“You didn’t have to come and get me. You could have waited at my place.” I slide into his car at the end of my shift at the shelter. The interior light shines down on him. Since class, he’s changed into jogging shorts and a T-shirt. Somehow this combination makes him look even better. Or maybe it’s the blend of filthy professor and concerned secret boyfriend that makes me giddy.
“But….” He smiles and grabs my hand, kissing the back of it. “I wanted to.”
“Thank you.” It still comes as a shock that someone like him would be interested in me. I’m not exciting. I’m not sexy. I’m boring and plain. At least, that’s what I’ve always been told. I shut the door with a snap.
“How was tonight?” He lets go of my hand and puts the vehicle in drive.
“It was busy. We had a new family come in. They’d been with us before, so that went smoothly. However, I spent a couple of hours talking with one of our clients about her husband.”
He grips the steering wheel. “On the fence about leaving?”
“Yes,” I sigh and sink into the seat as the interior light fades. The scent of leather hits my feel-good sensors and washes away the day’s grime as the heated seats warm my backside. I could get used to this. Growing up, we had nice things, but by the time I was sent out on my own, Ihad a secondhand car that my mom drove for ten years.
“Kids?” He flips on the blinker and eases onto the street.
“Two. One girl and one boy. They’re young, and she thinks they’re better off with an intact family unit. But they won’t be if he doesn’t stop drinking. She said it’s never been an issue until the last few months. He would drink socially but never to excess. He sounds like a good guy who’s dealing with some depression.”
“Did something change?”
I tilt my head and study his silhouette under the intermittent flashing of the streetlights. “Do you want to know, or are you making polite conversation?”
“Yes.” His eyes flash to me and then back to the road. “I want to know. If it’s something you care about, I want to know more about it. Your passion for helping people is one of the things I find most attractive about you.”
“I thought it was my ass.”
“Well….” He chuckles. “That doesn’t hurt anything.”
Lightness surges through me. It’s not something I feel often. I never felt seen or appreciated. Or like I fit in. But when I’m with him, I feel accepted and valued.
“She said he lost his position a couple of months ago. Now, he’s depressed and angry, and all he does is drink and complain about money and the kids disrespecting him.”
“Had he been in the position long?”
“Yes, it was his company, but he’s had to shut things down due to the recession. The kids are adorable. Well-mannered. Sweet.”
“That sucks.” His jaw flexes as he grips the steering wheel tighter. “What will you do for them?”
“We’ve gotten the mom and kids settled into an apartment and taking care of their necessities. She’s already found a job, so that’s taken some of the pressure off her. She just needs a place to stay while she decides what to do. It doesn’t sound like she was physically abused, so they might get back together and work things out.” I shrug. “At least, that’s what she said. It wouldn’t be the first time a client has failed to disclose the entire truth about their situation at the outset. Many times, they will never disclose everything.” I sigh as visions of police arrests on the 9 o’clock news fills my brain. “Until it’s too late.”
“What services will you provide him?” He clicks on the blinker and turns onto a side street that leads to an estate.
“Where are we going?” I was so busy telling him about Ruth’s situation that I didn’t realize he’d turned away from the streets thatled to my place.
“We’re going to my place tonight.” He reaches for my hand and laces his fingers through mine. “I want to pamper you.”
“What exactly does that entail?” My heart skips a beat and then drums in my chest. I should be home studying, but the thought of spending an evening with him is too appealing to demand he take me home.
“You’ll find out.” His grin is cocky, making my insides flip. “It’s a surprise.”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“Then you haven’t gotten any good surprises before.” His thumb strokes over my skin, sending goosebumps in every direction.
He’s right. No one has ever pampered me or gone out of their way to surprise me.
“So, go on. What will you do for the husband?”
“We’ll offer him counseling services and assist him in finding new employment. If he’s interested in participating. She said he is, so that’s a good sign. Some men are too proud to allow us to help.”