Louis smiled at Allie. “Nice to meet you.”
Allie covered the right side of her face with her hand and quickly studied the man. He was middle-aged with brown hair that was salt and pepper around the hairline. Kind, brown eyes grinned at her from behind stylish eyeglasses. He was kind of handsome in an old guy sort of way.
Allie’d had a few clients on the road who had looked a lot like him. They were the type who seemed out of place at a truck stop; the type who left as soon as it was over. Oddly enough, she’d found that the more professional the client appeared, the dirtier his fantasies had usually been.
Miss Bitty’s hands went to her hips. “Allie? Louis just spoke to you.”
Allie emerged from her thoughts. She shifted in her seat. “So?”
“So, you speak back. Be polite.”
“Fine. Hi,” she said, trying her best to sound bored. Quickly swiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her wrist, she tried to seem in control.
Anxiety attacks were the worst.
“That’s better,” the old woman said. “Allie, Louis here is going to be your mentor. He’s going to work with you three mornings a week until you’re ready to take your GED. He’ll also discuss different areas of interest you might want to pursue and drive you to any appointments that conflict with my work schedule.”
The refrigerator hummed in the distance as the old woman awaited a reaction. “Allie?”
“Okay.”
“Louis will also be here for you if you ever want to talk about anything you’re not comfortable coming to me with,” the old woman continued. “Also anything you don’t feel comfortable sharing with your therapist. I’ve known Louis long enough to know that he’s an incredible listener. He won’t judge, no matter how bad you think something is. How does that sound, girlie?”
Allie shrugged.
The old woman slid a glass of something green in front of Joe. He flinched. “What is this?”
“Mango, bananas, spinach, gelatin, and a couple of supplements. It’s called a green smoothie. It’s quite tasty, and it’s going to be a staple of your diet for the next several months.”
“It’s actually good, man,” Louis said. “Seriously. You’ll be surprised.”
The big man smelled it, then reluctantly took a sip. He raised his eyebrows. “Mmm, it is good.”
The old woman glanced at Allie. “Want one?”
Allie grimaced.
“Suit yourself.”
Bitty went to the island and poured some water into a glass, then set it in front of Allie with two pills.
Allie frowned. “Why so many pills all the time? Are you trying to drug me or something?”
Miss Bitty grinned. “Oh, heavens no. What would make you say that?”
“What are they then?”
“Well, let’s see. I’ve given you the medication the doctor prescribed and some additional supplements. After what you’ve been through, your body is very weak. It’s just screaming for nutritional support.”
Nutritional what?
Allie felt someone’s stare from across the table. She hated to be looked at, much less stared at. It made her skin crawl. She looked up and saw it was the big guy, Joe. Big Joe.
She pierced him with her eyes. “So, how fat are you?” she asked, knowing that if she put him on the defensive about himself, he wouldn’t see all the things that were wrong with her.
Joe’s face tightened. “I’m sorry?”
“Allie, that’s no way to speak to—” Bitty started.
“I weigh 290. Why do you ask?”
Bitty’s tone was firm. “I don’t like how you’re speaking to Joe. I want you to apologize.”
But Allie didn’t. “So what you’re saying is that when you get done with him, he won’t be so fat anymore? And people actually pay you for that?” She was still intent on deflecting, but the words felt bitter leaving her mouth.
Big Joe’s eyes lingered on hers before dropping back to his iPad, but Allie knew he wasn’t looking at anything. The screen had already gone black.
Bitty pursed her lips and threw Joe an apologetic look. “Poor thing wasn’t taught any manners. Sorry about that, Joe. Obviously she doesn’t know any better . . . yet.”
“I know better,” Allie snapped. I’m not stupid! And it wasn’t that she liked being mean. She just had to be . . . to protect herself.
Bitty looked pointedly at her. “Then why on God’s earth would you purposely be so cruel?”
Allie felt her cheeks flush but said nothing. She looked away from the old woman and found herself looking straight at Louis, who was sipping coffee and watching her curiously.
“I asked you a question,” Miss Bitty said.
Allie glared at the woman. She wished she had some vodka. She’d been dry now for days. If she’d been armed with a few shots, it would’ve been easy to think of a witty comeback. But again, she was coming up with nothing.
“I’m waiting,” Miss Bitty said, her eyes steady on Allie’s. The kitchen was so quiet Allie could hear Big Joe’s labored breathing.
The old woman finally spoke. “Look, I’ll let it go this time. Consider it a gift. But I want you to listen to me, and listen to me well. You are expected to be kind and respectful to everyone in this house. We have an understanding?”
Allie ignored the woman.
“It’s okay,” Joe muttered. “It’s not like it’s the first time. Pretty, thin people just don’t get it. Especially females. And, after all these years, I honestly don’t expect them to.”
Bitty frowned at Joe. “Pretty? Who are you calling pretty? Allie here?”
“Well, yeah.”
The woman shook her head. “No. Pretty is as pretty does. And I’d say that right now Allie is rather ugly.”
Allie’s throat went dry.
Why would she say that? Allie wondered. No one, except her mother, had ever openly questioned her looks before. No one else had ever called her ugly.
Her mind flashed back to how she’d looked when she’d arrived. Her makeup had been both slept in and sweated off. Yes, she’d arrived looking repulsive.
Yes, that was it.