Hundred Reasons (Money for Love Book 1)

by Ali Parker

“Am I late?” I asked nervously.

  “Not at all,” Diana said. “I’m just so damn excited to have you here.”

  “Thank you for doing this,” I said. “Really, Diana, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the help.”

  “Girl, I just got you a job.” Diana laughed. “I didn’t introduce you to the Dalai Lama.”

  “It’s more than a job,” I said. “Thank you.”

  “Wait until you’ve worked a full shift before you start kissing my blistered feet,” Diana said. “Waitressing is rough work. Think you can handle it?”

  I grinned and grabbed an apron off the line of hooks. Diana laughed and slapped my butt as we headed out to the front of The Diner.

  “Boss man wants you to shadow me tonight,” Diana said. “Apparently, he doesn’t think you can pour coffee on your own.”

  “Why’s that?” I asked.

  “Well,” Diana said. “He said someone who’s only poured oil into engines all her life doesn’t have the delicate touch it takes to keep customers happy.”

  I blinked. The Diner was a run-down little shack on the sand. It wasn’t exactly a high-class destination for gourmet cuisine.

  “I’ll do my best not to dump the pot on his head next time I see him,” I said.

  “Honey,” Diana said. “That’s just John. He is what he is, and if you’re gonna work here, you gotta learn to tune him out.”

  “That won’t be a problem.” I laughed.

  Diana took me up to the hostess stand and showed me the ropes. She walked me through the numbering system for the tables and showed me where the storeroom was. For the first two hours of my shift, she had me refill salt and pepper shakers, napkin holders, and coffee cups. She even let me pour on my own, which according to John, proved that Diana had too much faith in me.

  Despite John’s asinine concerns, I managed to have a pretty great first couple of hours. When I was done with the refills, I shadowed Diana and learned how to take orders. She showed me the shorthand for each meal on the menu. Everything was basic common sense. It wasn’t challenging work, but I was grateful for Diana’s help, so I put in so much effort that I made waitressing look like an Olympic sport.

  “Slow down,” Diana said. “You’ll wear holes in your shoes if you keep up that pace.”

  “I just want to do well,” I said.

  “Relax,” Diana said. “You’re doing fine.”

  “Thanks.”

  Diana eyed me with concern. We were behind the counter, stocking the shelves and washing dishes while the other waitresses did the rounds on our tables. I tried to ignore Diana’s maternal eyes boring into the side of my head but after a few minutes, I couldn’t take it anymore.

  “Just say it, Diana.” I sighed.

  “Say what?” She blinked innocently.

  “Cut the crap.” I laughed. “I know you’re thinking something, so spit it out already.”

  “I’m worried about you,” Diana said bluntly. “You look like you haven’t slept in six months, and just last week, you came in here begging me for a job when I know perfectly well you already have a job.”

  I stared down at my hands without a word. Diana, like Garret, had known me since I was a little girl. Their concerns came from a place of deep love. I knew that. And deep down, I loved them for it. But, on the surface, I hated it.

  “I’m fine,” I told Diana with a note of finality in my voice.

  “Not buying it,” she said. “What’s going on with you?”

  “Diana, it’s not the time or the place,” I said softly. “Let’s just work and -”

  “And what?” she asked. “You’ll tell me later?”

  “Sure.” I shrugged.

  “That’s believable.”

  I sighed and looked up at her. She was standing with her hands on her hips and her eyes wide with determination. There was no way she was going to let this go anytime soon.

  “Fine.” I shook my head. “The shop isn’t doing well.”

  Diana nodded. “How bad?”

  “Worse than you can imagine,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Are you gonna lose it?” she asked.

  I nodded and looked away, feeling a burn in my eyes that could only mean one thing. It was my first day working at The Diner and already, I was in tears.

  “Listen to me,” Diana said. She took a step forward and grabbed my hands. She waited until I lifted my eyes to meet her gaze before she spoke again. “I’ve watched you grow up. I knew your dad. And I know your mom. You come from high-quality stock, Alexandria. There is nothing in this world strong enough to beat down a Tanner. Do you understand me?”

  The smile that stretched across my face was uncontrollable. I didn’t want to smile. In fact, it was the last thing I wanted to do. And yet, with one inspirational speech from Diana, that’s exactly what I did.

  She squeezed my hands and turned me back around to finish restocking the shelves. I got back to work with Diana’s words of encouragement echoing in my ears. If I believed her, then everything would be okay. If I believed her, then I would find a way to save my dad’s shop and build it back up into the successful business it once was.

  But, that was if I believed her.

  Diana’s words filled my chest with warmth. They sent tingles down my body and sparked a fire in my stomach that drove me forward, but that didn’t mean I believed her.

  We both knew her words were just that. Words. They didn’t change anything. They didn’t magically fill my bank account with thousands of dollars. They didn’t somehow change the bank’s mind about giving me more time. And, they didn’t summon hundreds of high-paying customers straight to the shop’s doors.

  Her words were comforting and inspiring, though, so I held onto them while I continued my shift. Diana let me take a few tables on my own, watching from afar while I wove a path around The Diner with ease. It felt like I’d been working there for years, and in a way, maybe I had.

  “You’re a natural,” Diana said. “Keep this up, and I’ll be out of a job.”

  “Nah.” I shook my head. “This is just temporary, right? Once I get the shop back on its feet, I’ll be hanging up my apron for good.”

  “That’s the spirit!” Diana said.

  I laughed and went to deliver a couple plates to my table by the window. I asked if they needed anything else and then spun back around to keep moving. But when my eyes fell on the front of the restaurant, I froze.

  The door had just clanged open, letting a wave of sea air waft inside. I smelled the saltwater and sand as it caught in my chest and made me gasp. It wasn’t the sudden influx of sea air that made me stop in my tracks, though. It was the two people who accompanied it inside.

  I saw her first. Tiny and wild-haired with her Little League uniform on. She still had her glove on her left hand. I knew, without knowing, that she’d refused to take it off. Her eyes were alive with fire, just as they’d been when I saw her poke her head out of the truck window.

  My eyes lifted to the man standing beside her. It was my first shift at The Diner. My very first shirt. So, of course, Declan Gamble would waltz through the door and fix his icy blue eyes on me, making me forget both my worries and how to breathe in one fell swoop.

  23

  Declan

  My brain couldn’t process what I saw. I knew it was Alex. I would recognize those green eyes anywhere. Even with her dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail, it too was undeniable. What didn’t make sense were her clothes. She was wearing a yellow dress with a white apron tied around her waist, the same outfit every other waitress was wearing.

  Yet, I couldn’t make sense of it. What was Alex doing here? At The Diner? Working?

  The Alex Tanner I knew lived and breathed the repair shop. I’d never seen her wear anything other than jeans and a T-shirt. Her hair was either falling freely down her back or pulled up in a high ponytail. She was always accompanied by a grease rag or a wrench. Seeing her this way just didn’t make sense.

  Before I cou
ld process it, she was making her way over to me. Mila stood beside me, babbling about her first Little League practice of the season. I’d been listening intently when we first walked in, but after seeing Alex, everything else faded into background noise.

  “Just two?” Alex asked. Up close, I could see that her cheeks were tinged with embarrassment. She kept her eyes downcast, unable to fully meet my gaze.

  “Just us,” I said.

  Alex nodded and grabbed two menus before leading us down the aisle toward a deserted booth. Mila slid in across from me, and I plopped down, still staring at Alex in disbelief.

  “What can I get you to drink?” Alex asked.

  “Iced tea,” I said automatically.

  “Chocolate mi—Hey! You’re the lady who fixed my dad’s truck!”

  Alex and I both froze. I was shocked Mila recognized Alex after only seeing her once. From the look on Alex’s face, she felt the same.

  “That’s me.” She smiled. “It’s nice to see you again, Mila.”

  “You too!” Mila smiled. “You work here?”

  “I do,” Alex said. She glanced at me nervously and then looked back at Mila. “Did you just come from baseball practice?”

  “Yup,” Mila said. “First practice.”

  “That’s awesome,” Alex said. “How’d it go?”

  “It was okay,” Mila said.

  “Just okay?” Alex asked.

  “I didn’t hit good,” Mila said.

  “You did great,” I said.

  “No,” Mila said, shaking her head. “I barely got to second base. I kept hitting ground balls.”

  “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a ground ball,” Alex said. “I got a home run off a ground ball when I was twelve. Best hit of my life.”

  “Really?” Mila’s eyes lit up. “You played baseball?”

  “I did.” Alex nodded. “They kept trying to get me to switch to softball, but I refused. Bigger ball. Too easy.”

  “That’s what I said!” Mila was practically jumping out of the booth with excitement.

  “Keep it up,” Alex said. “You’ll get there. Just practice your swing every day. Eventually, you’ll get enough power to really make it fly.”

  “You think so?” Mila asked.

  “Oh, I know so.” Alex grinned at her.

  I barely spoke a word. Alex took our order, and I just watched in amazement as she interacted with my daughter. Mila warmed to Alex instantly. They were like best friends chatting about baseball every time Alex returned to our table. I was mesmerized.

  “Any dessert for you guys?” Alex asked after clearing our plates.

  “Not tonight,” I said quickly.

  “Please, Dad!” Mila begged. “They have cake and brownies and pie and ice cream and milkshakes and -”

  “And it’s a school night,” I said. “No dessert. We need to get you home and in bed.”

  “Next time,” Alex said just as Mila opened her mouth to argue. “I’ll save you a slice of apple pie. With ice cream.”

  “You will?” Mila asked.

  “Absolutely,” Alex said.

  Mila smiled and climbed out of the booth. I pulled out my wallet and quickly slapped down enough cash for the bill plus a sizeable tip.

  “Keep the change,” I said. “It’s for you.”

  Alex glanced at the extra money and frowned. She looked like she wanted to argue, but instead, she just nodded and took the money. I could tell her embarrassment had returned. The blush of her cheeks sparked my own curiosity. I wondered again why she was there.

  Only one reason came to mind. The shop. I knew her financial troubles were extensive. She didn’t have enough money to pay her bills. The only explanation for her sudden desire to waitress was that she needed the money.

  I didn’t want to pry, but I also couldn’t leave without trying to help. There was something about seeing her in that waitress uniform that tore at my emotions. Alex was clearly a hard worker. Her repair shop meant everything to her. So much so that she was willing to take on an extra job just to save it.

  I couldn’t leave without trying to help. No matter how insistent she was that she wouldn’t sell Tanner Bikes, there had to be something I could do, something that would help ease her burden.

  My first thought was to just give her the money. I almost reached into my pocket and pulled out my checkbook right there in The Diner, but I knew Alex well enough to know how she would react to that kind of charity. She would not only be offended, but she would verbally tear me a new asshole for even thinking she needed my help.

  I also couldn’t go around writing checks for every waitress who needed a little help. If I was honest, I knew Alex wasn’t just some woman. But I wasn’t ready to admit that yet. Instead, I cleared my throat and offered the only thing I knew I could offer.

  “Listen,” I said, lowering my voice so Mila wouldn’t hear. “I’d like to set up a meeting with you. Maybe you can come by the office sometime this week. Are you free?”

  “A meeting?” Alex frowned. “For what?”

  “I just…” I wasn’t sure exactly how to continue. If Alex knew I was trying to buy the shop again, she’d never meet with me. “I can tell you’re struggling. I mean, why else would you be working here?”

  “Maybe I’m interested in the waitress profession,” Alex said with a shrug. “You never know. It could be a viable career option.”

  “You’re a mechanic,” I said simply. “That’s who you are.”

  “Because you know me so well,” Alex said.

  “I didn’t mean—” I said quickly, but Alex cut me off with a smile.

  “Relax,” she said. “I’m just busting your balls.”

  I tried to laugh, but my nerves were going crazy. Part of me wanted to forget the whole thing and leave. Samson was already taking care of the offer. I didn’t need to do anything except step back and let him run the show.

  For some reason, I couldn’t do that. Seeing Alex with that apron tied around her waist sparked something inside of me.

  “So, the meeting?” Alex asked.

  “Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “I know you’re struggling to keep the shop. We could pretend like I don’t know that, but we’d be lying.”

  “Okay,” Alex said, narrowing her eyes.

  “I want to help you,” I said. “And, I think I can.”

  “We’ve already talked about that.”

  “Just hear me out,” I said. “What’s the worst that could happen? You sit down with me, you don’t like what I have to say, and you leave.”

  Alex didn’t say anything. She eyed me suspiciously, but there was something else hidden beneath the surface. She was considering my offer.

  “Why can’t you just tell me now?” Alex asked. “Why do we need a formal meeting?”

  “Because my daughter is waiting for me,” I said simply. “And our conversation is going to take more than three minutes.”

  “Fair enough,” Alex said.

  “Look, just humor me, all right?” I said. “I think I can help you, and if I can’t, we’ll part ways with no hard feelings. But you obviously need help, Alex. And since you’ve already helped me once before, let me try to help you now.”

  She didn’t answer right away. I could tell her inner pride was struggling with the logical part of her brain. We both knew she should hear my offer. But, I also knew how hard it was for Alex to admit that.

  “Tomorrow morning,” she finally said. “Meet me at the shop.”

  “Really?” I asked, surprised.

  “Don’t question it,” Alex said. “Otherwise, I might change my mind.”

  I smiled and nodded once. She smiled back, though it was slightly guarded until she turned her eyes to Mila.

  “I’m glad I got to see you again, Mila,” she said. “Keep practicing that swing. You’ll get more power on it soon enough.”

  “I will,” Mila promised.

  “Good night.” Alex smiled at us both as I led Mila to the front of The Diner.
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  We reached the front door, and I glanced behind me to see Alex still watching us. She lifted her hand to wave. I waved back and slipped out the front door with Mila chattering away beside me. I tried to listen to my daughter, but Alex’s face kept swimming through my mind. I didn’t stop thinking about her until we made it back home.

  “Head upstairs,” I said. “Get washed up and brush your teeth. I’ll come up and tuck you in.”

  “Can’t I watch TV for a few minutes?” Mila asked.

  “Not a chance,” I said. “Get going.”

  She groaned and dragged her feet across the living room. She stopped on the first step and spun back around to face me. I was just about to snap at her to do what I said when she opened her mouth to speak.

  “I like Alex,” she said, catching me completely off guard. “She’s nice and really pretty.”

  “Since when do you care who’s pretty?” I asked.

  “I don’t.” Mila shrugged. “I just noticed that she is. I wish my hair was dark like hers.”

  “Your hair is unique,” I said. “You should love it.”

  Mila shrugged again. She walked up another two steps and then stopped to look at me again.

  “She’s nice, though,” Mila said. “At least, she seems nice.”

  “She is,” I said.

  “Are we gonna see her again?” Mila asked.

  “Um.”

  It wasn’t often that my five-year-old daughter had the ability to trip me up, but that night, I couldn’t even put one full sentence together.

  “I don’t,” I began.

  “I was just asking because I think we could be friends,” Mila said. “She knows a lot about baseball. Girls don’t normally know a lot about baseball.”

  “That’s true.”

  “But Alex does.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “She does.”

  “So, will we?” Mila asked.

  “Will we what?”

  “See her again?”

  “Um, I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe. If we go back to The Diner and she’s working again, then we’ll see her.”

  “Okay.” Mila smiled and bounded up the stairs.

  I sat back on the couch, feeling like I’d just run a marathon. My mind was already spinning over my meeting with Alex. When I suggested it, I fully expected her to tell me to shove it. I flashed back to how angry she’d been after we had lunch. I didn’t even bring up the shop, and still, she just had to make sure I knew she wouldn’t sell. But now…