Page 72 of Love In Harbor Falls

“I was inquiring about the Help Wanted sign on your door,” she nervously spoke. “I need a job, and I can’t seem to find one. Everyone in town hates me, and the money I saved is running out, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. Especially with the baby on the way.”

I stared at her as tears formed in her eyes.

“Back when I lived in Seattle, I worked at Tres Chic Art Gallery. The older woman who owns it took a chance on me even though I didn’t have any experience in the field and basically taught me just about everything there is to know about art. I can provide you a copy of my art sales if you want.”

“You worked in a gallery?”

“Yes. I can give you Gerrianne’s number, and you can call her if you don’t believe me.”

“I believe you.”

“Listen, Adalyn. I know you know all about what I did to Colin. The whole town knows, and they hate me for it. I hate myself for what I did to him. But I have a baby on the way that I’m going to be raising all alone, and I need this job. But I understand if you’re not interested or can’t.”

“Why did you come back to Harbor Falls if you knew the people in this town would be angry with you?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I could have started over someplace new, but Harbor Falls is familiar territory to me, and it always felt like home. I thought maybe Colin still loved me and would take me back, but he made it very clear he doesn’t and never will. And I don’t blame him at all for that. I wouldn’t take me back either.”

“What about your parents?”

“They haven’t spoken to me since I broke it off with Colin to go be with Thomas. I tried reaching out to them, but they won’t answer my calls or text messages. The last message my mother sent me two years ago was to let me know that I was nothing but a failure in life, and they were very disappointed in me. We never got along very well. I left home at eighteen, traveled from place to place, and ended up in Harbor Falls in my early twenties.”

I felt terrible for Olivia as I stood there and listened to her story. I couldn’t imagine being turned away from my parents the way Olivia was, and I was sure the stress of her money running out was taking a toll on her and the baby, and that was probably the reason she ended up in the ER that night.

“You know what, Olivia? I’m willing to take a chance on you as well. You’re hired.” I smiled as I extended my hand to her.

“Really, Adalyn?” She beamed with excitement as she shook my hand.

“Yes. Really. Can you start tomorrow at nine a.m.?”

“Yes. That will be perfect.”

“We’ll go over your pay and commission in the morning. So go home, get some rest, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how grateful I am.”

She walked out of the gallery just as Luis walked in, holding a goodie bag from Annie’s.

“Was that Olivia just walking out of here?” he asked.

“Yeah. About that,” I said as I walked over to the door and removed the help wanted sign.

“Oh no, Addy. You didn’t.”

“I did.” I turned and faced him.

“Oh my God. Do you really want her to work here? Where you’ll see her every day? What’s the problem? Nobody else in town will hire her?”

“No. Actually, they won’t,” I spoke in a stern voice. “She’s pregnant, Luis, and she’s going to be raising that baby on her own. Her parents want nothing to do with her and haven’t spoken to her in over two years. The money she saved is about to run out, and I’m not going to let a pregnant woman be homeless. The people in this town need to understand that people make mistakes. And I can guarantee nobody in this town is perfect, and they all have skeletons in their closet.”

“Okay.” He held his hand up. “I get it. What’s Colin going to say?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure he’ll be fine with it. He does whatever he can to help people out.”

“Then why didn’t he offer her a job at the bar and grille? She used to work there, you know.”

“I have no clue why he didn’t offer her a job.” I sighed.

After six o’clock rolled around and I closed up the gallery, I hopped in my jeep and drove to the Seaside Bar and Grille. I figured tonight would be as good a night as any to tell Colin I hired his ex-fiancée to work for me. I wasn’t worried because I knew what a heart of gold Colin had, and he would be happy if I gave Olivia a job. But it bothered me why he wouldn’t offer her a job at the bar.

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