark and handsome, believe it or not, and he was in PR or something. We actually had a decent conversation for about a minute until he said that he hoped I wasn’t a democrat. That’s when I noticed the little enamel Tea Party button on his lapel and I got up and walked out. I just couldn’t deal with it,” she said wearily. “Besides, if I’d stayed in my chair, my next ‘prospect’ would’ve been the married man.”
Sherri and Emily knew how seriously Alexis took politics and infidelity so they didn’t suggest that she had overreacted. Emily did have a question for her. “Have you ever thought about online dating?”
Alexis made a face. “Yes, I tried that, too. The results were less than stellar. I keep getting emails from boys who were too young and men who were too old. Lots of white men, for some reason. Why they found their way to a site called Mahogany Singles I don’t know, but I was their pick of the week.”
“Don’t be so close-minded,” Emily chided her. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t date a man from another race?”
“Not if he’s old enough to be my grandpa,” Alexis replied. “I don’t care about race. I just don’t want to date senior citizens. If somebody bought me a Mercedes and it was blue instead of red, I certainly wouldn’t hand back the keys,” she said. “If a man has the right qualifications, who cares what color his wrapper is? I’m just not into antiques, that’s all.”
Sherri tried not to laugh but failed. “That is so wrong, Alexis! An older man might have a lot to offer. Wisdom, maturity, sophistication…”
“Age spots, wrinkles and a lifetime supply of Viagra,” Alexis cut in sarcastically. “If you’re interested, I have several you can email. One of them looks like he played backup for ZZ Top, except his beard is longer.”
They were all laughing when Todd Wainwright came to collect his beautiful bride. Todd seemed to be perfect for Emily in every possible way. He was tall, gorgeous, brainy and he adored her. He cherished her so much that it would have been sickening had it been anyone but Emily on the receiving end of all that love. Alexis felt as if her friend deserved every wonderful thing that had come into her life and she was really happy for the two of them. They chatted for a while, until Todd announced that Emily needed to relax before dinner.
“You ladies will have to come up to see us soon,” he said. “No more flying for her before the babies get here.”
Once upon a time Emily would have had a sarcastic remark to rebut a statement like that, but all she did was smile and agree. “We’re actually cutting it close,” she said. “This is the beginning of my last trimester. I’m due in August but with twins you never know.”
Alexis and Sherri walked the couple out to their car and waved them off. Sherri gave Alexis a one-armed hug and reminded her that she had to pick up Sydney from a play date. She got into her car and buckled her seat belt, but before she drove off, she had to drop some knowledge on Alexis.
“I just figured something out today, Lexie. The reason you’re meeting the wrong men is because you don’t know what you want in the right man. You need to make a list of every single quality you desire and then you’ll know him when he finds you,” she said.
Alexis frowned. “A grocery list for a man? That doesn’t sound very romantic. It sounds kind of desperate, actually.”
“Not really. What happens when you go to the store without a list? You come home with everything except what you went to get. You have to know all the characteristics you’re looking for in a man before you throw yourself into the mating pool. And I figured something else out today, too. You really don’t want to date, you want to get married. You’re looking for a husband, not a playmate. I could see it in your eyes when you were looking at Emily and Todd.”
“No, I don’t,” Alexis sputtered.
“Yes, you do, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t want to get married. You’d make a wonderful wife and mother. But in order to get that, you need to be very specific about the man you want to see first thing every morning. When you make that list, don’t hold back. Include everything you can think of and then put one secret thing at the very bottom of the list. It has to be something that will truly touch your heart that no one else could ever guess. When you see that trait in a man, that’s how you’re gonna know he’s your mate,” Sherri said confidently.
“If you know so much about it, why aren’t you hooked up? It seems to me that you’re the one who should be on her way to married bliss, not me.” Alexis was very fond of having the last word, but so was Sherri.
“Yes, but remember there’s one big difference between you and me, chick. I don’t want to get married. Go inside and start working on your list, I’ll call you later.”
Before Alexis could marshal up a reply, Sherri was backing down the driveway, waving merrily. All Alexis could do was stare at her friend with her hands on her hips and a little pout on her lips. She walked back into the house and poured the last of the lemonade over ice, deep in thought as she did so. She wasn’t completely sold on the idea of making a list, but she did go into her bedroom, taking out a pretty navy blue leather journal she’d bought a couple weeks ago. Armed with her glass and her notebook and a pen, she went to her deck and reclined on a chaise, sipping and thinking.
Chapter 2
Despite Sherri’s insistence that a list would make things easier in the dating department, it only made things worse. Alexis dutifully wrote down all the characteristics she was looking for in a man. However comprehensive the list was, it wasn’t magic; even months later, the list didn’t cause Mr. Right to show up at her door. She was sticking to her resolution not to look anymore, but she hadn’t noticed a sudden influx of new men in her life. She told Emily so while they spoke via Skype that night. Emily was breast-feeding one of her sons and Alexis felt a pang in her own breasts as she watched. She was so fascinated that Emily had to call her name a couple times to reengage her in conversation.
“You aren’t listening to me, are you?”
“Not really,” Alexis admitted. “Where is Daniel?”
“I’m impressed. Most people can’t tell Randall from Daniel. Daniel has already dined and his loving daddy is changing him and putting him to bed. So tell me what happened with the dating thing? We talked about this back in June and here it is, almost Halloween and you’ve done basically nothing to improve your dating situation.”
“I told you I’m not on the hunt anymore. He’s going to find me and so far he’s taking his own sweet time.”
Emily was about to say something when Todd came into view to scoop up Randall. He was bare chested and wearing scrub pants and the look of love he gave Emily made Alexis’s heart turn over. After he greeted Alexis with a quick hello, he bent to kiss his wife and cradled their son on his shoulder, patting his little back to insure a good burp. Emily stared after him with the same besotted look in her eyes and Alexis suggested that they talk later, but Emily wanted more dating details.
“Emmie, there are no more details. I just haven’t had any social intercourse to speak of, really.”
“Wow. You made this decision way before the babies were born and now it’s the end of October. But I really do think it’s better to take your time than to mouse around with a slew of losers. Don’t worry. Your man is on his way, trust me.”
“He’d better get here soon because frankly I’m losing interest in the whole idea. I’m looking for a couple new spa locations, one in Hilton Head and one in Georgia. I’ve decided to be a tycoon. I don’t have to look for anyone or wait for anyone to do what I do best.”
Emily sighed deeply and ran her fingers through her hair. “Don’t give up on love, Alexis. There’s someone out there for you, I know there is.”
Todd returned to the bedroom and soft music started playing. He had a tray with two flutes of what looked like champagne and a plate with fruit and cheese. This time Alexis insisted that she had to leave and Todd gave her a grateful smile.
“I’m not giving up, Emmie. I’m just not looking anymore. If my Mr. Right is out there, he’ll find me. Now it looks like your Mr. Right has some plans that don’t include a third wheel so you go ahead with your evening and we’ll visit again soon. Good night, you two.” Before Emily could protest, Alexis got offline at once.
She stared at the computer screen and traced the outline of her lips several times, something she did when she was deep in thought. Without actually realizing what she was doing, she took out her navy journal and turned to the pages with her secret list. “Maybe I need to rethink this,” she murmured as she picked up her pen.
* * *
Now that her list was complete, it occupied a permanent corner of her mind. Given the time of year, it seemed like an early letter to Santa Claus. She was headed to work in her cute little MINI Cooper Countryman. She loved the little car with its custom paint job; the roof was creamy ivory and the base was chocolate brown and it suited her perfectly. While she was fastening her seat belt, the list was still foremost in her mind and she started giggling at the Santa Claus idea. “Dear Santa, I’ve been a very good girl. Could you please bring me a burning-hot hunk of tall, dark-chocolate-colored love to have my way with on Christmas morning? I’ll be a very bad girl then, I promise.”
Alexis was still laughing out loud as she pulled into the parking lot of Sanctuary One, the first spa she’d opened five years before. When she crossed the employee entrance in the back of the spacious building, she was engulfed by the familiar scent of her home away from home. It was a combination of organic hair products, scented candles and the incense from the yoga studio. She inhaled deeply and smiled as she went to her small office to leave her purse and jacket. After she looked at her daily planner, she slipped on a fresh smock while she took off her taupe platform heels and put on her black wedges. They were just as high as her heels, but she’d learned the hard way not to wear light-colored shoes to work. One drop of tint was all it took to ruin an expensive pair of pumps. That was also why she protected her expensive clothes with a cover-up; one drip of peroxide or even permanent wave solution would wreck an outfit. This she knew from sad experience.
Alexis worked very few customers these days. Her emphasis was on managing the spas, not servicing customers. Hiring, training, managing the budget, advertising and other such areas were her bailiwick now. Besides hairstylists, she had aestheticians, yoga and Pilates instructors, nail technicians and manicurists to manage, in two locations, no less. But there were a few clients she continued to work on mainly because they were close friends and they simply wouldn’t allow anyone else to touch their heads. She also liked to keep her hand in the various offerings so that her skills would remain sharp. Emily’s mother was one of those ladies she couldn’t abandon and, since she was in town, of course she was getting the full treatment today.
The salon was laid out in such a way that each patron had the luxury of some privacy due to the half walls that separated the stations, yet it wasn’t so closed off that they couldn’t chat with one another. There was something about being in a hair salon that encouraged even the most reserved women to relax. There was always pleasant conversation to go along with the soothing jazz that played all day, except for the early afternoon when the soaps were played on the wall-mounted flat-screen televisions. Alexis was making her customary preopening walk-through to make sure that everything was in proper order. It was always pristine and perfect, a tribute to her management and to the loyalty of her staff. All Alexis had to do was start the coffee and the water for tea, and she really didn’t have to do that because her lead stylist, Javier, was already taking care of that.
He greeted her with a raised eyebrow and a grin. “One of these days you’ll let someone else do things around here and we’re all going to pass out from shock,” he said dryly.
Alexis pretended to misunderstand him. “Oh, then I shouldn’t have made those ultrarich brownies and pecan tassies last night? Well, shoot, I guess we don’t need them here. I can just drop them off at church for choir rehearsal, I guess.”
“Don’t pay me any attention, I’m still half asleep,” Javier said hastily. “Did you leave them in your office? I’ll just go back there and get them and you can arrange them any way you like. Just ignore me altogether. You know I don’t have good sense.”
Nothing could have been further from the truth, of course. Javier DeLaCruz was very smart as well as being very talented. He was also quite easy on the eye with smooth golden skin, jet-black hair and eyes and a smile that brightened any room. Alexis sized him up as he left the room. He was a devoted and trusted employee of several years and there was no reason not to consider promoting him to a management position. He had the experience and education and the right attitude. Alexis would be foolish not to offer him a better position with a higher salary; if she didn’t, he might leave and start his own salon. She was still mulling over that idea as she continued the opening procedure for the day.
One of the things that made Sanctuary so popular was the ultra-deluxe treatment of the clientele. Alexis always provided refreshments for her customers, hot coffee and tea along with fresh fruit and luscious baked goods that she often made herself. It was a practice that was as popular with the staff as with the customers, but there was no real need for her to make them herself. Alexis had a moment of clarity that told her she was doing too much. It probably came from the gentle little dig Javier made about her doing everything around the place. His remark had merit, and she was going to give it serious thought when she got home that evening. She knew she worked too hard and too long, but the results were well worth it.
Sanctuary One was all about relaxation and nurturing. It was decorated in soothing peach and green with lots of live plants and specially designed lighting. Sanctuary Two was similar in design, but it was robin’s-egg blue and chocolate-brown. She enjoyed the brief moment of calm before the doors opened; it always gave her a sense of accomplishment as well as inner peace, but it didn’t last long. The salon came to life first, as usual. Early morning appointments were very popular especially toward the weekend. Alexis had to bite her lower lip as she noticed that her receptionist was once again late. Plus, she hadn’t called in to let anyone know she was going to be tardy, which was a requirement of all employees. Here was another thing to put on Alexis’s must-do list: a serious talk with a backsliding employee.
As usual, Alexis didn’t let her annoyance show, she merely took over the desk, checking in customers and fielding calls until her appointment arrived and the missing receptionist showed up. Luckily the two events occurred at the same time. Ava, looking pretty and flustered, hurried into her seat at the reception counter with excuses pouring out of her mouth. All Alexis said was, “We’ll talk about it later.”
She turned her full attention to Lucie Porter, Emily’s mother. “Ms. Lucie, I have to say that Chicago agrees with you. As much as I miss seeing you when you’re away, I can tell that you’re really enjoying your new life in the Windy City.”
Lucie was a lovely woman and she did indeed show every indication of having a rich, fulfilling life. “I’m having a ball, Alexis. It’s wonderful being in the same city with my daughters and my grandchildren, but I’m also meeting some fabulous men,” she confided.
Alexis wasn’t really surprised to hear that. Lucie was pretty and vivacious and she attracted men in droves. She was a great dancer and Chicago was a dancing town. Sure enough, Lucie told her about a dance club she’d joined and how much fun it was. She also had new pictures of Emily and the twins, plus pictures of her other daughter, Ayanna, who had twin daughters and two teenage sons.
“They’re growing so fast, aren’t they? They’re so handsome,” Alexis praised. “Emily sounds so happy every time I talk to her.”
“She is,” Lucie confirmed. “Both of my girls are very happy with their husbands and their families. But truthfully, Alexis, I thought you’d be all married up and happy, too, by now. I expected you’d be married long before Emily,” she admitted. “What are you waiting for?”
Alexis covered her surprise at Lucie’s question by putting a terry wrap around her neck, followed by a pretty protective cape. “I think it’s time for a touch-up on your relaxer and a trim. And you’re overdue for some color, unless you’ve decided to leave it au naturel.”
As she hoped, her words distracted the older woman. Lucie picked up a hand mirror and looked intently at her hair, particularly at the silvery strands that were beginning to surround her face. “Let’s leave the color alone for right now. I’ve started liking the silver, believe it or not. I have a friend in Chicago who has the most beautiful white hair you ever saw. It’s more like platinum, actually. By the way, she’s going to be down here in a few weeks. Would you mind taking her as a client? I know how busy you are.”
“Of course, Ms. Lucie, I’d be happy to. Any friend of yours is a welcome client of mine.”
“Wonderful! I’ll give her your card and let her know to call you. Her name is Vanessa Lomax and she’s a fascinating woman. I think you’ll like her.”
Lucie chatted happily while Alexis parted her hair, applied the protective base to her scalp and hairline and then carefully stroked on the cream relaxer to the new hair that had grown since then. After she smoothed the relaxer with the back of a wide-toothed comb and she could see that the hair was sufficiently relaxed, Alexis took Lucie to the shampoo area and made her comfortable before rinsing her hair thoroughly and washing it with neutralizing shampoo.
Lucie was perfectly content during the process. “Alexis, you have the most relaxing hands in the world. I have trouble staying awake when you start working on me,” she confessed.
“I have magic fingers,” Alexis said cheerfully. It was true, her customers always told her how sleepy they got as soon as her hands touched their heads. It was sometimes a problem when she was giving a haircut, especially to a man. It wasn’t too bad with Lucie; Alexis was used to doing Lucie’s long thick hair and the older woman’s silence gave her time to mull over what she’d said about Alexis being married with children. She was so far away from that territory she didn’t even know if she wanted to venture that direction. Maybe it was better if she stayed right where she was, doing what she knew best.
Her day ended long after it had begun, but Alexis was still wired up, and it wasn’t from too much coffee. It was part exhaustion and part frustration that was making her edgy. After the spa closed its doors that night, she had to have a talk with her almost-always-tardy receptionist. They had gone into Alexis’s office and Ava, the guilty party, started spouting off a long list of reasons why she was late. Unfortunately, she chose the one phrase that was guaranteed to drive Alexis batty.
“See, what had happened was…”
Alexis held up a hand and closed her eyes. Every time Ava started an explanation with “What had happened was,” the end result was usually an argument.
“Ava, stop. Let’s not go there, please. You have to get to work on time if you intend to keep this job. Any job, as a matter of fact. You can’t expect your employer to fill in for you when you can’t manage to get to work on time. You’re way too casual about punctuality which is why you’ve lost so many jobs in the past.”
A glimmer of panic went across Ava’s pretty face. “You can’t fire me. You told Mama you’d give me a job until I went back to school.”
