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“You must be the Cunninghams. I’m Tyler. Can I get you anything? A cold drink, or some ice cream?”
“No, thank you, but we won’t be staying. I’ve got dinner to make still, and need to be getting home. I would have stayed in the car, but I wanted to thank you personally, and apologize on behalf of Kevin for what he did. My husband and I were so upset when we found out. I still don’t know what got into him...”
“Now, Nora, let’s not get into it again. What’s done is done. If Mr. Jackson here can see past things, I suppose we can, too.” He held out a grizzled, arthritic hand to Tyler. “I’m Tom Cunningham. Nora and I appreciate the time you’re spending with Kevin. We adore him, but two old people like us aren’t much fun, I’m afraid.” He turned to Kevin. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, sir.” He shoved the last bite of his chocolate-waffle cone in his mouth and swallowed. “’Bye, Dani. ’Bye, Tyler. See you next week?”
Tyler nodded. “You bet.”
“And can Dani come again?”
Uh-oh. That hadn’t been part of the plan. She looked at Tyler, who nodded good-naturedly. “Um, sure, I guess. If that’s what you want.”
“Cool. ’Bye!”
Dani sighed, and sank back into her chair. “Well, that was quite the day. Sorry about him inviting me along for next time. I didn’t know he was going to do that.”
Tyler sat beside her and took a sip of his drink. “It’s fine. Having his energy level back up can only be a good thing.”
“Good point.” She sobered. “Speaking of which, I’m starting to worry he’s too much for the Cunninghams. They’ve done foster care for a long time, but they look more tired than I remember. More...well, old. I’m not sure how much longer they’re going to be able to do this.”
Tyler frowned. “I don’t know what they were like before, but given how energetic kids Kevin’s age are, I understand what you mean. I’d hate for him to have to move to yet another foster home, but it might be inevitable.”
Dani’s stomach clenched, the ice cream that had seemed such a good idea earlier now a cold weight in her gut. “I just want to make things easier for him, you know? But I have no idea how—I couldn’t even schedule an outing without upsetting him.”
Tyler reached across the table, laying his hand on hers. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up. You were trying, and he knows that. That’s what counts. That’s what he needs, people that care enough to try.”
Her hand tingled, a warm feeling where his skin touched hers. Tugging it back, she fisted her hands in her lap. “I just wish I could do more, something to really help him.”
“Well, if you mean that, you could talk to his case worker about getting him some counseling. A therapist could help him work through his feelings about his mom, and help him with any transitions that might come up.”
Hell, why hadn’t she thought of that? “You’re right. I’ll call her as soon as I get home, and see what she can set up. I’ll drive him myself to the appointments if need be. Thanks. I’ll call you and let you know how it turns out.” Finally, she had something concrete to do. Just knowing she had a plan chased away a bit of the restlessness that had been plaguing her. Grabbing her purse, she started for the door, feeling more confident than she had since this whole thing started. Funny how the man she’d been convinced was ruining Kevin’s life just a few days ago was the one giving her an insight into how to help him. Remembering how she’d treated him at the park that day, she felt her cheeks heat. She never had apologized for that. She stopped, her hand on the door, and turned back to him.
“Listen, about the other day... I’m sorry if I jumped to conclusions about you. I just—”
“You just wanted to protect Kevin. I get that.” He smiled. “I don’t want to be your enemy, Dani. I just want to do what’s right.”
“I believe you.” Which was somehow sexier than a power suit or a fast car. Who’d have guessed?
Chapter Three (#ucaca4f14-8555-596a-a825-50a0758750d5)
Dani knocked on the door of the Cunninghams’ small but well-built home and waited. The couple had called earlier, asking to meet, and she’d skipped lunch in order to stop by. The house itself was in one of Paradise’s older neighborhoods, built in an old Florida style with stucco exteriors and large windows to take advantage of the sea breeze. Most had well-kept yards, but a few weeds were beginning to take over the flower bed around the Cunninghams’ mailbox, and the paint was peeling on the door. Small things, but it made her wonder again about their health.
Muffled footsteps from inside were followed by the creak of the door opening. “Dani, thank you for coming so quickly.” Mrs. Cunningham waved her in, and then led her into the kitchen. “Have a seat and I’ll get us some iced tea.”
Dani sat at a scarred wooden table, where a bowl of fresh-cut gardenia blossoms floated in water. “Gardenias are my favorite flower. My parents have a big bush that grows right under my old bedroom window. I used to love falling asleep with that smell in the air.”
“They do make the house smell good, don’t they? Kevin picked those for me yesterday. He’s such a sweet boy.” She set down a full glass of amber tea, condensation already forming on the side. “Full of energy, though. The poor bush looks half-scalped now.” She sat, sighing as she did so. “But his heart is in the right place, I think.”
“I agree. But after a day with him yesterday, I know what you mean. I imagine that’s normal, though, for a boy his age.”
“Oh, it is. We’ve had fifteen different foster children over the years, plus our own kids, of course, and they all have more energy than sense at times. Kevin’s no different. The problem isn’t Kevin, it’s us.” She folded her hands in front of her, and grimaced. “The truth of the matter is, I’m getting old. No, I am old. And so is my husband, even if he won’t admit it. We’ve both got some health issues, nothing too serious, but I’m probably going to need a knee replacement sooner rather than later. And Tom’s blood pressure is getting harder to control. The doctor says he has to start taking it easy or he’s going to end up having a heart attack one day.”
Hearing her suspicions stated out loud made the sweet tea sour in her mouth. “I’m so sorry. Is there something I can do?”
The older woman nodded, her tightly permed grey hair barely budging at the movement. “Not for us, but for Kevin. The social worker said you’re his advocate, and I figured you should be the first to know. We’re going to have to give up fostering. My daughter has found us a nice one-bedroom apartment in one of those assisted-living facilities, where I can get some extra help when I have my surgery, and Tom won’t have to do yard work anymore. It’s the right thing for us, but Kevin’s going to take it hard.”
That was an understatement. “I understand. I don’t know what I can do, but I’ll try to make things easier for him. Has he been to the therapist yet? She should know, too.” Dani had spoken with the caseworker just a few days ago about arranging some counseling, but hadn’t heard anything further. Maybe she should have followed up sooner, but her own workload had kept her busy since then.
“He has an appointment tomorrow after school with someone the social worker recommended. Thank you, by the way, for suggesting it. I should have thought of it myself, but lately it’s been all I can do to keep track of my own doctor visits.”
“I’m glad they were able to find someone for him. You’ll want to tell whoever he sees about this, so they can help him deal with it. They have the training for this kind of thing.”
“Of course, and we will. But Kevin’s really taken with you. He talks about you all the time. I think he looks up to you, what with being a lawyer and having that fancy car. He’ll get whatever counseling he needs, but he’s going to need a friend, too. And I’d just feel better about this whole thing if I knew you’d be keeping an eye on him.” She quickly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “I don’t mind telling you that I feel sick about this. If it was just me, I’d manage. But Tom’s had some chest pains, and—”
“And you have to take care of yourselves. You can’t risk your health... What would happen to Kevin then? He’d still have to move to a new family, and he’d be worried sick about you. No, you have to follow the doctor’s orders. Kevin will be okay.” She tried to project confidence, but worry was already worming its way through her mind. How would Kevin handle yet another move? Would he act out again? He was still on probation; he couldn’t afford to make any more mistakes. And would the new family support him, or would he be labeled a troublemaker and a thief? Mind whirling, she stood to go. She’d get back to the office, make some calls and talk to his social worker. If there was a way to make this easier on him, she’d do it. Not just because it was her job as his guardian ad litem, but also because she wasn’t going to be able to sleep at night if she didn’t.
* * *
Owning a toy store didn’t sound like a physical job, but when crates of wooden blocks and assorted toys needed to be carried around it sure felt like one. Grunting, Tyler lifted the last box of new inventory, feeling his biceps burn. Or course, he could have opened the big box in the storeroom and then carried the individual packages of blocks to the shelf one at a time, but that would have taken forever. And he still had the ego of a twenty-year-old, if not the back of one. Pushing thirty and some days it felt like fifty, but the work got done and that’s what mattered.
Lugging the load to the display shelves, he heard the bell signaling a customer had come in. Usually they were slow between lunch and when school got out, which was why he’d chosen to start stocking the shelves. Now he’d have to stop and hope he could get back to it before he was inundated with elementary-school kids looking to spend their allowance. Oh, well, that’s how it went some days.
“I’ll be right there.” He set down the box with a sigh, then made his way to the sales desk. Waiting for him, her fingers nervously tapping out a rhythm on the counter, was Dani. He hadn’t seen her since Saturday, and hadn’t expected to until the next outing with Kevin. Not that he minded the unexpected visit. A beautiful woman was welcome anytime, and she was looking especially attractive today. A green blouse with a scoop neck showed just a hint of cleavage and was tucked neatly into a charcoal pencil skirt that skimmed her hips and ended just above the knee. Black, lethal-looking spiked heels completed the outfit. Sexy but professional, she had him drooling like a kid at the candy counter.
Clearing his throat, he stepped behind the counter in hopes of hiding his sudden surge of arousal. “Hi, Dani. Can I help you find something?”
“Not unless you have a fairy wand stashed somewhere. The real kind that I can use to fix all of Kevin’s problems.”
“Fresh out, I’m afraid.” He searched her face, seeing sadness in the chocolate depths of her eyes. She’d bitten off most of her lipstick, too, a nervous habit he’d noticed the other day. Something was definitely up. “What’s going on with Kevin? Did he get in more trouble?”
“No, of course not!” She shoved a piece of hair back with one hand, only to have it swing forward again. “I told you, he’s a good kid. But I just talked to the Cunninghams, and they’re having some health problems. In fact, they’re moving into an assisted-living facility. Soon.”
He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he asked anyway. “And where does that leave Kevin?”
“I don’t know—in some other foster home, or even the group home over on the mainland. No one knows yet. I talked to his social worker on the way here, and she said it could take a while to find an available foster family. They just have too many kids and not enough people willing to take them in.”
“Man, that’s rough. Kevin really liked the Cunninghams, from what I can tell.”
She nodded. “He did. They don’t have a lot of energy, but they’re kind to him. I get the feeling not everywhere has been so nice. I just wish I knew what to do about it.”
“I don’t think there is anything you can do, other than keep the lines of communication open. I’ll do the same. Other than that, it’s up to fate.”
Her eyes snapped with fire. “I don’t believe in leaving things up to fate. There has to be something we can do.” She paced, her heels making a clacking noise on the tiled floor. “Maybe you could try to get the charges dropped against him.”
“That’s not going to change anything, and besides, it’s too late. I couldn’t if I wanted to. Which I don’t.”
Dani’s mouth dropped open, but before she could launch into a new argument he continued, “Because he needs to know that his actions have consequences. Now, when he’s still young enough to learn from them. Otherwise he could end up thinking he can get away with stuff like this, and once he’s eighteen he’d face real jail time. He could mess up his life forever. Better he have probation now and change his ways than end up in jail a few years from now.”
“I don’t think that’s likely to happen.”
“Maybe not, but I’m not willing to chance it. I know how easy it is to get caught up in the wrong crowd, making bad decisions. Especially now that he’s going to be facing even more upheaval. Trust me. Probation, the mentorship program—those aren’t the problems. They’re the best way to help him until the real problem can be addressed.”
“And I suppose you have an answer to that, too?”
“Sure. He needs a home, a real home. We can try to help him, the counselors can, the social workers. But until he gets a home of his own he’s going to be fighting an uphill battle.”
Dani pursed her lips, her eyes distant as she appeared to think over his answer. Then she nodded, a smile breaking out over her face, her confidence back in spades. “You’re right.”
“I am?” He thought he was, but he hadn’t expected her to sound so sure of it.
“Yup. He needs a family. So I’ll give him one. I’ll foster him myself.”
* * *
“You’re going to what?” Tyler’s mouth dropped open, making him look a bit like one of the marionettes hanging slack-jawed on the display behind him.
“Foster him.” She chewed her lip, thinking quickly. “I guess that would be the first step. You said it yourself—he needs a real home, stability.”
“You’re insane.”
“I am not.” Okay, so it was a bit impulsive, but there was no logical reason she couldn’t do this. “I’ve got a steady job, a two-bedroom apartment, and he likes me.”
Tyler laughed, a harsh, cynical sound. “And you think that’s all it takes to be a parent? An extra bedroom and a source of income?”
“No, but it’s a start.” She’d thought he’d be supportive, excited even, at the prospect of Kevin getting out of foster care. Obviously she’d misjudged him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have come here. Obviously you don’t care what happens to him. Why should you? He’s just some punk kid who broke the law.” Anger and disappointment washed over her, threatening to coalesce into tears. And she never cried. Certainly not in public. Turning for the door, she bit her lip and reminded herself that Tyler’s opinion meant nothing to her. Why she kept trusting men when they kept letting her down, she had no idea. When it came to the opposite sex, her judgment sucked.
A hand on her arm spun her back, Tyler’s face only inches from hers. “That’s what you’ve got wrong. I do care, and that’s why I think this is a bad idea. You have no idea what you are getting into, taking in a kid like Kevin. It’s not going to be fun and games. It’s going to be hard and ugly. And when it gets to be too much you’ll leave him, and he’ll be worse off than before. So, sorry if I’m not going to be your biggest cheerleader when you treat fostering a child with the same amount of thought as an impulse purchase at the mall. He’s a human being, not a designer purse you can replace next season.”
She clutched her purse and narrowed her eyes. “I know that. And I have no intention of replacing him, or whatever it is you’re implying. I don’t quit, ever. If I start something, I finish it.”
“You do know Kevin isn’t a thing, or a task to be accomplished—he’s a person.”
“Of course I do.” Wasn’t that the whole reason she was doing this? To help someone who couldn’t help himself?
“For his sake, I hope so.”
“You have no idea who I am, or what I’m capable of.” She’d meant what she said: she wasn’t a quitter. At least she hadn’t been, until her life got turned upside down. In her own mind, she needed to still be the strong woman she’d always prided herself on being.
“I know that trying to parent a troubled kid isn’t in the same league as studying for entrance exams or getting through law school. Like I said, you have no idea what you are getting into.”
Frustration and something else fired through her. “Well then, why don’t you help me? If you’re such an expert, you can make sure I get it right.”
“Whoa, slow down. I’m not getting involved. This is your idea, not mine. I don’t want any part of this crazy plan.”
“All talk, no action, huh?”
He glared. “I’m just being realistic.”
She glared right back. She’d had plenty of practice handling alpha males in court and had no intention of letting this one intimidate her. “Realistic or cynical?”
A flash of pain illuminated his eyes before his expression hardened, locking out any trace of emotion. “In my experience it’s the same thing. Crap happens, and all the good intentions in the world can’t change that.”
“Of course not. But surely that’s a good place to start.” She’d been let down when people who should have helped had turned a blind eye. She wouldn’t do that to Kevin.
He stayed silent, as if weighing her words, before finally shrugging in half-hearted acceptance. “Maybe. But I’m serious—you can’t just go upending his life on a whim. You have to be sure. Being a single parent is the hardest thing there is, and that’s true even when it’s your biological child.”
She counted to ten silently. He wasn’t trying to make her mad, and he had some good points. But just because it was hard didn’t mean it wasn’t the right decision. Surely he could understand that. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. “I believe you. I can’t imagine what you or any single parent goes through. And I know this will be hard. But if I can do it, if I can keep him from going into a group home, and make things easier for him, then I should at least try.” She knew what it was like, to feel insignificant, as if you were at the mercy of a system you had no hope of changing. No one had stood up for her, but she could be there for Kevin. Her throat tightened with emotion. “Tyler, I can’t just watch his life be disrupted again, and not do anything about it. I can’t.”
Tense silence met her plea, and then he let out a labored sigh. “Damn it. You don’t make anything easy, do you?”
“Easy doesn’t mean right.” She’d taken the easy way out by coming home, and it kept her up at night. She wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.
“No, I guess it doesn’t. Fine, then, let’s say you decide to do this. What do you have to do to be a foster parent?”
“I don’t know. Yet.” She pulled out her phone and did an internet search for “Palmetto County foster parent” and found the page for the Department of Children and Families. Scanning quickly, she found a section about emergency and temporary placements. “It looks like I might be able to get clearance more quickly, given that I already have a relationship with him. And I’ve been through most of the background checks as part of the guardian ad litem program. But I’ll call his social worker and see what she says. I want to have things in place before he leaves the Cunninghams.” She looked up at him. “I’ll make this work. I won’t let him go to a group home. I won’t let him down.” There was nothing worse than having the people you trusted turn their backs on you. She’d learned that lesson too well, and part of her would never be the same. If she could protect whatever hope Kevin had left, whatever belief he had in good winning out over evil, she would.
Tyler shook his head. “What scares me is, I’m starting to believe it. Now go. Make it happen before I come to my senses and try to talk you out of it.”
“Thanks!” Impulsively she leaned in and hugged him, then froze, expecting the panic to set in. Instead, she felt a pulse of lightning shoot through her, lighting up nerves that had lain dormant so long she’d forgotten what they were for. Heat and confusion filled her head, leaving her dizzy as she pulled back. “I’ve got to go...call the social worker.”
Tyler nodded, stepping away from her. “And I’ve got inventory to unpack. But, Dani?”
“Yes?” Her pulse sped. Had she overstepped with the hug? Had he read something in to it?
“Never mind. Just...good luck.”
Chapter Four (#ucaca4f14-8555-596a-a825-50a0758750d5)
Dani spent the car ride back to her office purposely not thinking about the hug. Or about the way her body had reacted. Or about how good he had felt. Heck, he’d even smelled good. But she wasn’t thinking about that. It was inappropriate, with him being Kevin’s mentor and her being his guardian ad litem. Instead, she should just focus on the fact that she hadn’t freaked out. That was a major breakthrough, and a sign that the therapist she’d been seeing was worth the time and stress of driving to the mainland every other week. Seeing one of the few therapists in Paradise was out of the question; inevitably someone would have seen her coming or going into the office and asked questions she didn’t want to answer. Or worse, would have asked her family about it, and she didn’t want them to know anything about what had happened. She was an adult, and it was her issue to handle. And if her reaction to Tyler was any indication, she was making progress.
But a fleeting attraction, as heartening as it was, wasn’t an excuse to get sidetracked. Right now she needed to focus on Kevin, and his situation. Which meant as soon as she got to her desk she needed to call his social worker. Pulling into the small parking lot, she spied several unfamiliar cars. Good, that meant her parents would be busy and wouldn’t want to chat about where she’d been or what she was up to. She’d fill them in on the Kevin situation once she had more information. After Tyler’s initial reaction, she didn’t want to risk any more negativity.
Once inside she blinked at the cool dimness, letting her eyes adjust from the bright tropical sun outside. Her mom, on the phone as always, waved hello, then pointed at her father’s office. Dani shook her head; she didn’t have time to schmooze a client right now. It wasn’t like her father needed her legal advice; he just liked showing off his eldest daughter to clients, taking pleasure in promoting the firm as a family affair. Cute, but today wasn’t the day for it.
She had almost made it to her own office when she heard a door open behind her. Crap. She was caught.
“Dani, there you are! I’ve got someone here I want you to meet.”
She turned slowly, forcing a smile to her face. Standing next to her father was a man about her own age, dressed in the Florida version of country-club casual: a golf shirt, neatly pressed khakis and boat shoes. Flashing her a brilliant smile that showcased perfect teeth, he stepped toward her, hand outstretched. “Hello, Dani. Your father’s told me a lot about you.”
He stepped into her space, and without thinking she stepped backward, her foot hitting the closed door of her office. Sweat trickled between her breasts. Damn it, and here she’d been congratulating herself on making progress with her fears. Clamping down on the adrenaline thrumming through her body, she shook his hand and reminded herself her father was in the room; she was totally safe. He’d done nothing wrong, other than to move in a bit too quickly, and a bit too close. But that was typical with alpha males, especially in the business world. “Nice to meet you, um—”
“Sorry, Richard. Richard Thompson. Your father’s helping me with a trust I’m setting up.”
“That’s great.” Unable to stand it any longer, she eased around him, moving into the center of the room, where she had space to breathe and an open view of the front door.
“Richard is setting up a charitable trust, as a matter of fact. Very praiseworthy for a single man his age, I have to say.”
