Page 3 of Hawk

“Four plus me, so there will be five of us in total. Which is perfect. Everyone can have a different pattern.” She gave me a fond smile and patted my arm. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Mika.”

“Right back at you. I mean, seriously, who would teach me to crochet?” I tried to keep it light, but the truth was, I’d been a wreck when I arrived in Vesper two years ago, and she’d been just what I’d needed.

I’d started working for Helping Hands because there were always jobs open, and I needed work fast when I got here with little more than a change of clothes and enough money to rent a room. I hadn’t expected to love the work, but I did, and in those early months when I was alone and afraid, my clients had filled the void and become like my family. Especially the Thompsons. I’d originally been sent to sit with Mr. Thompson, but when he passed away, Mary Ellen asked me to stay on as a companion, so I’d left the agency and gone to work for her privately.

I mostly ran errands for her, helped her out with things around the house, and kept her company. She insisted that having someone around to talk to and lend a hand when she needed it was priceless to her.

“I don’t think you need me to teach you anymore, Mika. I’ve seen your latest project, and I’m pretty sure you could teach me a thing or two. Now, enough of that, let’s get that table set before the food arrives. Then you can take off for the rest of the day.”

“Are you sure? I can stick around and help with the party.”

“I’m sure. The last thing you want to do is hang around and listen to a bunch of old women complain about their latest aches and pains.”

“You just want me to leave so I won’t hear y’all gossiping about Mr. Waddell and his neighbor.”

“Why, Mika Simpson, I have no idea what you’re talking about. But if you want to stay, Marjorie Davis will be happy to tell you all about her grandson, the foot doctor. She’d love to set the two of you up on a date.”

“Now, Mary Ellen, you know I’ve sworn off men, so that’s not going to happen.”

“Not all men are assholes, Mika. Take my David—”

“Your David was one of a kind, and you were the lucky lady who got to spend your life with him. Not all of us are that fortunate.” I knew she meant well. She and David had been a love story for the ages, but experience had taught me that happy ever afters weren’t for me.

“You’ll find your David. I know you will. Now, let’s get everything set up.”

It took us a couple of hours, but by the time the first of her guests arrived, the conservatory looked like it was set for a formal afternoon tea, and she was beaming. Thankfully, Georgette Shirley arrived first, so I was able to make my escape without having to listen to Marjorie take another shot at setting me up with her son. I was sure he was perfectly nice, but even if I wasn’t on a break, he touched feet for a living, and I just couldn’t go there. Call me weird, but feet freaked me out.

Normally, on days I got off work early, I went and hung out with my bestie Andy, but he was on shift at the local fire station today, so I went by my other friend Mars’s shop instead. I went inside, and Zeva was standing behind the counter. “Hey, Mika. You looking for Mars?”

“Yeah, is he around?”

“He’s out in the workshop setting up for a tincture class his mom will be teaching this weekend.”

“Cool. I’ll go see if he needs a hand.” I walked through the shop, out the back door, and down the short path that led to the workshop out back. The door to the shop was standing wide open. I’d never been to one of his classes, but I had to say the vibe fit Mars perfectly. It was bright, cheerful, and welcoming, just like him.

“Oh, hey, Mika.” He grinned at me. “Perfect timing. I’m trying to set up these tables in a U-shape. Wanna help?”

“Sure, why not?”

We got to work, and it didn’t take us long to get both the tables set up and the chairs placed around the outside.

“That went quick with both of us. Thanks. Now, did you need something? I didn’t even ask. I just put you right to work.”

“Nah, I don’t need anything. Mrs. Thompson’s having some friends over for tea today, so I made myself scarce.”

“Great. I was about to order lunch. Do you want something?”

“Did Samuel not send you with lunch today?” Mars and Samuel had been together for months now, and I knew most days, Samuel sent Mars something to eat because he had a bad habit of getting lost in work and not eating properly—something Samuel’s sweet Daddy heart couldn’t tolerate.

“Not today. The fire station had a late call last night, and it was an ugly one, so, as the station chief, Samuel went. That doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, I’m on my own for lunch. So how do tacos sound?”

“Tacos sound good. Want me to run to get them and bring them back, or do you want to leave the shop?”

“Let’s eat there. Zeva can handle things here, and tacos really don’t travel well.”

“True. We can always bring her something back if she wants.”

He closed up the workshop, and we went back inside.

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