“We have discounts certain days out of the month,” Nine informed her as he seemed to search for something behind counter. “Geez, this place is a mess.” He glanced up at Orlando. “Has that temp agency gotten back to us yet?”
Orlando shook his head, looking down at the baby, and wiped something off his face. “Not that I know of.”
Sifting through papers, Nine frowned. “Beast said to hire a part-time temp until Talia can get back, but I think she’s done. Knee replacement’s no joke, especially for someone her age. And this place, fuck.” He moved more stuff around. “Anyway.” He looked up at Danica this time. “I don’t have the exact dates for this month, but it’s usually toward the end of the month. When things slow a bit.”
Seeing him shake his head again and look beyond frustrated roused the epiphany she’d had after leaving the shop that first day. It wasn’t even until she’d been in the shower that night, pondering her need for a second job, that she remembered the comment between Beast and Orlando about their receptionist being out on disability. Despite the second part of her plan being a bit farfetched and riskier, she’d instantly launched the idea of possibly weaseling her way in this way. Nine’s comments now made this even better.
Willing her voice to not go all unnaturally high pitched and trembly, Danica braced herself in preparation to deliver her next lines. “I-I can probably get the money soon. I uh . . . just need some time.” She addressed Nine specifically, so she wouldn’t be so obvious, and because she was afraid looking at Orlando’s penetrating eyes would do her in again. Then she did her best to remember the speech she’d been practicing since the day she gave the baby up. Though she would have to improvise now that her plan got a new twist. “I work with kids. Part-time.” She cleared her throat, chastising herself for sounding so damned robotic. “But also, one-on-one. I uh . . .” She glanced around, though she refused to look in Orlando’s direction because already her speech sounded so forced. She was afraid he’d pick up on anything questionable if her nervous eyes met his. But her hand was on her waist again, so she let it drop again. “I just lost one of my one-on-one kids. They’re moving out of state. So, I’ll be a little short until I can either replace him or get a second part-time job.”
Nine nodded, and as tempted as she was to glance in Orlando’s direction to get his reaction, she still didn’t dare. Hoping she wouldn’t be overdoing it or sound completely robotic again because the next part hadn’t been rehearsed nearly as often as the first, she glanced at Orlando casually before quickly turning back to Nine. “I have some receptionist experience. Maybe I can bring back my resume for you if you’re looking to hire one.” She smiled nervously, turning to Orlando again for a microsecond before turning back to Nine and swallowing hard. “If it’s a temporary position”—she shrugged awkwardly—“it might hold me over until I can replace the one-on-one I lost.”
Nine’s head jerked up from the mess he was still sifting through. “How soon could you start?”
“Easy.” Danica turned to Orlando after hearing his chuckled comment. She was instantly feeling even more anxious. As nerve-wracking as this was, she hadn’t counted on this working so easily and happening so fast. Her initial plan was to try and worm her way into the baby’s life by throwing out her “working with kids comment.” She hadn’t been totally committed about the receptionist part yet. But Nine’s mention of their needing a receptionist at such a perfect moment made her premeditated ploy seem all the more spontaneously prompted.
“Look at this place.” Nine motioned at the counter for Orlando. “I don’t have time to be dealing with this shit, sifting through applications and doing interviews, do you?” He turned back to Danica. “Job pays fifteen bucks an hour. I’d need you in here at least three days a week, five-hour shifts. You’d get a major discount on that transmission as a bonus, and we could even take the payments out of your check, so you can get it replaced the sooner the better.”
“I . . .” Danica’s head was racing even as her relieved, yet very excited, heart pounded because this could get tricky. She hadn’t worked out the details of this plan yet. “I’d have to check my schedule. Probably soon?” He looked at her strangely since he obviously didn’t get that she was questioning whether her answer was the best one or not, so she added the next part quickly. “L-like in the next week or so?”
“Tell you what.” Nine turned away, looking out the window. “If you can promise to get back to me as soon as possible, I can have them patch up the leak with something right now just to buy you some time for now. Free of charge.”
Danica began to smile, despite her nearly stammering last response, but then remembered something. She glanced down at her phone. It was already five minutes to five. Among one of the many things Ted was a stickler for was punctuality, especially when he was waiting on her. In this case, she’d be late to happy hour where she was supposed to be meeting him soon. “How long do you think it’ll take?”
“Ten, fifteen minutes tops,” Nine said, handing her a card from out of his front pocket. “That’s my number directly. Call me as soon as you can.” He started toward the door that led to the garage. “They’re just gonna pour something in it that’ll clog up the leak as a temporary fix.”
“Okay, that sounds great. A-and yes, as soon as I know when I’ll be available, I’ll give you a call. Thanks so much.”
Without thinking, she started putting a text together for Ted. She lied, saying she was stuck in traffic, but she’d be there in a few. Curiously, it was so much easier to lie to Ted, especially via text. “I’ve seen you before.” Danica glanced up at Orlando in response to his comment. “Do I know you from somewhere?
“I’ve been in here before,” she said, feeling a little embarrassed. Of course, he wouldn’t remember her. She was absolutely forgettable. But in this case, it was a good thing. If he remembered seeing her car sitting up the street the past few weeks, he might be suspicious.
He turned to the window that opened into the shop. “Kia,” he said under his breath then turned back to her. His widening eyes swept over her from top to bottom. “Yeah, yeah, I remember now. You asked about me moving. You were in here with your boyfriend?”
Danica nodded as the unease about his remembering that part washed over her. “Yeah.”
Ted had been so worked up when they got out of there. No telling how rude he’d been when she’d rushed off to the bathroom so she wouldn’t break down right there in the waiting area that day.
“You look so different. No wonder I could swear I knew those eyes from somewhere, just couldn’t place you.”
Glancing down at herself, she hadn’t even thought of that. She’d been too busy obsessing and excited about the possibility of seeing the baby and then wanting to look more put-together and impressive than her norm. She hadn’t even thought it might seem weird to walk into an auto shop all done up. “Meeting friends for drinks in a few,” she explained, feeling lame. Who stops to get their car serviced just before a night out? “I just kept hearing the squeaking brakes, so I thought I’d stop and get them checked since it was on my way.”
He nodded, and though it was subtle, she didn’t miss the way he took her in again from top to bottom. Danica had never been as affected by a gaze as she was by his, and she didn’t know what to make of it. It was almost electrifying, and her ridiculous body practically trembled. Feeling her face heat, as his eyes seemed to almost search hers, she couldn’t take it anymore, so she glanced away. “So, when you say you work one-on-one with kids, you mean like a nanny?”
With her heart instantly spiking, Danica had no choice but to look up at his curious eyes again. “Something like that.” It wasn’t that far from the truth. Thanks to her sister and her lifelong experience with her brother, she could explain this part a little easier without having to pull too much out of her ass. But then just like earlier, those penetrating eyes did something, and before she knew it, she was confessing. “Actually, it’s my sister who’s the licensed therapist,
not me.” What the hell? “I’ve just been helping her for years. She works out of our house.” What in the world was she doing? She’d had an entire story rehearsed about all the experience she had working independently with kids. But the more those amazing eyes gazed at her, nodding with genuine interest, the more the truth vomit continued.
“The kids she usually works with one-on-one are special needs kids: Autistic, Down Syndrome, ADHD. It’s more like child therapy. She does activities with them that teach coping skills to help with their behavior, learning or emotional issues. So, while she’s not exactly a nanny, she does spend a lot of time with them, and I’ve helped her with them for years.” She crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping to God she could at least stick with one of her planned white lies so he’d be more impressed with her experience, and reminded herself not to go back to robotic mode. “But it’s why I’m off today. The little boy I usually work with on Fridays moved recently.”
“You work in a school too? Are you a teacher?”
“No.” She shook her head as the excitement in her chest and the unexplainable guilt she’d already begun to feel spread even further in her gut about the one lie she’d been able to stick with. “No teaching credentials. B-but I am a child development student with an emphasis on children with special needs.” Also, partly true, so stop stuttering! “I went back to school recently. I’d started way back, but for various reasons had to stop and get a job, but I’m working on it. Just not licensed yet, so it’s why I can’t charge what a fully licensed therapist would. That and, uh . . . the fact that I have a knack with kids.” She cleared her throat but lifted her chin because the next part used to be true. “It’s what keeps me fully booked for the most part.”
Nine walked back in. “Should be done any minute now. They’ll drive your car up when it’s ready.”
“Thank you,” Danica said, glancing back down at her phone. She’d been so caught up with Orlando she hadn’t even noticed the response to her text from Ted.
Where are you?
“You ever watch kids that are not special needs?” Orlando asked, making her insides go wild, and it had her nearly choking her up again. Was this actually going to work?
“Give me a sec,” she said, casually wiping the bead of sweat just above her upper lip, and smiled, motioning to her phone. “I need to respond to this.”
What she needed was a moment to gather herself. She responded to Ted’s text, explaining she wasn’t too far away and she’d be there soon. But all she could think of was the possibility of what Orlando might ask next. The very thought had her fingers shaking as she finished up the text and sent it.
Cursing the warmth of her already flooding eyes, she took a deep breath before looking up at him again. “Yes, I do.”
His eyebrows furrowed as he searched her eyes then glanced down at her phone before meeting her eyes again in question. She nodded, annoyed with herself for being so damn weak. “That same personal issue I mentioned. It’s been going on for a few months now.” Shut up! She pressed her lips together in an attempt to stop the continued truth vomit. “It’s been draining.” Pleading with herself inwardly, she managed to shut the hell up as his sympathetic gaze continued to take her in.
“Family issues?”
“Something like that.” Jesus Christ. What happened to all the plans she’d so meticulously practiced? Lying to Ted was so much easier. But then his arrogance made that easy. Not that she wasn’t pathetic about her ability to lie to even him. He just had his head so far up his ass most days she knew he’d sooner choose to believe her untruths than that she’d ever be insincere to him. To her relief, her car was pulled up to the door, and they both turned to see the guy get out with her keys.
“Listen. Can I get your number, or can you take mine? I’ve been looking around for someone to watch my son.” He glanced down at the beautiful bundle on his chest and kissed his head. “But the truth is I’m a single dad and he was very unexpected. So, I don’t know the first thing about what to look for in a caregiver, nanny, whatever. You sound like you know what you’re doing. I know you mentioned already having a second job if you take the one here, but maybe we can work something out? I wouldn’t need you all day every day. I have some help with him already, but I’ll need someone else a couple days out of the week.”
Keep it together. You’re in. Don’t you dare blow this. Needing to look away again, she tapped her phone’s screen. “We could probably work something out.”
“I’m Orlando by the way.” She glanced up at him, and she was treated to very sweet smile, and there it was again. She thought she’d seen it that first day she’d been here and then again earlier when he eyed her strangely. But she’d since decided she must’ve been imagining it. No way could this stud have any interest in her stuttering ass other than her possibly being a good candidate to watch his son. Yet, there was this sort of twinkle in his eye when he smiled as he was doing now. “And you are?”
Danica shook her head, realizing she’d zoned out. “I’m De—” She caught herself but tried not to panic as the twinkle in his eyes sucked her in. “Danica.” What? She was supposed to have said Delia! She could use her sister’s information when the time came in case they ran a background check so her shady past wouldn’t automatically disqualify her from the job—especially working with his son. “Danica.” Her stupid ass actually reiterated, in case she hadn’t made it clear enough the first time. “Danica Suarez. What’s your number, Orlando?” She could only pray this wouldn’t continue. There was so much to lose if she kept on blurting out the truth because, for whatever reason so far, she’d been incapable of lying to him. Danica needed this to keep her sanity. She’d nearly lost it more than once since giving up the baby. Lying her way back into his life, especially when she had nothing but good intentions, was acceptable, right?
This wasn’t a malicious act she was committing. Orlando had nothing to worry about leaving the baby in her care. Hell, she’d sooner give her life for that baby than ever bring any harm to him. So why the hell couldn’t she stick to the damn plan? Adding his number in her contacts, she promised him and Nine they’d hear from her in a few days. She realized that, as a possible new babysitter to his son, she should show more interest in the baby. But she was this close to losing it again. The way things had gone so far, she was now afraid focusing too much on the baby would have her blurting out the truth about being the one who left him at her door. That he was the real reason why she’d been an emotional mess all these months, and she’d blow the whole thing.
Getting it together, she excused herself and assured him he’d hear from her soon then got the hell out of there as fast as she could.
Chapter 6
Danica
With her heart still bursting, Danica pushed open the door to Crudos, feeling a pep in her step. It had taken her a little longer to get there than what she’d said to Ted in her text. But then she did have a face full of triumphant tears to clean up before she could get out of the car. Ted waved her down as soon as she walked in. He was at a corner table with two of his friends and their wives. Danica had only been out with them a few times, so she didn’t know them all too well yet, but she smiled big as she neared the table. Elena, who was closest, greeted her first. “Hey, you,” Danica leaned in and hugged her.
“How you doing, honey?” Elena asked.
“I’m doing great.” Danica smiled big, her heart still all aflutter. Greeting the rest one by one as she went around the table, she finally got around to where Ted sat, pecked him on the lips, and then took the empty seat next to him.
“Someone’s in a good mood.” Ted placed his hand on her knee, peering at her a little strangely.
Realizing now maybe she was being a little too perky for someone who’d been miserable these last three months, Danica attempted to tone it down a bit by shrugging. She glanced away, reaching for the chip bowl on the table but lowered her voice as she quickly explained to Ted, “Talked to my sister for the first time in
a while. We had a good talk.”
True story but it’d happened that morning, and as happy as she’d been about talking to her sister then, it was nothing compared to her chirpiness now.
Ted’s expression eased instantly. “You did? That’s good.”
Her smug smile instantly went flat as the chip she’d bitten broke and a glop of salsa promptly landed on her blouse. Grabbing a napkin, she started to clean it as Alma, his other friend’s wife, asked about her work. “Are they still cutting your hours?”
“Yes.” Danica feigned a frown as she dipped the napkin in her water and dabbed at her blouse. “I’m gonna have to look for either another job altogether or get another part-time. I’m scheduled just twelve hours next week.”
“Damn.” Alma shook her head. “Have you tried any banks? My niece just got hired on with First Community Savings earlier this year, and she says they pay well. Full benefits and everything.”
Danica and Ted exchanged glances as she reached for another napkin and she nodded. She was lucky to have the crap-ass job she had now. No way would she pass a bank’s background check. “I’ve put in a few applications at some, but no luck getting a call back.”
“Or you could just quit your job, go back to school full-time, and let me worry about paying the bills.” Ted waved down the waitress before adding, “What do you want to drink?”
“Margarita.” Danica dipped her chip in the salsa without addressing the other part of his commentary.
“Must be nice.” Elena eyed her husband Howard playfully. “Wish I had someone to pay all my bills so I could quit my job.”
Orlando: Boyle Heights #4 Page 5