Promise Them (The Callahan Series Book 6) by Mitzi Pool Bridges Page A

smells of old, sick people.”
    There was a small bench in the hallway that Dani gratefully sank onto. Nellie hoped she didn’t change her mind and run out in a panic.
    Now, if I can only talk Emma into hiring her.
    “I don’t need anyone,” Emma complained. “The only reason I let you come here was to see what you were up to. I should have known. Everyone in town is trying to run my life. They think I’m an invalid and need a nursemaid.”
    “Everyone cares for you, Emma. They’re concerned.”
    “They need to mind their own business.”
    “When has this town ever done that?” Nellie chuckled. “Why don’t you give Dani a chance? At least let her stay a week. If it doesn’t work out, what have you lost? A few dollars? It’s not as if you’re strapped for money. Who knows, you might be good for each other.”
    “Humph!”
    “Think of it as an experiment, Emma. Besides, the girl needs a job.”
    Emma glared up at Nellie from her wheelchair, her face contorted with misapprehension. “I don’t know why you don’t just leave me alone. All of you.”
    “You’ve been a member of this community for years, and you have a lot of friends. We just want to help. Dani can do that.”
    “All right,” Emma snapped. “If you’re that determined, the girl has two weeks. If she gets in my way or doesn’t do as I say, she’s fired.”
    “You’re going to have to be reasonable, Emma.”
    “Humph!” She muttered again.
    “You can start whenever you like,” Nellie said, coming toward Dani with a smile.
    “Really? Like now?”
    “That’s what Emma said. The sooner the better is what I think.”
    “I don’t know a thing about taking care of old people,” she said, her voice low. “And I’ve never cleaned house.”
    “I’ll bet you’ve watched Lela though, haven’t you?”
    Before she could answer, Emma yelled from the other room, “Get in here, young lady. We need to talk.”
    “Is she always like this?” Dani whispered. “She’s rude.”
    Nellie sighed. “She wasn’t always. Emma was one of those people who liked to know what was going on with everyone in the community. She was active and curious. When this accident happened, it changed her.”
    “Young lady,” Emma called out. “I hope you mind better once you’re on the payroll.”
    Dani rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure about this.”
    “You promised to give it a try.”
    Squaring her shoulders, Dani went to the living area. Emma sat there staring at her with a frown on her face and an attitude.
    Nellie held her breath.
    “You wanted to talk to me.”
    “We need to set some ground rules.”
    “I agree.”
    “You can’t have boys over. You can’t play loud music, and you have to do what I tell you.”
    “Okay. And you have to be more pleasant and give me a chance. Otherwise, this will never work.”
    “Really?”
    “Really.”
    They glared at each other.
    Dani was standing her ground. Good, Nellie thought. It wouldn’t work if she buckled to Emma’s whims.
    “When will you start?”
    “I’ll take Nellie home, come right back, and start tonight.”
    “Are you sure, Dani?” Nellie asked. “You have to tell your dad and get your things.”
    “Most of my stuff is in the car, the rest I can get later. I’ll call Dad after I’m settled.” She looked at Emma. “How much does this gig pay?”
    Emma stated a figure that made Dani’s eyebrows shoot up.
    It was generous and much more than Nellie expected. But then, Dani might not last the two-week trial period.
    “Get on with it then. I go to bed early.”
    Emma turned her wheelchair around and headed for the other room. They had been dismissed.
    ****
    Beau sat in his comfortable lounge chair wondering about his children. He envied his daughter. She was having dinner with the woman he couldn’t seem to get out of his head. He wondered for the umpteenth time what kind of job Nellie had in mind for Dani. She wasn’t trained to do anything that he knew of. But then he didn’t