I don’t offer further explanation. People reacted strangely when I told them about my childhood, and I didn’t want a pity job out of these two. I also didn’t want to be examined like a bug. I already felt somewhat beholden to Bay for leaning so hard on family connections. But I’d had zero progress so far on my own, so why not?

Lara and Jen exchanged a look. Lara shrugged.

“Okay,” Jen said. “Can you start tomorrow? We’re a bit desperate.”

I blinked. “Really? That’s it? You don’t want to look at a resume or anything?”

Jen snorted. “What part of ‘desperate’ was unclear?” She softened her sarcasm with a small smile. “Besides, you came here with Lou, and Bay brought you over to us. That goes a long way.”

“Consider this week a working interview,” Lara said. “You’ll get paid, but if it doesn’t work out, we split ways, no hard feelings.”

“Thank you.” Relief rushed through me. Even if they fired me after a week, I at least had something coming in and—

Bay was shaking his head. “A week? Not much of a learning curve. What kind of pay are we talking here? You split tips with the staff?”

Jen bristled. “Are you calling us cheap? We don’t cheat our employees!”

I opened my mouth to speak, afraid of having the job offer revoked, but Bay was already there.

“Jen, please.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m just looking out for my boy here. Calm yourself.”

She folded her arms. “You’re such an ass.” She waved at me. “What should we offer him, then?”

“I want to make sure he gets a living wage. You pay minimum over in your death trap?”

I thought for sure Jen would be pissed, but her eyes lit up. She was enjoying this. “Did you just call my food truck a death trap? What about your rat-hole of a shop?”

Bay spluttered.

Again I opened my mouth to jump in, but this time Lara stopped me by putting her hand on my arm. She leaned in close. “Best to let it go. They’re competitive as fuck. Don’t ruin their fun.”

An auntie nearby clicked her tongue. “Language, Lara.”

Lara startled. “Sorry.” She dropped her voice into a whisper. “It’s like they have bat ears sometimes.”

“I just don’t get why he’s arguing at all,” I whispered back. “Why would he care?”

Lara slapped me on the back. “Welcome to the family, I guess.”

That brought me up short. I was used to taking care of those around me—raising Zoey. Keeping an eye on Sid. But when was the last time anyone had stuck their neck out to make sure I was covered? Trick gave me a roof—but we were old friends. Bay had just met me. I wasn’t used to having any sort of safety net, and for a second, I felt slightly unmoored.

Jen grunted. “This will go on all day. I’m stepping in.” Jen joined the fray, all three of them ignoring me as they discussed when they needed me and where, because apparently, I’d just agreed to work counter at a tattoo shop and prep for a food truck.