Baby, It's You by Jane Graves

reminded himself. You don’t need that.
    “Nina? Who’s at the shop?”
    “Rupert got there early. He scheduled a special wine tasting with one of the tour groups coming through today. Did you see the buses?”
    “Yeah. I saw the buses.”
    “So…,” Nina said, “you two are having lunch?”
    She put a great big question mark on the end of her sentence, asking for more information, but no information was ever enough for his sister, so why even go there?
    “We were just leaving,” Marc said. “Kari has a bus to catch.”
    “No bus,” Kari said, smiling brightly. “Change of plan.”
    “What change of plan?” Marc asked.
    “I’m not going back to Houston. I have a job now.”
    Marc stared at her dumbly. “You what?”
    “I have a job. I’m working here. Rosie hired me.”
    “When did that happen?”
    “In the ladies’ room.”
    “Let me get this straight. You went into the ladies’ room and came out with a job ?”
    “That’s right.”
    “Have you ever waited tables before?”
    “No, but I’ve eaten in a lot of restaurants.”
    “Rosie!” Marc called out.
    Rosie turned at the sound of his voice, then came to their booth.
    “Did you just give her a job?” Marc asked.
    “Yeah.”
    “Just like that?”
    “I need a waitress, and nobody else is beating down my door for the job.”
    “Did you check her references?”
    “References don’t mean squat. People fake them. And even if they’re real, all an employer will give you are the dates of employment, and that’s about it. I’d rather just try somebody out on the job. Besides, I figured if she was with you, then she’s okay.”
    Great. Just for once, Marc wished he had a crappy reputation.
    Rosie turned to Nina. “What can I get you?”
    “A BLT and sweet tea.”
    “Coming up.”
    As Rosie walked away, Marc said, “The job can’t pay anything.”
    “Rosie said I could do pretty well with tips if I hustle,” Kari said.
    “Do you have any idea how hard it is to be a waitress? Particularly on the weekends when the tourists pack this place out?”
    “Hey! You gave me a big lecture about how I have no backbone and I can’t take care of myself. So now that I’m trying to take care of myself, you’re giving me a hard time. So which is it?”
    “You gave her a lecture?” Nina said.
    “Advice,” Marc snapped. “ Good advice.” He turned back to Kari. “Okay, so you’ve got a job. Now what?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Where are you going to live?”
    “I’ll rent an apartment.”
    “With what? You have no money.”
    “You have no money?” Nina said.
    “Long story,” Kari said.
    Actually, it wasn’t long at all. Her father was as big an asshole as her ex-fiancé, but the last thing Marc wanted to do was launch into that .
    Kari’s smile faded. “Do you suppose there are any landlords in town who might be willing to postpone a deposit?”
    “What kind of businesspeople would they be if they did?” Marc said. “Then there’s your first and last month’s rent. And everybody might love animals around here, but that doesn’t stop them from collecting a pet deposit.”
    Her smile disappeared altogether. “Oh. Yeah. I guess you’re right.”
    Silence.
    Boo put his paws on the table and whimpered. Nina handed him over to Kari, who snuggled him against her chest and looked forlorn.
    “Well, there is another option,” Nina said.
    “What?” Marc said.
    “Let her stay in the cottage at the vineyard.”
    Marc came to attention, shaking his head. “No. We don’t rent the cottage.”
    “I didn’t say you should rent it to her. Just let her stay there until she gets a deposit together for an apartment.” She looked at Kari. “It’s not much. Just a tiny studio. There’s not even a bedroom. Just a pull-out sofa. A microwave, a sink, and a small fridge. Bathroom with a shower.”
    “Sounds perfect,” Kari said, then turned to look at Marc with a hopeful expression. He could have shot Nina.
    “No,” Marc said.