Free Bluestone Song by MJ Fredrick

straightened and glared at him across
Quinn’s desk. She had to keep her temper up so she didn’t think
about how delicious he looked standing there. She couldn’t afford
that weakness. “What is it to you whether or not I work at the
casino?”
    “Because I saw you crying when you walked out
of Quinn’s office the other day. I know you don’t want to drive an
hour a day to work in that hole, no matter what money can be
made.”
    His derision of the place and his assertion
of her weakness put her back up higher. “I wasn’t crying.”
    He crimped his lips to show what he thought
of that declaration. “Trying hard not to. You forget how well I
know you, Beth.”
    She raised her chin. He didn’t know her
anymore. Maybe he thought he did, but he was wrong. He hadn’t been
here through all the changes she’d had to go through. “It’s already
done. Tomorrow’s my last night here.”
    “And Trinity? Is she babysitting for
you?”
    Her gaze sharpened. “You knew about that,
too? I swear, the men in this town are worse than a bunch of old
ladies.”
    He shifted in the doorway. “Hell, if I
thought it would help, I’d babysit.”
    “No. Thank you.” Just what she needed, more
contact with Maddox, seeing how adept he was at handling Jonas,
watching how he soothed the baby, the strong caring for the
weak.
    “I’m good with kids.”
    She’d witnessed that for herself. She moved
around the desk. She needed to get out on the floor, but he hadn’t
moved out of the doorway. “Trinity will be just fine, thanks.”
    “If you change your mind.”
    The way he was looking at her, that knowing
half-smile, the crinkled eyes. “I won’t.” She walked into the
ladies’ room and closed the door in his face.
     
    Trinity checked the clock when she heard the
key in the lock of Beth’s front door. Almost four p.m. She was
wiped—who knew one little baby could take more energy than a school
full of children? Beth had left around one to go around the lake to
the casino for some orientation, and Trinity had had her bridal
magazines packed in her tote since two, and was looking forward to
going home and taking a nap.
    She stood and waited for the door to open,
arms folded. “You’re late,” she said when Linda waltzed in.
    “Not that late,” Linda said, putting her book
bag down on the table, her mouth in a stubborn line.
    “Summer school is out at two. Almost two
hours ago.”
    “I had to walk home.”
    “Which took maybe ten minutes without stops.”
She edged closer, wanting to see if she could smell alcohol on
Linda’s breath. She couldn’t, but thought she got whiff of men’s
cologne.
    Linda shrugged and dropped onto the couch
facing the TV, avoiding Trinity. “So I made some stops.” As if an
afterthought, she looked up. “Is Jonas asleep?”
    “He should be waking up soon.” Trinity sat on
the chair across from the couch and leaned forward to look in the
girl’s face. “Let’s get one thing clear. I’m doing this as a favor,
but I’m not going to be a sucker. I’ll babysit until two-thirty for
free. After that, I’m going to charge you. I think the going rate
is eight dollars an hour.”
    “I don’t have any money,” the girl said
petulantly.
    “I don’t care. You made this choice to keep
this baby. He’s your responsibility, not your sister’s. She may
give you leeway, but I’m not going to.”
    Linda flung herself against the back of the
couch. “God, who knew you were such a bitch?”
    Trinity drew back a little. “You go on
believing that. I’m doing this as a favor to your sister, not to
you. But I’m not going to take any garbage from a spoiled little
girl who can’t follow through on her promises.”
    “Spoiled?” Linda sat up at that. “You’ve seen
this place. Does this look like I’m spoiled to you?”
    “It looks like your sister has done a damned
good job providing for you. You should be grateful.” Trinity stood
and picked up her purse from the end table.