twist my neck so I can look at her. “Yeah?”
“She’s a good woman.”
It takes me a second to realize it’s not Kiara she’s talking about, but Lissie.
“I know that.”
She pauses for a moment before nodding and returning to the kitchen.
She is a good woman, which is why I’m on pins and needles, because of what Red might be sharing with her. I should be the one to tell her.
Just then I hear footsteps coming down the hall and Lissie walks in first, her face unreadable. Red follows right behind with a blank look on his face. He keeps on walking when Lissie spots me and comes over.
“You havin’ dinner with us, Lissie?” Ezrah beats me to the punch.
“I don’t think so, Ezrah. I have a little bit of work to finish off.”
“Stay.”
Her eyes come to me and her face warms with a smile. Phew.
“I’m not sure if I can. I’ll have to see. Make a few phone calls.”
I get up, trying to dislodge Kiara, but she hangs onto me so I swing her up on my arm instead.
“Make the calls. I’ve gotta get these kids in the kitchen for dinner first anyway. Please?”
Her eyes go soft when she looks at Kiara, who put her head on my shoulder.
“Okay.”
“Come on, guys,” I call the boys. “Last one in the kitchen is a rotten egg.”
Giggling, the three boys scramble to their feet and start running.
“Not hungry,” Kiara mumbles.
“Gotta eat, girl. After that Nana can take you home.”
She lifts her head and looks at Lissie, who has her phone by her ear but is observing us closely.
“You gonna stay?”
Lissie
Good Lord.
I think my ovaries just spontaneously spit out some eggs. The big rugged man holding that cute little girl, like she’s made of glass. Why are men with kids so freaking sexy?
I cover the phone with my hand.
“I’ll do my best,” I answer Kiara.
“Blackfoot.”
“Keith? How’s Aleksander?” I watch Yuma head toward the kitchen still holding the little girl.
“On his way home with Autumn and antibiotics for a couple of weeks. Whooping cough, like we suspected.”
“Poor baby.”
“Did you catch Franklin?” he wants to know.
“Got a few names from him. Two of his guys work for the concrete contractor.”
“Seriously?” Blackfoot chuckles. “That’s priceless. I wonder what our esteemed mayor would think of that.”
“I know. I had to laugh when he told me. Also, he gave me the name and number for his contact in the developer’s office.”
“Email them to me. We’ll deal with it tomorrow. Go home, Bucco. Good work today.”
The woman I noticed standing close to Yuma, when I walked in, is studying me when I tuck my phone in my pocket. I’m feeling a little uneasy: hers aren’t the only eyes watching me as I walk up to the bar.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Wapi asks.
“Just water is fine.”
“Hey, gorgeous,” Tse, who was at the other side of the bar talking to a couple of rough-looking guys, comes walking over, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “You hanging around for a bit?”
“She is, and if you like that arm attached, I suggest you remove it, asshole.”
Yuma approaches with a scowl on his face and with a chuckle, Tse drops his arm from around me. It’s clear the man is a horrible tease and Yuma seems to be a favorite target.
“Let me introduce you to the brothers before the food comes out,” he says, taking my hand in his. Still a little out of my element, I let him take the lead.
I meet Kaga and a guy named Brick, who seems impressed with my choice of vehicle and offers his mechanical services. Then Paco, Honon, and Lusio, who mostly grunts. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep all the names straight; especially when I find out not everyone is here.
An older man, sitting at the end of the bar, looks up when Yuma guides me there. It takes me a second to realize he’s using sign language when his hands start moving. To my surprise, Yuma’s move just as fast.
“Lissie, this is Nosh,” he finally says. “My father.”
Yikes. I offer my hand but the man doesn’t seem to notice, glaring at his son. I’m about to retract it when he turns his eyes on me, taking me in top to bottom, which doesn’t do much to settle the churning in my gut. I feel like I’m being measured and found lacking. Before I can drop my hand, his shoots out and grabs on as he gives me a brusque nod.
“Never mind Nosh,”