behind?
Chapter Two
Catherine glanced sideways at Mia. Of course she had known that her nanny had a daughter just a little older than herself, but she had never met her before tonight. She took a moment to let her gaze slide over Mia. She was beautiful, bi-racial with large, dark almond-shaped eyes and creamy colored skin. Her dark hair fell in curls to her shoulders. Catherine thought she was twenty-three, which would make her three years older than herself.
“Are you done eyeballing me, princess?” Mia asked suddenly, causing Catherine to jump at the unexpected sound of her husky voice.
“You’re very beautiful.”
Mia smiled. “Thank you.”
“I’m Catherine. Thank you for helping me, Mia. Your mom has told me so much about you through the years, and she is so proud of how you’ve been working so hard to put yourself through college.”
“I know who you are. Mom always came home from work talking about her ‘little golden-haired princess.’ For the past ten years, that’s all I’ve heard. I feel like I know you—all about you and your so-called troubles, the troubles of a poor little rich girl.”
Catherine winced. “I’m not rich. My stepfather is. I don’t care how much money you have or don’t have, Mia. Being forced to marry someone you don’t love is wrong. That Douglas Washburn is evil. I can feel it. I won’t marry him. I don’t care if I have to live in a ditch. Am I so wrong for not wanting to marry someone I don’t love? Or for wanting my own life and not one that’s chosen for me?”
Mia shook her head, sending her curls bouncing around her stunning face. “No, you’re not wrong. I’m sorry. I just finished my shift and I’m tired. Mom would never make me marry someone I didn’t love. That’s probably why she called tonight and asked for me to come and get you. No one is going to be sleeping in a ditch, by the way. I just rented a two-bedroom apartment and I could use some help with the rent, roommate.”
“I don’t have much money. I’ll need to find a job. Your mom said you may have one for me? I’m afraid I don’t know how to do much. My parents were so insistent I marry Douglas that they wouldn’t even allow me to attend college this fall. They said I wouldn’t need college or to work once I was Mrs. Washburn. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never worked before.”
“It’s okay. I work at Bubba’s as a bartender-slash-server. There’s a job there as a server, and if you like, I could get you in. You’re pretty, so with some work you should make a lot in tips.” Mia shot a quick glance across to Catherine.
“Really? That would be so awesome! I could serve…tables, right? Is Bubba’s a restaurant?”
Mia smiled. “Not exactly a restaurant, more like a bar that occasionally serves up a burger on the grill. It’s a biker bar, actually, so it can get a little rough and rowdy at times, but Bubba runs a tight ship. He has a couple of hunky bouncers that keep the peace.” Mia shrugged. “You smile and play nice to the customers, you could do real well. I hope you have better clothes in that expensive bag of yours.”
Catherine glanced down at the slim black slacks and pale pink sweater she wore. What exactly had she stuffed into her bag? “I have a couple of pairs of jeans and some tops. I think a dress and a couple of sweaters.”
Mia laughed, shaking her head. “Got any money?”
Catherine hesitated before answering, not trusting Mia enough yet to admit to the amount. “A little, but not much.”
Mia smiled. “We’ll go shopping tomorrow before our shift. You won’t need much money. The less you wear, the more tips you’ll make.”
Chapter Three
“Who’s the new girl?” asked Dane “The Dragon” Maldonado as he arrived for his shift at Bubba’s and leveled his intense brown eyes on the pretty blonde in the black leather mini-skirt.
The owner, Bubba Nicks, followed his
Chapter Two
Catherine glanced sideways at Mia. Of course she had known that her nanny had a daughter just a little older than herself, but she had never met her before tonight. She took a moment to let her gaze slide over Mia. She was beautiful, bi-racial with large, dark almond-shaped eyes and creamy colored skin. Her dark hair fell in curls to her shoulders. Catherine thought she was twenty-three, which would make her three years older than herself.
“Are you done eyeballing me, princess?” Mia asked suddenly, causing Catherine to jump at the unexpected sound of her husky voice.
“You’re very beautiful.”
Mia smiled. “Thank you.”
“I’m Catherine. Thank you for helping me, Mia. Your mom has told me so much about you through the years, and she is so proud of how you’ve been working so hard to put yourself through college.”
“I know who you are. Mom always came home from work talking about her ‘little golden-haired princess.’ For the past ten years, that’s all I’ve heard. I feel like I know you—all about you and your so-called troubles, the troubles of a poor little rich girl.”
Catherine winced. “I’m not rich. My stepfather is. I don’t care how much money you have or don’t have, Mia. Being forced to marry someone you don’t love is wrong. That Douglas Washburn is evil. I can feel it. I won’t marry him. I don’t care if I have to live in a ditch. Am I so wrong for not wanting to marry someone I don’t love? Or for wanting my own life and not one that’s chosen for me?”
Mia shook her head, sending her curls bouncing around her stunning face. “No, you’re not wrong. I’m sorry. I just finished my shift and I’m tired. Mom would never make me marry someone I didn’t love. That’s probably why she called tonight and asked for me to come and get you. No one is going to be sleeping in a ditch, by the way. I just rented a two-bedroom apartment and I could use some help with the rent, roommate.”
“I don’t have much money. I’ll need to find a job. Your mom said you may have one for me? I’m afraid I don’t know how to do much. My parents were so insistent I marry Douglas that they wouldn’t even allow me to attend college this fall. They said I wouldn’t need college or to work once I was Mrs. Washburn. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never worked before.”
“It’s okay. I work at Bubba’s as a bartender-slash-server. There’s a job there as a server, and if you like, I could get you in. You’re pretty, so with some work you should make a lot in tips.” Mia shot a quick glance across to Catherine.
“Really? That would be so awesome! I could serve…tables, right? Is Bubba’s a restaurant?”
Mia smiled. “Not exactly a restaurant, more like a bar that occasionally serves up a burger on the grill. It’s a biker bar, actually, so it can get a little rough and rowdy at times, but Bubba runs a tight ship. He has a couple of hunky bouncers that keep the peace.” Mia shrugged. “You smile and play nice to the customers, you could do real well. I hope you have better clothes in that expensive bag of yours.”
Catherine glanced down at the slim black slacks and pale pink sweater she wore. What exactly had she stuffed into her bag? “I have a couple of pairs of jeans and some tops. I think a dress and a couple of sweaters.”
Mia laughed, shaking her head. “Got any money?”
Catherine hesitated before answering, not trusting Mia enough yet to admit to the amount. “A little, but not much.”
Mia smiled. “We’ll go shopping tomorrow before our shift. You won’t need much money. The less you wear, the more tips you’ll make.”
Chapter Three
“Who’s the new girl?” asked Dane “The Dragon” Maldonado as he arrived for his shift at Bubba’s and leveled his intense brown eyes on the pretty blonde in the black leather mini-skirt.
The owner, Bubba Nicks, followed his
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