Safe in Noah's Arms

Kayla’s bittersweet smile hit Monica in the solar plexus. On impulse, she threw her arms around the woman. Monica might not be demonstrative, might not hand out hugs easily, but Kayla deserved one so much.

“The really good thing that happened was that you stayed alive.” When Monica pulled back, they were both teary. “Don’t ruin your makeup. Suck in a big breath.”

They both did and when they exhaled at the same time, they laughed. Monica had made a new friend. All she had done was put herself out a little and she’d won the lottery.

Was this how Noah felt when he did things for people? Was the result always so rewarding? She should ask him.

“Let’s finish your hair.” Monica filled her palm with hair putty and rubbed it between her hands before applying it to Kayla’s hair. She scrunched clumps of it between her fingers and arranged it artfully to frame the woman’s face.

Kayla stared at herself in the mirror, wide-eyed and happy. “I look beautiful. I don’t look like myself at all.”

“Nonsense,” Monica said. “The benefit of makeup when it’s applied well is that you look more like yourself.”

She packed the makeup back into the bag. “Hide this somewhere so your children don’t get into it. Kids love makeup.”

“Kids love everything they shouldn’t.” Something had clicked and come alive in Kayla. She positively glowed.

“Let’s go,” Monica said. “Can you drive yourself into town behind me? I won’t have time to drive you home afterward.”

“Of course.”

They walked downstairs just as Robert entered the house. When he saw his wife, his jaw dropped.

“Robert,” Kayla said, voice full of laughter, “what do you think?”

“You look...amazing. So pretty.”

As Monica passed Robert on her way out, noting the patent desire and admiration for his wife, she said, “Don’t you two go making any more babies tonight. Three are enough!”

Kayla kissed Robert’s cheek and stepped toward the front door. “Wish me luck on my job interviews...and on our old clunker actually getting me into town!”

Robert nodded, his eyes never leaving his wife.

In Accord, they went to Tonio’s first—it had already been open for an hour—where Monica introduced Kayla to Maria. They had a chat that seemed to consist more of talking about children than about job qualifications, then Maria stated, “We can definitely find things for you to do here. When can you start?”

“Right away. Right now.”

“First we have to see John Spade,” Monica interjected. “I’ve set up an interview with him. Kayla will need two part-time jobs. Can you work out her hours around whatever John can give her?”

Maria patted Kayla’s arm. “We’ll make it work.”

Walking along Main to the only legal office in town, Kayla said, “I’ve never been inside Tonio’s before. I used to grow most of our fresh produce and then shopped for everything else at the discount grocery store. I can’t afford Tonio’s, but what an amazing place. They have all kinds of products I’ve never seen before. And Maria is so nice!”

As Monica opened John’s front door, she waggled her eyebrows at Kayla, knowing she looked comical, but she was totally okay with it. She needed to get Kayla loosened up. “Maybe you’ll get a discount as an employee.”

Kayla laughed. Good. She was in great spirits. Maybe she wouldn’t be intimidated by John.

Monica greeted his receptionist, who alerted her boss.

As handsome as ever, even though he’d probably burned the midnight oil last night, John approached, hand outstretched toward Kayla.

“John,” Monica asked, “have you met Kayla before?”

He shook her hand. “I’ve seen you around town.”

John was older than both Kayla and Monica. They hadn’t been in high school at the same time.

“Step into my office and we’ll chat. Monica, can I offer you coffee while you wait?”

“I’m good, thanks, John.” She sat on a small leather love seat. John ushered Kayla ahead of himself. Just before he entered his office, he glanced back at Monica. She mouthed be kind.

He winked.

Ten minutes later, Kayla came out with a wide grin. “I got the job,” she whispered.

Of course she did. Once John had promised Monica he’d give Kayla a job, he would follow through, unless Kayla was thoroughly unsuitable, which she wasn’t. She was eager, willing and intelligent. She could learn whatever needed to be learned.

And apparently, for the next two days she would be learning the ropes at John Spade’s office.

They went back to the market.

“Okay,” Maria said. “We can operate around John’s hours, but if he can let us have you on Saturdays, it would help us a lot.”

“I’ll ask him,” Kayla said, her fingers threaded nervously.

“No, you won’t,” Monica said. “I’ll stop in and ask him on my way to work. Speaking of which, we’d better go.”

They stepped out of the store and nearly collided with Noah.

When he saw her, his expression darkened. Completely ignoring Kayla’s presence—or not even seeing her there—he addressed Monica. “Where were you this morning?” His harsh tone cut through Monica with the heat of an acetylene torch. “Do you think farming is like shopping? You do it only when you feel like it?”

“No, I—”

“It’s a day-in, day-out necessity. Plants need to be watered whether you feel like getting out of bed early or not. The work needs to be done even if you aren’t in the mood.”

Foul man. Monica wanted to bite off his head. “The courts made no mention that I had to be at the farm every day. I guess they assumed you would tell me when you needed me. You told me nothing.”

“I assumed you would be smart enough to know that farming is done every day, rain or shine, whether or not you feel like showing up. I assumed you would be responsible enough to act on it.”

“If you assume, you make an ass out of you and me. Next time, tell me what you want. This was your mistake, Noah, not mine, but from now on I’ll be there every single dam— Every morning, okay?”

Noah seemed taken aback by Monica and her acid tone. Good. He should be afraid. She wouldn’t let him walk all over her, especially not after she’d spent her morning helping someone.

“Listen, I—”

Monica ignored whatever Noah was about to say, hugged Kayla goodbye and walked away. Noah Cameron could rot in hell for all she cared.

The courts had told her to report in on the farm when Noah needed her. He hadn’t shared his schedule with her. Was he hoping she would fail? What did he want? For her to go to jail?