Free Restoring Hope by C. P. Smith Page B

served her right. Nic’s place was beyond wonderful, but she didn’t want to get too comfortable there. It’s temporary she kept telling herself.
    “I see. Well, I bettah’ get dis’ to da’ customer,” Rose groused and then grabbed the plate of Cajun fish, her lips puckered in frustration and when she was out of sight, Hope did laugh.
    “What you do?” Big Daddy asked. He’d been watching the interaction between Rose and T-Hope and he could tell that something didn’t agree with the old woman.
    “Teaching her a lesson,” Hope laughed.
    “Fill Big Daddy in. Dat’ woman sticks her nose in everah’ones b’nez. Be good to see her get some.”
    “Oh, I got moved today against my will and I think she’s behind it.”
    “Where you move?”
    “Nic Beuve’s downstairs condo.”
    “You don’t say?”
    “Yep, and I got caught with my knickers down by him too, it was so embarrassing.”
    “ Cher , trust me, da’ man won’t care if you walk around naked. Trust Big Daddy, you all dat’ and more.”
    “Yeah, yeah, get back to work,” Hope laughed but a part of her wondered if Nic really did like what he saw. Not that it mattered she had to keep reminding herself. Nic was a nice guy, a great guy from what she saw, and there could never be anything between them. He deserved better, deserved someone whose past wasn’t tainted and dirty. Shaking her head at her schoolgirl crush, one that could never be acted upon, Hope got back to work filling orders.
    Later that evening Rose entered the kitchen clucking her tongue with a look of triumph on her face.
    “Notin’ new, huh?”
    “Whatever, did you call him just to find out?” Hope asked, surprised Rose would go to that much trouble.
    “No need, he come to da’ bar. Just told me himself you moved in wit’ him.”
    “I was strong-armed, Rose.”
    “It don’t mattah,’ you in a safe place now, dat’ what mattah,'” she preened on, happy with herself. “You should go out and say hi.”
    “I’m busy.”
    “It slow now, go, be nice to da’ man. You not the only one wit’ troubles.”
    Hope stopped wiping down her workstation and turned towards Rose gauging her honesty. She stood there with both hands on her hips staring back at Hope, her stern face saying she was telling the truth.
    “What trouble does he have?” Hope found herself asking.
    “He lost his ‘tite ange a year ago. Dat’ girl was da’ light of his life, but he couldn’t save her and he blames himself.”
    “He lost his daughter?” Hope whispered her eyes already moving to the door behind Rose.
    “ Oui .”
    “How?”
    “Chelsea was smart but did not handle her parent’s divorce well. Got mixed up wit’ bad kids and took drugs.”
    “Oh, my God.”
    “Nic put her in rehab and she took off, used too much and she is wit’ God now. He blames himself for da’ drugs because of divorce.”
    “Oh, my God,” she repeated again and without thinking threw her rag down and moved to the door, pushing through it and looking around until she saw Nic. He was seated at the bar, a shot of amber colored alcohol in front of him, his eyes staring out the window, lost in thought. As she walked towards him, he caught her approach, turned his eyes to her and with a smile said, “You like torturing Rose.”
    “Guilty,” she laughed.
    “What tipped you off?”
    “She looked like a dog salivating over a bone . . . So; she put you up to it?”
    “More or less, but I didn’t hesitate when she mentioned it, so don’t get any ideas I don’t want you there.”
    “Okay, fair enough. Have you eaten?”
    “Nope, was busy. I’ll get around to it,” he answered, and then threw back his shot. Looking around the restaurant, she didn’t see Nicky, not that she thought he’d slide up to the bar and do shots while his son was with him.
    “Where’s Nicky?”
    “With his mother, she gets him this next week.”
    “That must be hard. Guess you miss seeing him when he’s gone?”
    “Yeah, you