“I was, but I got off early the other night and I’m making up hours. Tiger landed in the ER and Mom was pretty frantic trying to find Darek.”
Claire stilled, a cold fist in her chest. “What happened?”
“He fell off Casper’s old bunk and cut his forehead. Needed seven stitches.” Grace shook her head even as she dumped the onions in a stainless steel container. “I think an angel must have caught him because he could have lost an eye. He nicked a pair of Owen’s skates he’d been playing with before bed.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. He bounces back. I’m more worried about Darek. He practically came unraveled. Blamed himself for not being there—”
“Where was he?”
“Out on a date.” She picked up another onion and grimaced.
“Wanna trade?” Claire asked.
Grace shook her head and started to peel the onion. “He was at that bachelor auction—some woman bought him.”
Claire had created a nice pile of cleaned mushrooms. “Her name is Ivy. She’s real pretty—red hair, shorter, but cute. She told me she’s the new assistant county attorney.”
“You met her?”
“She lives in the garage apartment behind the bookstore. Our paths crossed yesterday.”
Grace nodded, kept chopping.
“What is it?” Claire set the mushrooms on the cutting board and began to slice them.
Grace blinked as if forcing back tears. “I just . . . It’s so sad Tiger doesn’t have a mom. Wouldn’t it be great if Darek could find someone?”
“Tiger had a mom.”
Grace glanced at her. Oh, Claire hadn’t meant for it to come out so sharp. “I mean, yes, every kid needs a mom. But he has so much family—you and Amelia, your parents, Casper and Owen, Eden.”
“He needs a mom, Claire.” Grace set down the knife, scooping the next batch of onions into the container. “And Darek needs a wife.”
Darek didn’t deserve another wife. Claire ground her jaw to keep the words from leaking out. “The last thing that Tiger needs is to have another woman take Felicity’s place, only for it not to work out.”
Grace frowned at her. “What does that mean?”
Claire dumped mushrooms into her own container. “It means that maybe you don’t know your brother as well as you think you do.”
“He’s changed a lot since Felicity died.”
Claire put down the knife. “I’m just saying he had his chance, and it’s gone. And now he has to make the best with what he has left.”
Grace went slack-jawed.
“Please, Gracie. Don’t think I’m not compassionate to Tiger. But you have to live with your choices.”
“Losing Felicity wasn’t his choice, Claire. Accidents just happen. It doesn’t mean he shouldn’t keep moving on with his life.”
Claire stared at her, the words stinging.
“Claire, do you have a moment?”
She turned, wanting to launch herself into Stuart’s arms. Probably not an appropriate action for an employee-manager relationship, however, so she wiped her hands, left Grace and her too-forgiving attitude at the prep center, and followed Stuart into his office.
She began an apology before he even sat down at his desk. “I know I lost track of time. I was working in the garden—”
“Really, Claire?” Stuart wore the Pierre’s uniform—white apron, black shirt, a contrast to his white hair. The man had been making pizzas for nearly forty years but still managed to keep himself fit. A picture of his family, taken before his wife died, sat on the credenza behind him. “You think I pulled you in here to beat you up for being one minute late?”
Oh.
“What I want to do is give you a raise.”
A raise? Her mouth opened to thank him, but he held up a hand.
“But I can’t.”
She frowned.
“You’re already at the very top of the pay scale for a part-time employee, first of all. And second, the truth is, I can’t afford you anymore.” He actually looked pained.
“Am I being fired because you can’t give me a raise? I didn’t ask for a raise.”
“No, you didn’t, but you certainly deserve one. You run the kitchen, the counter, even inventory my supplies better than I do. This place would be a mess without you.”
“Then why—?”
“I’m offering you the job of full-time manager. With summer upon us, I have to hire a manager, but I can’t have a part-time employee with your salary taking up the budget. Please, will you consider taking the position?”
A full-time Pierre’s Pizza manager. She didn’t know why she had the insane urge to weep. She pushed a smile through the web in her chest. “I don’t . . . I . . .”