4. Henry

CHAPTER FOUR

henry

“Okay, so no work experience in a gym then?” Benjamin Price sits at his desk, while I sit in the chair next to him, bouncing Hazel on my knee and pulling at a string from a tear in my jeans.

“Uh, no.” I can’t believe he’s even giving me the time of day. The only work experience I have is busing tables.

“That’s fine.” His smile is subtle, unlike Felix, who’s smile takes over his entire face. Ben’s is just a lifting of the corner of his mouth. I have no idea what he’s thinking—probably wondering how long to drag this out before he tells me to get lost. “Okay. So, can you start tomorrow?”

“W-what?” I look over at him, stunned because there’s no way this can be happening.

“Tomorrow. Will that work?” Ben’s eyes are now on my daughter as she makes garbled cooing noises and slobbers. His smile grows larger. But that’s what Hazel does.

“Uh, to work?” I ask dumbly. He nods, keeping his gaze on Hazel. “I didn’t think you’d hire me.” Hazel slobbers all over my finger as she brings it to her mouth. “I don’t have anyone to watch her. I mean . . . I can figure something out.” My chest squeezes tightly with fear, thinking about leaving my daughter with anyone.

“Oh.” Ben looks up at me and then back at Hazel. “She seems like a good baby. I’m sure she’ll be fine if you want to bring her down with you to work. Is she mobile yet?”

“Um. She can sit up, but she can’t move around yet.”

He smiles at her, then he reaches over and tickles her belly, making her laugh and swipe at him with her chubby little hand. “That’s no problem. When she starts crawling, we’ll have to keep more of an eye on her. Can’t have her getting hurt.”

“You’re fine with me bringing her with me to work?” I ask, dumbfounded. Who are these people? Ben is a large man with dark hair and eyes. He looks intimidating as hell, and even when he opens his mouth to speak, he’s still intimidating. But he’s given me a place to stay and a job without knowing me at all.

“Of course.” He stands up and heads into his office, coming back with a stack of shirts in his hand. “This should get you started.”

I stand up, moving Hazel to my hip and taking the shirts from him, still in shock. “Thank you.”

“You need anything else? An advance on your salary?”

I shake my head because he’s done enough. “Uh, no.” But confusion burns in my belly. “Why are you doing this for me?”

His gaze softens a little now. “Because you look like you need some help.” I must frown at that more than I think because he smiles and shakes his head. “I also needed someone and hadn’t gotten around to hiring anyone. It’s fate.”

Yeah, I don’t believe in fate. Not even a little bit. But I don’t tell him that. I just smile the best I can and look away. “Well, um. Okay. I don’t really know what I’m doing here . . .” I feel so fucking lame admitting that.

“It’s no big deal. Most of the members know what to do when they get here. You might have to sign up the occasional new member, which is pretty easy, and then wash the towels. That’s pretty much it.”

I nod but remain frozen where I stand. When I was walking with Hazel, trying to calm her down, and saw the poster for the Spark of Hope support group, I never thought I’d end up finding a job and a place to stay. I just wanted to get her inside somewhere for a minute.

And okay . . . maybe the idea of some kind of support appealed to me that night.

“Felix will show you around tomorrow, okay?”

I try not to think of the overly friendly man, who seems to have taken it upon himself to make things better for Hazel and me. For whatever reason. “Is he why you’re doing this?”

Ben grins, sitting back down at his desk. “He’s pretty hellbent on helping you out. But you seem like a nice guy, and I don’t see a reason why I shouldn’t give you a shot.”

I can think of a lot of reasons he shouldn’t, like being a total fuckup my entire life. But I keep my mouth shut. “I don’t even know him.”

“Felix has never met a stranger in his entire life,” Ben says fondly.

“He’s hard to say no to.”

He laughs. “You have no idea.” And for reasons I can’t explain, a flood of something unfamiliar and unpleasant runs through me with that statement. But before I can get too wrapped up in it, Ben chuckles. “One time, he really wanted us to sponsor a fundraiser for a no-kill animal shelter. We were busy, and I was a bit of a grump, but he wouldn’t let it go. I kept finding pictures of sad, lonely, neglected animals all over the gym, begging for a new home. I finally gave in.”

Immediately, the uncomfortable feeling is chased away, and I find myself matching Ben’s smile. “Sounds about right.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” he says convincingly, and I nod.

“Thank you for giving me a chance.” I bounce Hazel on my hip as she starts fussing, probably ready to eat again.

Ben’s eyes are on my daughter now, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “Please don’t let my husband see her. He’s already got baby fever.”

“You guys thinking about it?” I ask, no idea where that came from. I do not pry into people’s lives. I keep my damn head down.

“Yeah.” He smiles, meeting my eyes, and I can’t help but think he’d be a great dad. And I don’t even know this man. “We are. I’m hoping soon. But as soon as Colby sees her and those big blue eyes, he’s going to be hassling the poor adoption agency even more.”

I laugh and hug Hazel to my body. She’s the one thing in my life I don’t regret. “Got it. Keep her away from Colby.” I haven’t met Colby yet, and I have no idea what he even looks like. But it’s fun to get lost in joking around a little bit.

“Not a chance,” he says, grinning as a man, who I assume is Colby, joins us and kisses Ben on the mouth before turning his gaze to Hazel.

“Oh my God. She’s beautiful,” he says, already reaching out for her little hand. She gladly grabs his finger and babbles.

“Thank you.”

“Colby, this is Henry and his daughter, Hazel. He’s going to be working here.”

“Ah, right.” He smiles, but his eyes haven’t moved from Hazel. “Well, you’re stuck with us now, aren’t you?” he says in a sweet voice meant only for my baby. I hold back my chuckle because his husband was right. He definitely has baby fever.

Hazel speaks to him in her baby language, flapping her arms, and joy overtakes his face. An achy feeling sweeps through me because it’s clear Ben and Colby will be fantastic, doting parents. They both already want it badly.

“I have to go make a call,” Colby says, tickling Hazel’s belly and making her giggle before kissing Ben and then looking at me. “It was nice to meet you.”

“You too,” I say quickly, but he’s already off. Ben shakes his head with a fond smile, his eyes on Colby.

“Told you. He’s going to harass the adoption agency.”

“Sorry,” I say, but I’m not. I may have just met them, but they deserve a baby to love. That’s already clear to me. “Thank you for the job.”

“You’re welcome. Please let me know if you need anything at all.”

“I will,” I assure him. But they’ve already helped me so much. I’m not asking for another single thing.

I take Hazel up to the apartment and change her diaper before feeding her. I like this part of the day—the quiet moments with her as she looks up at me with her bright-blue eyes, drinking her bottle and slowly drifting off.

These moments remind me goodness still exists in the world.

Even when my heart burns with bitter betrayal and anger.