When we get back to the kitchen, Mrs. Perino is halfway through folding a huge laundry basket into sorted piles on the table and Sage is at the sink, dropping off the desert plates.

“Any calls?” Sage asks.

“Not yet.” Angel pulls out the phone to see if anyone’s called, like he’s done every half-hour since we’ve been here. I’ve tried not to watch him each time or feel overly hopeful, but it’s hard not to do both. When the screen shows no signs of life, I give him my told-you-so look right when the phone lights up and buzzes against his hand.

We all startle, and Angel almost drops the phone. He pulls it between us so we can look at the number on the screen.

“Unknown number. It has to be them,” Sage whispers out.

Angel answers quickly, “Hello? Yes. Yes, sir. She’s right here. They’re both right here.” He reaches over and passes the phone to Mrs. Perino, whispering, “Mamma, he wants to speak to you first.”

“Me?” Mrs. Perino takes it and raises her brows as high as mine have just gone. “This is Mrs. Perino. Angel’s mother.” She glances between us, listening carefully to whatever they are asking her. “Yes. Wonderful to meet you, young man.”

Sage tip-toes over to sit in one of the kitchen table chairs, already biting his nails while I panic, hold my breath, and scoot into another seat while wondering just who’s talking on the other line. Angel leans on the counter, all of us watching intently as Mrs. Perino paces in front of the sink as she laughs into the phone.

“Well, thank you. My apologies, but you sounded like a young man, not at all like you’re fifty-four, either. Gregory Felix. Okay. I shall call you only Gregory, then. I’m Carla Perino. Just Carla will be fine.”

Her cheeks are steadily getting pinker. “Well, thank you for saying that, but no, I’m forty eight, and the accent is from Italy.” She locks gazes with me, nodding like she wants me to know all is well. “So you’re the baby’s great-uncle? The uncle to the father of the child…uncle to Royce Devlin?” She nods again, frowning. “Mrs. Felix is the great grandmother, Robin told me. Where are these parents of Royce Devlin, then, if I might ask.” She pulls in a breath. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. Mhm. Yes, so he’s got no one but you two. And the boys from the band.”

She glances at me again. “Robin and Sage? They are absolutely fine, and yes, they are staying here at our house with our family for the time being. I give her the highest reference. Yes, I do. You can trust her. She’s a wonderful girl.”

My breathing tightens and a taste of hope mixed with gratitude gathers at the back of my throat as she answers again, “Very reliable. Hard working, too. You will have no troubles.” She smiles at me then, and does this cute thumbs-up with her free hand.

My chest has twisted with guilt and a second wave of wonder that these strangers would go out on a limb for me and Sage like this. How can she know I’m trustworthy or hard working? I seek solace in the idea that Mrs. Perino told Gregory—that we are staying with them for now—which does free Angel from the lies he told to Mrs. Hildebrandt.

That’s something.

She pauses and her brow furrows. “I’m a home caterer. Breakfast pastries and cakes that I bake here at home and sell mostly for local coffee shops and breakfast places.” She stops to listen. “Oh? Oh really? Well, yes. I’d be honored for more work. Please hold on.”

She pulls out a pen and paper, then moves some of the laundry aside as she takes a seat by us, scribbling notes while Angel steps up to look over her shoulder, smiling.

“I had no idea how many people would travel with a band. I could imagine being stuck at a hotel for a month would make people miss home cooking, though. Thank you. Now, back to our Robin.” She sets down her pen. “She wants to accept this job, but of course you can understand that as much as you are responsible for those boys in that band, I am watching out for a vulnerable teenage girl. I am concerned that she would take such an unconventional position and be exposed to a lifestyle that might not be wholesome. I wouldn’t want her reputation tarnished.”

“Mamma!” Angel protests.

Mrs. Perino ignores her son by turning away. “Robin and Angel tell me it is a position that lasts only for a week, possibly two? And the money? You are paying it in cash? It is so much money that it sounds difficult to believe. It also sounds inappropriate. Is that how you normally do business?”

“Mamma!” Angel calls out again, sounding even more stressed.

Still ignoring us, she shakes her head like she slightly disapproves of something he’s said. “If you can verify all that you’ve said is true, and that Robin will be safe, I can accept your word. I suppose nothing too crazy can happen in such a short time if you and your mother also live there as chaperones, right?”

Angel whispers so his mom can’t hear, “So sorry, Robin. My mom—she’s such a helicopter mom.”

“It’s okay,” I whisper back, suddenly too overcome to answer anything more. If I could, I might tell Angel that I haven’t had a real mother look after me in my entire life, and that Mrs. Perino’s interference and genuine concern has filled about two hundred holes I didn’t know were hiding inside my heart.

I know my father would love this woman for what she’s done for us. He’d also approve of everything she just asked on my behalf. And better, now I don’t have to ask them anything. After only knowing her for two hours, I trust Mrs. Perino.

“This is what I wanted to hear.” Mrs. Perino finally takes a seat at the table along with all of us. “I invite you and the band to come for one of my garden dinners before you leave the area. The pastries I send tomorrow shall be my special gift of thanks for answering all of my questions. No charge.” She laughs again. “Wonderful. Yes. Yes. Of course. Here she is.”

She passes me the phone.

“Hello?” I clutch the phone a little too tightly, feeling my heart thump in my chest.

“Robin?” Gregory’s voice crackles over the connection. “She seems like a great lady, this Mrs. Perino.”

“She is.” I smile.

“You’ll be taking the job, then? You had me worried you wouldn’t.”

“Yes. If you want me. Royce and I had a bit of a misunderstanding…are you sure?”

“So we all witnessed.” He laughs. “Boy do you pack a punch, young lady. He told me he deserved it. And yes, we want you. We are desperate for your help.”

“Does Royce want me to take the job?” I press.

He laughs again. “Do you want lies or truth?”

“I think you know. I’ll need the truth.”

“He does not want you to take the job. Not one bit.”

I press my eyes closed, imagining how Royce Devlin must hate me for what I did, and I decide that I probably deserve that too, listening as Gregory goes on, “Royce will not interfere with our choice to hire you though, because he wants what is best for the baby. He also agrees that he needs help with her while we search for the mother. You’re all we’ve got, and Mrs. Felix and I think you’re great. Better than great. Perfect for the baby.”

“Oh, thank you. And I can do a good job for that little one, I just know it.” Afraid Gregory might suddenly change his mind or that this is all a dream, I add quickly, “What time should I be there to start in the morning?”

“Is seven okay? Though you’ve agreed to the job, you didn’t know the hours would be long. We will provide meals, as well as limo service for you as needed—door to door. Angel explained your car is currently not functioning?”

“Yes,” I answer, feeling ashamed of that fact. “But it will be fixed soon,” I add.

“We’ll adjust schedules for you, depending on the day. I don’t want to overwork you, but considering we don’t even know the baby’s exact age or name yet, or where the mother is, you, being flexible and agreeable is as important to us as keeping the baby happy.”

“I can be both of those things,” I answer brightly.

“Mrs. Felix and I will hardly be around while we sort things out, so you will often be working on your own. The guys and Vere, Hunter’s girlfriend, will check on you and serve as backup.”

“I can work as many hours as you want and I don’t mind being alone. But…” I glance at Sage, who’s grinning like an idiot, as well as clutching his chest and doing the mock-hyperventilating thing again. “There is the matter of my little brother, Sage. I can’t leave him to fend for himself all the time. If it’s possible, I’d like to be with him most evenings.”

“No.” Sage whisper chokes out like he’s been holding his breath. “Tell them you want me picked up and dropped off along with you.” He wiggles his brows up and down. “If they’re not down for that idea, then you’ll need concert tickets, autographs, swag, and eventually they let me come over. Say it.”

I shake my head at the kid.

Thankfully Gregory didn’t hear my little brother, because he simply answers me with, “We shall try to keep it to daylight hours, then.”

“Thank you, Sir,” I reply glaring at Sage to shut-up. “Can you please hold for a second while I ask Mrs. Perino a question?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Putting the phone on mute I ask Mrs. Perino, “I’m going to need a babysitter or like a summer camp—one that can allow credit until I get paid. If I can’t find one, I can’t really accept.”

Sage’s expression goes from joyful and excited to murderous. “Hold up. I do not need a babysitter.”

“Well you can’t loiter around the hotel pool all day while I work.”

“I’ve thought of a possible solution.” Mrs. Perino places a hand on Sage’s arm. “Anna and Julia are such busy ones now that they are out of school, which means they often get in trouble while I’m baking. I was going to hire someone to help me this week, and now I don’t have to. If you’re interested in the job, Sage, they would be thrilled to have you, babysitting them. He makes sure they stay out of trouble, and I can keep an eye on all three. We can do a trial tomorrow.” She eyes the phone. “We shall talk about details tomorrow night after we’ve tried it, but at least agree it can work?”

Sage is nodding his head up and down, his eyes commanding me to agree.

“We could try it. Yes. And thank you.” I breathe out a big sigh of relief.

I take the phone off mute. “Okay. We’re all settled here. I’m in.” I glance at Sage’s wide smile. “We’re all in.”

“Wonderful.” Gregory pulls in a fast, panicked sounding breath as a baby’s wail starts up in the background. “Oh gosh…do you hear her? What could it possibly be this time?”

I smile at the sound of resigned-fear in his voice and say, “Find her binky, it may have popped out otherwise she could need a quick change and some rocking. If it’s not sleep time, she could be bored. Sing to her, play with her, show her pictures from books?”

“If only you could start right now.” The cries grow louder. “Adam and Royce have us helping out on shifts. The guys are tired from the concert, so my mother and I are up next. God help us both.”

“Thank you for the phone call and the job. See you tomorrow,” I say.

“Yes. If we all live that long. Looking forward to it, Robin. Bye.”

He ends the call before I can say goodbye.

“Thank you. Angel, Mrs. Perino. Thank you,” I whisper.

Angel’s gaze skates over my face as he stands and takes the phone out of my hand. I can tell by the extra glittering in his eyes he might be more choked up than his mom seems to be again. “I’m going to check the rabbits. Sage, you can come see them if you want.”

Sage jumps up beaming. “Heck yes, I want!”

Mrs. Perino smiles at my little brother’s noisy exit. “While they do the animals, maybe you can help me tuck in the girls. And then, shall I tuck in you and Sage?”

She beams so happily at me that I tell myself her smile is why I don’t reject her idea, only nod. Sage and I don’t need tucking in, I know this, but I think Sage will love being tucked in by this kind, very motherly woman.

And, fine.

So will I.