Oh no, I couldn’t,” she said. “Not with you being Alize’s employer
and all. It just wouldn’t be right.”
“But I’m not her employer anymore.” He flashed Alize a dark look
before leaning toward her mother to confidentially whisper, “And I wasn’t
invited to the wedding. I crashed. I came to offer her a job.”
“Oh!” Leo practically cried tears of joy. “A job! You have no idea
how happy that makes me. Things have been so tight lately and you should see
some of the ridiculous jobs she’s applied for, as far away as Exeter—”
“Mom,” Alize cried. “Please take Deny inside!”
“So she’s looking for a job, is she?” he purred.
“Oh, yes. She’s broke,” Leo confided, then her cheeks
turned red. “But then, we all are. Ever since…since…” She turned away.
John put his hands into his pockets. “I was so
