surely that’s the end of them?”
Zach turned aside to hide his grin. If only it were that easy.
Jo laughed out loud. “I hate to break it to you, but baby mice generally have parents. Possibly aunts, uncles, and cousins as well. Getting rid of a nest isn’t the same thing as being done .”
Sierra’s eyes grew wide. “But they’re so dirty.”
Jo knelt beside the cupboard again. “Did we forget to post a sign asking them to wipe their feet on the mat as they came in?”
“Uncalled for, Josephine.”
Zach choked on a chuckle. At least having these gals for neighbors would provide a bit of diversion while he was home.
Chapter 2
Jo patted the long braid wrapped around her head and took a deep breath. The folks in the first few rooms of Galena Hills Care Facility had been too deep in their dementia to notice a visit from the newly hired nutritionist. Too bad their generation once welcomed enriched pre-packaged foods as though delivered straight from the hand of God. Most old people wouldn’t be such a mess if they’d eaten healthier. Probably too late to make a difference, but Jo couldn’t squelch the desire to try.
She straightened her back, pasted on a smile, and consulted her clipboard. Ellie, at the front desk, had barely glanced up from her solitaire game to inform Jo that the resident of Room 224 lived in the present, at least some days. She tapped the door and nudged it open. “Hello, Mrs. Humbert?”
An old woman, white hair floating around her face halo-like, sat in her wheelchair by a small table. A man swiveled at the intrusion from his seat facing the window.
Jo caught her breath. Zach?
“Please come in, my dear.” The old lady peered at her through rheumy eyes. “Do I know you?”
J o closed the space. She could block Zach from her thoughts. This was her job. She took the soft white hand in hers. “I’m Josephine Shaw, the facility’s new nutritionist, and I’m here to talk to you about food.”
Zach chuckled. “Be careful, Grandma. She’ll toss your stash of candies in the garbage.”
Thanks a lot, buster . Jo shot a glare at Zach. Just her luck he felt the need to interfere on his grandmother’s behalf.
Jo turned her back on him and tried for a light tone. “Unless you have any free-trade organic dark chocolate in there. That stuff is hard for me to resist.”
Mrs. Humbert’s poufy hair shimmered as she shook her head. “Now that’s something I don’t have, but John can pick some up for us if you like.” She patted Jo’s hand. “Then I can bribe you to be nice to me.”
John ? Jo shot a questioning look at Zach, but he just lifted a shoulder and shook his head. She squeezed the old lady’s hand. “I don’t need bribing.” Not with anyone who needed help, and the fact this was Zach’s grandmother clinched the deal. “It’s my job to make sure you’re getting the best possible nutrition, though, so let’s keep those empty calorie snacks at a minimum, shall we?”
Zach laughed.
If it hadn’t been directed at her, Jo might have enjoyed the deep, full sound. But no. It was at her expense. She gritted her teeth and swiveled to face him. “May I ask what’s so funny?”
He waved a hand. “Really, does it matter? Why make big changes? Let these folks enjoy the remainder of their days and eat what they like. It’s not like a diet modification is going to make that much of a difference.”
She narrowed her eyes. “It’s my job. I’ve been hired to improve the menu.”
Zach leaned back in the chair and ran his gaze down and up her. Not, sadly, in a romantic way. More like an intimidation attempt.
Well, she wouldn’t stand for it. Jo parked her hands on her hips and the clipboard clattered to the floor.
He grinned and snatched it before she could react.
Why did she always seem to forget what she had in her hands when he was nearby? Heat crept up her neck and across her cheeks as she retrieved her board from his grasp. She stared at it, trying to
Zach turned aside to hide his grin. If only it were that easy.
Jo laughed out loud. “I hate to break it to you, but baby mice generally have parents. Possibly aunts, uncles, and cousins as well. Getting rid of a nest isn’t the same thing as being done .”
Sierra’s eyes grew wide. “But they’re so dirty.”
Jo knelt beside the cupboard again. “Did we forget to post a sign asking them to wipe their feet on the mat as they came in?”
“Uncalled for, Josephine.”
Zach choked on a chuckle. At least having these gals for neighbors would provide a bit of diversion while he was home.
Chapter 2
Jo patted the long braid wrapped around her head and took a deep breath. The folks in the first few rooms of Galena Hills Care Facility had been too deep in their dementia to notice a visit from the newly hired nutritionist. Too bad their generation once welcomed enriched pre-packaged foods as though delivered straight from the hand of God. Most old people wouldn’t be such a mess if they’d eaten healthier. Probably too late to make a difference, but Jo couldn’t squelch the desire to try.
She straightened her back, pasted on a smile, and consulted her clipboard. Ellie, at the front desk, had barely glanced up from her solitaire game to inform Jo that the resident of Room 224 lived in the present, at least some days. She tapped the door and nudged it open. “Hello, Mrs. Humbert?”
An old woman, white hair floating around her face halo-like, sat in her wheelchair by a small table. A man swiveled at the intrusion from his seat facing the window.
Jo caught her breath. Zach?
“Please come in, my dear.” The old lady peered at her through rheumy eyes. “Do I know you?”
J o closed the space. She could block Zach from her thoughts. This was her job. She took the soft white hand in hers. “I’m Josephine Shaw, the facility’s new nutritionist, and I’m here to talk to you about food.”
Zach chuckled. “Be careful, Grandma. She’ll toss your stash of candies in the garbage.”
Thanks a lot, buster . Jo shot a glare at Zach. Just her luck he felt the need to interfere on his grandmother’s behalf.
Jo turned her back on him and tried for a light tone. “Unless you have any free-trade organic dark chocolate in there. That stuff is hard for me to resist.”
Mrs. Humbert’s poufy hair shimmered as she shook her head. “Now that’s something I don’t have, but John can pick some up for us if you like.” She patted Jo’s hand. “Then I can bribe you to be nice to me.”
John ? Jo shot a questioning look at Zach, but he just lifted a shoulder and shook his head. She squeezed the old lady’s hand. “I don’t need bribing.” Not with anyone who needed help, and the fact this was Zach’s grandmother clinched the deal. “It’s my job to make sure you’re getting the best possible nutrition, though, so let’s keep those empty calorie snacks at a minimum, shall we?”
Zach laughed.
If it hadn’t been directed at her, Jo might have enjoyed the deep, full sound. But no. It was at her expense. She gritted her teeth and swiveled to face him. “May I ask what’s so funny?”
He waved a hand. “Really, does it matter? Why make big changes? Let these folks enjoy the remainder of their days and eat what they like. It’s not like a diet modification is going to make that much of a difference.”
She narrowed her eyes. “It’s my job. I’ve been hired to improve the menu.”
Zach leaned back in the chair and ran his gaze down and up her. Not, sadly, in a romantic way. More like an intimidation attempt.
Well, she wouldn’t stand for it. Jo parked her hands on her hips and the clipboard clattered to the floor.
He grinned and snatched it before she could react.
Why did she always seem to forget what she had in her hands when he was nearby? Heat crept up her neck and across her cheeks as she retrieved her board from his grasp. She stared at it, trying to
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