Julianna Morris - Jake's Biggest Risk

Hannah wasn’t sure about fun, but it would be a relief not having people constantly in and out of the lodge. Just cleaning up after each group had taken two or three evenings following a long day of teaching, so it wouldn’t be bad getting paid for light housekeeping on top of the rent. She’d probably still have more time with Danny.

“It’s great news, Lillian. Just let me know when the lease is ready. Talk to you later.”

Hannah headed to her mother’s house to pick up her son. The school year had ended earlier in June than usual, and she’d needed to clear out her classroom. Normally they had more snow days to make up for missed classroom hours, but the weather had cooperated this winter, so they’d had fewer than usual. Unfortunately Mahalaton Lake wasn’t offering a summer session because the budget was too tight; having Huckleberry Lodge leased full-time was an unexpected boon to her finances.

“Mommy, Mommy!” Daniel yelled, running down the porch steps when he saw her.

She returned his hug. “Have a good time with Grandma?”

“Yup. Can we eat our pizza at Luigi’s instead of at home? Grandma gave me quarters to play the games.”

“Okay. Say goodbye and get in the car.”

Danny dashed up the porch steps to give his grandmother a kiss, and just as precipitously, ran to their car and climbed inside.

“Thanks for watching him, Mom.”

“I enjoy it, though I admit he tires me out,” Carrie Nolan said with a laugh. “He hardly ever stops moving, and I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“None of us are,” Hannah replied drily. “What’s this business about giving him money for video games?” When she was a kid her mother had claimed the same games would rot her brain.

“I’m a grandmother now. I don’t have to be sensible.”

“Ha.” Yet Hannah smiled. “By the way, I have good news from Lillian. A photographer is doing a book on the area and wants to rent Huckleberry Lodge. It’s month to month, but he’ll probably stay for a year or longer.”

“That’s wonderful, dear, though if you ever need help...well, you know we’re here, and...” Carrie’s voice trailed off.

“I’m fine,” Hannah said firmly. She was determined not to ask her parents for anything more than babysitting. She’d married the wrong man and it was up to her to deal with the fallout; the hardest part was knowing that Danny didn’t have the father he deserved. But at least his grandfather was his male role model instead of a chronically unemployed dad with restless feet and a wandering eye.

On the other hand, her parents were all the family she had left, and it bothered her that Danny didn’t have a larger support structure. Maybe if she knew her ex-husband’s parents... Hannah shook her head as soon as the thought formed. Steven had refused to talk about his family whenever she’d asked. Apparently the relationship was so bad, he hadn’t even wanted them at the wedding. As far as she knew, they were unaware their son had even gotten married. Just because Steven had turned out to be a jerk it didn’t mean his folks were the same, but she’d rather not open that can of worms.

She said goodbye and they headed to Luigi’s. Aside from the supermarket freezer case, it was the only place to get pizza in Mahalaton Lake, since large restaurant chains hadn’t discovered their small corner of Washington. Aside from Luigi’s, they had Elizabeth’s Tea Parlor, the Lakeside Bar and Grill, McKenzie’s BBQ, Pat’s Burger Hut, three cafés, a bakery, a deli and the Full Moon Bistro for natural-food fans. If you were looking for anything exotic, you were out of luck. Of course, in winter there was both a coffee cart and restaurant at the ski resort, but few people in town went up there to eat.

“Hello, Danny,” called Barbi Paulson, Luigi’s delivery driver, as they came through the restaurant’s double doors. It was before five and the place was still empty. “Didn’t you want me coming out to the house with your Friday-night pizza?”

“I was at Grandma’s,” he explained, “so we’re having pizza on the way home.”

“Glad to hear it.” Barbi gave him a wink. “I don’t want to lose my best boyfriend.”

“Nuh-uh.”

Danny skipped to the arcade tucked into a side room of the restaurant. It was a bright, cheerful place that was scrupulously clean and maintained. Hannah had played those same games as a girl, her mother’s objections notwithstanding. Luigi hadn’t bought anything new for the arcade in years, saying a classic was a classic.

“You sure got a great kid,” Barbi said.

“I’m pretty fond of him.”

“And he’s real smart.” The other woman grinned, but her smile faded and she leaned on the counter, the bangles on her arms clattering on the polished wood. “I’ve been thinking about you being a teacher and all. You know I never finished high school.”

Hannah nodded, recalling that Barbi had dropped out of school to get a job. Though only thirty-two, she’d already had a rough life between a hard-drinking father and a mother who’d died when she was nine. People in Mahalaton Lake weren’t always comfortable with the way Barbi dressed, but they admired her honesty and how diligently she worked.

“Anyhow, Luigi keeps bugging me,” Barbi continued. “He says I got to get a high school diploma because you can’t get anywhere without one. Luigi treats me great, but it sure would be nice to have one job, instead of these part-time gigs all over town.”

“You might earn more with a general equivalency diploma,” Hannah agreed diplomatically. It was hard to say what would make a difference in Mahalaton Lake, but statistically, graduates did better financially than dropouts. “I can check when the next exam will be.”

“I already got the schedule.” Barbi fidgeted with the bangles on her arms, looking embarrassed. “But right now there aren’t any night classes to help study for the damned thing—that is, the test. And I wondered...I know you do tutoring and stuff. I’d pay, of course,” she added hastily.

“I’d be happy to help you study,” Hannah assured her. “But as a friend. I wouldn’t want to be paid.”

“That isn’t right,” Barbi protested. “You got a kid to support.”

“What isn’t right is the school board failing to offer enough adult courses.” It was something that deeply irritated Hannah. “But I have access to the study materials and we can go from there.”

Barbi chewed her lower lip so hard that most of her bright red lipstick disappeared. “I don’t know.”

“I do,” Hannah said. She’d been lucky to have parents who’d encouraged her to get an education and were there to help if she needed it. Offering the same support to a friend was the least she could do. “I’ll call when I have everything together. We’ll have fun.”

“Barbara,” Luigi hollered as he came out of the kitchen. “That pizza is ready for delivery.”

“Gotcha.”

Barbi left with the insulated pizza bag and Luigi came to the counter with a broad smile. “ Ciao . I’ll take care of you, Hannah. Your usual pizza?”

“You bet.” Hannah thought about the lucrative lease she’d been offered and decided to splurge. “But add a garden salad and an order of garlic chicken wings.”

“Excellent. I heard Barbara speak to you about tutoring,” Luigi said as he took the money. “I’m glad she’s finally doing this.”

“She mentioned you’ve been urging her to get a GED.”

“I was sixteen when we came to America from Sicily. My mama told me to study hard, not just to get ahead, but because learning is how to stay young.” He thumped his chest. “My heart is not sixty-eight years old—it is strong like I’m still a boy.”