Timber Creek (Sierra Falls 2)

The bell on the front door rang, then rang again, but she kept her attention on Damien.

He shook his head, tsking. “Too bad you’re a married woman, Helen. You and me could run away together. ”

Married…barely. “Maybe in the next life, hon. ”

There was only one man she cared about, and it was her husband, though she could flirt with other men until she was blue in the face and it wouldn’t get him to notice her. Rob knew how chatty she could be with men, and he didn’t care. She imagined that not even the attentions of Damien Simmons, basically the prince of Sierra Falls, would make him jealous.

“I think those people need menus, Helen. ” It was Laura, using her boss voice.

She hadn’t heard her come in and felt a spurt of panic. “Of course,” she said, trying not to sound too tart about it.

More and more, she sensed Laura’s

critical eye on her. The older Bailey girl was a control freak, and losing this job was the last thing she needed.

Edith came over to smooth her daughter’s ruffled feathers. “I’m sure Helen’s got it. ” She gave a gentle pat to Laura’s shoulder.

God bless the woman. Sometimes it felt like Edith Bailey was the only reason she still had this job.

With a last stiff smile to Damien, she said, “I’ll go put in your order. ”

She had to brace herself to face the love nest in the kitchen. She was lonely—so lonely her heart ached with it. But as she felt Laura’s eyes bore into her back, she reminded herself this wasn’t her time. Someday down the road she’d figure things out for herself, but for now, she had three kids she needed to take care of. Which meant she had a paycheck to earn.

She wouldn’t give Laura any excuses to fire her.

She came back out to wipe down tables that didn’t need wiping, and as she worked, she felt Edith approach. Tucking the rag in her apron, she turned to express a quick thanks for earlier, and was surprised to be greeted by a positively gleeful expression on the other woman’s face.

“Have you heard?” Edith asked, excitement clear in her voice. “The History Network is coming to film here. Us!”

“Oh. ” She pasted a smile on her face. “Congratulations. ” Wasn’t that just exciting, how life was starting to happen for everyone but her?

Laura said from across the room, “Easy, Mom. They’re here to film the town. But yeah, they’ll be staying here. And who knows, maybe they’ll get a little footage of the lodge, too. ” She came closer, directing her next words at Helen. “Which means we need to be extra on top of things. ”

What was that supposed to mean? “I always am,” she said tightly.

Laura waved a hand. “Well, you know what I mean. ”

But Helen wouldn’t let her blow it off. “I don’t, actually. ”

“Fine, then. Like your purse,” Laura said, pointing to a cubby under the bar. “It doesn’t belong out here. You know I hate when you put your stuff behind the bar. ”

She forced herself to stay calm. Laura had been away for years, living it up or doing whatever she did in the big city, while Helen had been here, helping the Baileys and stashing her bag in that very cubby. “I’ll move my purse. That’s it?”

“It also means that now, more than ever, it’s important for all of us to be on time. ” Laura gave her an insincere smile—in a few short months, the woman really had mastered the passive-aggressive boss tone. “That sort of thing. ”

Inside, she fumed. All of us. She was always on time, and those few times she wasn’t had to do with her kids, not because she was out gallivanting around town.

Edith hated conflict and piped in cheerily, “Helen’s always on top of things. Don’t you worry. ”

“Actually, I’m glad you’re here,” Laura told her. “We just have one other problem. ”

She braced, but Bear barked a laugh from the end of the bar. “Just the one?” He rustled his newspaper, folding it to the next page. “You ladies let me know when it’s all worked out. ”

With a moan, Laura limped toward a booth. “I’ve gotta sit down. ”

Only then did Helen spot the angry patches of red along the woman’s legs. Momentarily forgetting her irritation, she asked, “What happened to you?”

“Poison oak. ” Laura gingerly sat down, sticking her feet out so as not to touch her skin to the seat.