Last Riders: Lucky's Choice Part 14

"I blame myself. I should have hit him with the gun, tried to knock him out." She had bought the gun to protect herself. Lewis had been more and more demanding, frightening her into the rash purchase, a decision she would regret to her dying day.

"What if you hadn't? What if he took it away and killed you?"

"I wish I had never bought that gun."

"Why? It served its purpose. It protected you and Rachel. What if you didn't have it that day?"

Rachel would be dead, and she would be, too. There had been a mad glaze in Lewis's eyes that day. Willa saw it every night in her nightmares.

"You can't bring the bullet back, Willa. Unfortunately, there aren't any do-overs where a life is concerned."

"No, there aren't," Willa agreed.

"Since you're dressed, I suggest we wake the children and go out to dinner. We need to let people see us around town together. Go wake the girls. I'll get Charlie."

"But I have orders I need to get done for tomorrow."

"I'll help you when we get back."

"You'll help?"

"I can keep the kids occupied and put them to bed. It will get them used to me."

"Why do they need to get used to you? We'll have to pretend to break up before the two weeks are up." Willa tried to think about how hard it was going to be to get out of the lies they had told.

"We'll worry about that when the time comes. Right now, our priority is to make Child Services believe us."

Willa nodded. The threat of the Wests taking the girls was the only incentive she needed to keep the pretense of being engaged.

She woke the still-sleeping girls.

"We're really going out to dinner with Lucky?" Leanne asked, rising up in her bed when Willa told her where they were going.

"Yes," she answered, dressing Chrissy and Caroline in warm clothes.

"Why does he want to take us out to dinner?" Leanne asked, jumping out of her bed.

"He wants to get to know all of you better."

"Sissy got us into a lot of trouble, didn't she?"

"Yes, and Lucky wants to help." Willa studied the girl seriously. "Leanne, if you want to stay with the girls and Charlie, we have to show that I can care for you and your cousins. Can you please help me with that?"

Leanne lowered her head, unable to meet her gaze. "I'm really sorry, Willa. I didn't think they would take us away. I shouldn't have let Sissy talk me into not telling you she was sneaking out."

"She could have really gotten into a bad situation and been hurt."

"I realize that. I was stupid."

"Not stupid, you were just trying to make your big sister happy." Willa handed her the hairbrush after she brushed out the two little girls' hair.

"Ready?" Willa asked the apprehensive girl when she was done with the brush.

Without her sister, a different girl was emerging, although she didn't like to think unkindly that Sissy wasn't a good influence on Leanne.

Downstairs, Lucky was waiting with Charlie, who couldn't hide his excitement about going out with the large man standing patiently by the doorway.

Willa grabbed her purse, holding the girls each by their hands. Lucky reached down, taking Chrissy's.

"Leanne, take Caroline." Leanne took Caroline's hand as she went through the door.

"I had her," Willa protested.

"Leanne is able to place her in the car." Lucky closed the door behind them.

Willa was walking toward her car when Lucky stopped her.

"We'll take my car."

Willa stopped in her tracks, used to him on a motorcycle. She looked at the curb, seeing a large, black Yukon sitting there.

"Caroline and Sissy need car seats."

"Knox put them in the back seat," Lucky stated, opening the back door.

Willa stood aside, watching him first buckle Chrissy then Caroline into their seats. Leanne climbed in then Charlie.

"Wow, we each have our own seat."

"You had your own seat in my van, too," Willa reminded them as she got into the SUV after Lucky opened the side door for her. They had been cramped, but they had fit.

Charlie remained silent, fidgeting in his seat.

"Where would you like to eat?" Lucky asked, getting in behind the wheel.

"Anywhere is fine."

"The diner," both Leanne and Charlie spoke from the backseats.

Lucky raised his brow at her, waiting for her response.

"The diner is fine." Willa smiled, wanting to make the children happy and get the night before them over with.

It wasn't far to the diner. When they parked, Willa was the last to exit the car. Lucky opened her door, holding Chrissy comfortably in his arms.

"You coming?" His questioning gaze didn't ease her nervousness.

"Do I have to?"

Lucky gave her a devastating smile. "I think that's the first time you ever said a joke in front of me."

Willa slid out of the SUV, closing the door. "I wasn't joking," she mumbled.

"Did you say something?"

"I said, they're busy tonight."

"They usually are on a Sat.u.r.day night."

They stopped inside the door, searching for a free table, but it took a few minutes for one to become free. Willa felt the curious gazes directed toward them as they waited, so she was relieved when the waitress escorted them to a large table at the back.

The younger girls were settled at the table before Willa took a seat. Lucky sat down next to her with Leanne and Charlie sitting across from them. She tried to relax as if it was a normal thing to sit at the table with Lucky.

"Do you know what you want, or do you need me to come back?" The waitress paused.

"We can order and save you a trip."

Willa caught the grateful smile from Ginny. She was unaware the former foster child of the Wests had begun working here.

Willa ordered meals for Chrissy and Caroline and let Charlie and Leanne order for themselves. Lucky ordered a steak and fries.

"How about you, Willa?" Ginny gazed at her expectantly.

"I'll just take a coffee."

"Bring her the same as I'm having." Lucky closed the menu, handing them to Ginny who took off in a rush before Willa could change the order.

"I'm not hungry. I had a big lunch," Willa snapped.

"This is dinner. If you can't eat it all, I can finish it. I'm starved. It's been a long day."

Willa felt terrible. If not for his help, she would have been sitting home alone tonight, crying her eyes out over the children who were sitting happily at the table next to her. Not to mention, he did look exhausted.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like a witch."

"It's cool. I imagine you had a terrible night. Att.i.tude in a woman never bothers me. I can hold my own ground."

Willa nodded. She didn't doubt that for a second.

It didn't take long for their meals to arrive. The younger girls played with their food more than they ate, but the atmosphere at the table wasn't as uncomfortable as Willa had thought it would be.

The other restaurant-goers eventually stopped staring at them, and she was able to relax and finish most of her meal. Lucky ate his own then sat back, enjoying his coffee.

"That won't keep you awake tonight?"

"Six cups of coffee couldn't manage that tonight."

"You didn't sleep well?"

Lucky's face became closed-off as he motioned for Ginny to bring their check. Willa didn't miss the strain on the woman's features when she laid the check on the table.

"I didn't realize you were working here," Willa probed delicately.

Ginny paused in her frantic pace to wait on her customers. "I was fired from my last job."

"I was wondering where you were the last time I stopped in at the insurance office."

Ginny didn't explain why she was fired, and Willa didn't probe further, only nodded sympathetically. It was hard to have your income depend on another.

"I have to work two jobs to make up for losing that one. I'm also working at the theatre."

"I imagine working two jobs can't be easy."

"I'd rather work four jobs than put up with old man Dawkins."

Willa didn't blame her. Carter Dawkins was as unlikable as his son.

"I didn't mean to upset you. If there's anything I can do, let me know. If I open the bakery I'm planning, maybe I can offer you a job. But it's going to be a while," Willa added hastily.

The woman's face brightened. "Let me know. I don't mind this one, but the theatre is third shift."

"I'd be glad to hire you."

"Thanks, Willa. I heard you're engaged. Congratulations," she said.

"Thanks." Treepoint's grapevine had already been hard at work. "I'll see you tomorrow in church."

Ginny moved away to wait on another table.

"You always try to help everyone, yet you hate to take it yourself." Lucky leaned down, picking up Chrissy.

"She needs help. She looked exhausted," Willa stated simply.

"Who's going to help you?" Lucky's expression tightened.

"I can handle it. I have a secret weapon."

"You do?"

"Yes, it brings the girls to a stop for at least a good hour a day."

His mouth twitched. "What's that?"

"Peppa Pig. I've recorded every episode," Willa said fervently.

He burst out laughing as he stopped long enough to pay the check.

Feeling the center of attention again, Willa fled outside to wait, practically running into the man and woman about to enter the diner.