Livvie's Song by Sharlene MacLaren Read Free Book Online

inquire about a job. George McNarney told him he saw a sign sayin’ they were lookin’ for workers. Good chance he’ll land somethin’ there today, and then you’ll be out of luck.”
    Livvie let that notion settle in her mind for the briefest moment.
    Joe laid a hand to her arm and lightly squeezed. “I got a feelin’ about this guy, Liv.”
    “Yeah, so do I. And it isn’t good.”
    “It seems to me he’s your best bet for now,” he said, dismissing her concerns. “If he doesn’t work out, you can put the ‘Cook Needed’ sign back in the window. I’ll be here for at least the next week to train ’im and see what skills he’s got. I’ll know in short order if the job’s too much for ’im. In fact, I’ll even fire ’im myself if it don’t look like he’s cut out for it.”
    “And then you’ll be gone,” Livvie said, well aware that her lower lip had shot out and her shoulders drooped.
    He chuckled and gave her chin a light pinch. “You ever gonna forgive me for that?”
    She fixed her gaze just above his white head of hair and crossed her arms in front of her belted, floral shirtwaist. “I don’t know.”
    “You’re very good at poutin’, you know that?”
    “Apparently not good enough,” she said, whirling around to hide the moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes. She was ever determined not to let her emotions show, even to Joe. Just then, Quinn Baxter and Sam Campbell strolled in, and Joe waved them from behind the bar.
    “I’m going upstairs,” Livvie declared. “I have some laundry and a few other chores I need to tend to. You best lock that front door at two, or more folks’ll come trickling in.”
    “Hey, Sam? Go back and turn the lock on that door, would you?” Joe asked, and the fellow complied. When Livvie started to walk away, he said, “Give some serious thought to what we talked about, would you, girl?”
    She nodded silently, then headed for the stairs leading to her apartment, her chest heavy with a mixture of doubt and a strange sense that Joe was right. Time was running out, and she had to find a cook. Soon.

Chapter Four
    “I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints.”—Psalm 85:8
    All day Saturday, Livvie kept an eye out for Mr. Taylor, half expecting him to show up at noon or, at the very least, suppertime. But he never came. Maybe he had started working at the Service Motor Truck Company and was taking his meals somewhere in that locale. She doubted the company operated on Saturdays, but what did she know? Many factories remained in operation six days a week.
    Even Alex inquired about “that big man with the beard,” asking if they’d ever see him again.
    “I have no idea,” she told him. “I suppose it depends on whether he liked Joe’s cooking well enough.” She tried to make light of his question, but, deep down, she wondered the same thing.
    “Everybody likes Mr. Stewart’s cooking,” Alex said, bouncing a rubber ball on the wood floor. “Too bad he’s leavin’, huh, Mom? Who’s gonna take his place?”
    “If you’re going to bounce that thing, young man, go outside,” Livvie said, ignoring his query. Rather than walk out, though, he ceased with the bouncing.
    In the kitchen, Joe stood with his back to them and flipped a hamburger patty on the grill. “Maybe Mr. Taylor don’t feel ’specially welcome here.”
    “What do you mean by that?” Livvie asked, moving to the long counter and out of earshot of the handful of customers who still lingered after the supper hour. Alex followed behind, giving the ball a few more bounces. Livvie turned a disapproving gaze on him.
    “You did give him your meanest stare when you walked through the door yesterday. He offered to carry that box for you, and all you could say was, ‘It’s you again!’ like he was from the wrong side of the tracks and had no business takin’ up space in your restaurant.”
    “Mom, did you do that?”