I got a job as a waitress after school every day that things would be better.”
Something pinched his heart and tightened his chest. On Saturday nights when he often drank too much, he was looking for a way to make things better, to forget. And yet he hung on to every memory that he and Melanie had shared.
She went on, “The only thing that changed when I went to work was that Mama said she’d pay the bills with her paycheck, and I was responsible for bringing home the food.”
Jolene should have been enjoying her senior year of school, Tucker thought. Pep rallies. Time with her friends and a boyfriend who’d be her first love. Not working for grocery money. Jolene deserved a good life just to pay for what all she’d been through.
“Did you hold up your end of the deal?” He wanted to move closer to her, wrap her up in his arms and hug her, but he couldn’t make himself do that. It led to other things, and he’d vowed to love Melanie to death—that meant his as well as hers.
She picked up the dirty bowls and carried them to the dishwasher. “Didn’t have much choice. Pretty soon I was doing double shifts on Friday and Saturday nights and paying the utility bills, too. Her paycheck was going for pills, booze, and lottery tickets.”
“Why’d you stay?” Tucker asked.
“She was my mama, and I had a roof over my head even if I didn’t have friends or any time to call my own. I got homework done in the kitchen at the café between customers. I don’t know why it’s all coming back so strong now. But I hated for her to go out, because it meant there’d probably be a strange man in the house the next morning. And he’d be eating up the groceries I’d brought in for us.” Jolene rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “I’m sorry, Tucker. You didn’t need to hear all that in the middle of the night.”
“What’s said in the Magnolia Inn stays in the Magnolia Inn, just like what they say about Vegas.” He laid a hand on her arm and wished he could do more to take away some of the pain.
“Thank you. You’d never guess who showed up at the bar and stayed until midnight.” She dropped her hands to her lap.
He removed his hand and took a guess. “Lucy with her new boyfriend, and they ordered some weird drink that you had to look up in the book to even know how to make?”
She refilled her milk glass. “Nope, Flossie, but she was there hoping that Lucy would show up. And you’ll never guess why.” She didn’t give him time to answer. “Because if Lucy arrived at the bar, that would mean she was through with her religious phase.”
“And then they wouldn’t have to go to church with her, right?” Tucker asked.
“Exactly.” Jolene yawned. “And now I’m going to bed. I can’t get to sleep if I stay up until dawn. See you about noon, and we’ll get in a few hours of work before I go back to the bar.”
“Oh, no.” Tucker shook his head. “I quit at noon on Saturday. Five and a half days a week is my limit. So sleep as long as you want. I plan on drawing up plans for the other bedrooms, and then Monday morning we’ll get back after it.”
“Whatever you say, partner.” She started for the door but turned before she got there. “Thanks for listening. The song is out of my head now.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. “I charge more for therapy. You’ll get the bill next week.”
“I’ll pay it by cookin’.”
“Sassy, ain’t you?”
She laughed out loud. “No, sir! That’s the cat.”
Chapter Eight
Jolene parked near the door of the bar on Saturday night and dug around in her purse until she found her phone. She’d programmed in Dotty’s number the night before so all she had to do was hit a button, and it started ringing.
“Please don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind or you’re not coming in tonight,” Dotty answered.
“Not at all,” Jolene said. “I’m parked right outside. Would you open the door for me?”
“I’m on my way,” she said.
Jolene slid out of the truck, tucked the phone into the hip pocket of her jeans, and slung her purse over her shoulder. Dotty was waving from the door before Jolene rounded the end of her vehicle.
“Get on in here before that wind blows you right over the