How about now?

 "You can't be serious," Alfie looked a bit wild-eyed at Christine as she was going through the applications for the clerk position in her little cube of an office. He'd spotted a name he was very familiar with. 

"Not her, please." He could beg, but he knew he had no authority here after he said it.

"What? We don't have that many applications," she looked at him puzzled. 

He sighed and pointed to the name.

"She's..she's just trouble," He practically spat.

"I know, she's been in some trouble as of late, but..but she needs a second chance too. She's going to counseling. She's doing some volunteering at the food pantry. She's trying. She really is. Besides, she blew all her saving paying her bond and she's now living in a trailer park." Christine gave him practically a sideways look. 

Alfie pressed his lips and fumed about the matter. He didn't want to see Remi. That was the last thing he needed this new year. It made him nervous. 

It didn't help he'd had such a dry spell since Poppy. What if? Oh, he cringed to think. He knew there was nothing he could do about this. It was best to leave it alone. After all, Christine had already hired Remi for the position. She had people skills and was pretty good with money too. 

He got out of her office fast enough when he got the call from Oakley.

"What's up?" He went outside of the building in to the cold wind. If only he'd remembered to bring his sweater or a parka would have really been nice about now, but he edged against the brick wall.

"Nothing much," she said she was in town and wondered if he would try this Mexican food place. She was studying at the library and had picked up some books from a professor who had moved here. "Do you want to have lunch?"

"Oh, that would be great." He smiled. Just what he needed. Oakley would have no idea about how she'd rescued him. Of course, it was best to just keep it simple. Going out for a meal was a good start. He wasn't asking for anything like a full-blown relationship. "I can meet you at the library."

"But I need some things at the drugstore," she told him. "I'll pick you up."

"Sure." He could definitely get used to this.